Now that we were able to witness the first leg of the champions League Group Stage, it is time to make some predictions! Who is going to win this year’s Champions League trophy? I am aware that it is waaay too early to make such predictions but what is the fun if we are not doing it too early? With the upcoming World cup between the group stages and the knock-out stages it will be more important than ever to have a great squad that contains of more than just eleven world class players. This is why we will evaluate the squad quality, overall start into the season as well as their potential throughout the upcoming season. With that being said, let’s get started!
Liverpool FC
When we are talking about clubs that are able to win the trophy this year, we need to talk about both finalist of last year. The unfortunate loser of this final was Liverpool and before the season I was sure that they will play a great role in this season’s Champions League campaign. Unfortunately, they are having a horrific start. Not only their first game against Napoli was shocking but also their general start in the Premier League. It seems like the team is still too volatile and has to find itself. Not only that but the gap that has been left by Mane is not being filled properly.
I don’t think that Liverpool has the squad to compete until the end here. I am certain that they will quickly shift their focus on the league and make sure that they will qualify for next year’s Champions League season. At the moment their competitors in the Premier League are looking strong and it might be a big struggle to get into the top 4 if they continue to perform like that.
Real Madrid
The winner of last season’s Champions League is Real Madrid. Their start to the season was very solid, as expected. They were able to win all 4 of their league games and also demonstrated their strengths in Glasgow. With currently one of the best strikers in the world and their overall experience I am very sure that they will reach at least the semi finals yet again. Their only problem might be that their squad is quantitively not as big as others. Ancelotti always likes to have a core-squad which is fair. This way the team is always functioning. The problem with that will be the World Cup when almost all of his players will be playing in it. They will come back tired and will probably not able to reach their peak performance when it is needed. All in all, they are one of the favorites, but I would say other teams have better chances.
FC Barcelona
Staying in Spain, we need to talk about the other giant in the room. Fc Barcelona who regained their strength but completing insane transfers in this summer. Amongst these transfers is Robert Lewandowski who is already showing incredible performances in the new Barca dress. Just tonight he was able to score yet another hattrick! The team overall seems to get more sharper from game to game and to understand Xavi’s philosophy more and more. To be honest, they did not have a real do or die test, but I am sure that they will show their class in these games as well. In my opinion, they are having a very talented squad with many talents as well as a good amount of experience. They are definitely for me one of the favorites for the semi final. With that being said, I think there are just too many other teams that are currently stronger and showing more potential than this Barcelona.
Paris Saint-Germain
Another team that has to be mentioned when it comes to the Champions League title is currently Paris Saint-Germain. Their three strikers are probably the strongest force in the whole world at the moment. Neymar, Messi and Mbappe have too much skill, talent and probably money than other teams combined. While those three are an extreme weapon, they are an extreme liability at the same time! Traditionally, their workload towards defending their own goal is not the greatest. This will mean that they will be an extreme liability against teams that know how to take advantage of that.
Overall, it seems the same problem as always with PSG: Balance. While they are always claiming to have found the right balance, big games always show their weaknesses. This is also due to the league that they are playing in. Because they are not challenged enough during the season they most often struggle to find their form in the most important games in the knock out stage. With that being said, this could be actually a great advantage in this season due to the World Cup in November and December! Why? While other Champions League teams will have to fight in their league for points, PSG will probably win their league before Christmas (obviously exaggerated, but you get my point :D). It will be interesting to see whether they can use this advantage. For me they certainly are a favorite for the semi finals.
Bayern Munich
In a very similar league situation is currently Bayern Munich. While their start into the Bundesliga was amazing, they recently struggled with two draws. Nevertheless, there is almost no doubt that they will win the league again very comfortably. Their squad is very wide and balanced. With top tier defenders, and great wingers they are always good for counter attacks but also can find solutions against opponents that are defending deep. The only problem that they are having is that they are lacking a striker.
While they lost Lewandowski to Barcelona, the only real striker they got was Mane, who is truly not the same type of striker. At the moment they are managing to find solutions, but having a true 9 in the squad always helps. I think their team will struggle like others with the World Cup. I think that they will play a great role if their main players keep healthy and will manage to reach the semi finals. Depending on the opponent I would even argue that they are having a great chance to reach the final as well, as long as they stay concentrated and do not lose like last season against Villarreal.
Manchester City
Last but not least, we need to talk about my clear favorite for this season. I already can see the comments of how Pep will stand in his own way yet again and how they will bottle it yet again. I just believe that they have learned. With Haaland they have just a brute force in the striker position who already scored an incredible amount of goals. Yes, a majority were tap ins but there is a reason why Pep is keeping him in the team! I am more than certain that Man City will reach the final and in there just dominate their opponent.
The final is always its own game but I think even there, City will have a greater shot of winning. Regarding the World Cup, I think that they will have a time where they will struggle. The thing with Man City is that there are already rumors that they have money ready to spend on the next star of the World Cup. This means that I am expecting their team to be even stronger after the winter period which will give them great advantages in their league as well as in the knock-out stage!
Honorable Mentions
I think there could also be a potential surprise waiting for us! One of them is certainly Tottenham. They are not having the most difficult group stage. With Frankfurt, Sporting and Marseille, the teams are more than beatable and with their current squad quality a must to go through. Depending on the opponent in the knock out stages, I am giving them a shot to achieve the semi finals!
Same goes with Dortmund. In my opinion, they are a very solid team with a good balance of talent and experience. While their group stage is more difficult with Man City and Sevilla, I truly have faith that there is a good shot of them reaching the knock out stages. If they are lucky enough to get an easy opponent, their way can lead them into the semis as well. Unfortunately, there will be an end for them.
The last surprise that is more of a hope than a fact is Ajax. I really hope that they will be able to surprise us once again! I am a big fan of their work and it is just amazing how many talented players they are able to regenerate out of their academy! Their group is very difficult with Liverpool and Napoli, but there is always a chance for them especially because Liverpool is struggling at the moment.
Published by ga38jem on
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On 7th September 2022