Five clubs who can win the Champions League?
Hiten Patel suggests in this ComeOnLads.com article who would be the teams to win this season’s Champions League, and would it be a team from England? Here’s a look at the five clubs with the biggest chance.
Every club wants to add it to their trophy cabinet, yet only one can triumph above the rest, claiming the title of the best club in Europe. Who will win this season’s Champions League, and will it be a team from England? Here’s a look at the five clubs with the biggest chance.
Real Madrid
When Real Madrid lifted the Champions League trophy for the 12th time in their history, it was the ultimate justification Zinedine Zidane’s side were the best side in Europe, arguably the world. Having won the competition the previous season with a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty in the shootout, Madrid looked far more comfortable in 2017’s final, eventually beating Juventus 4–1 and setting a new record for the first club to successfully defend the title.
However, with a stuttering start to the 2017/18 league campaign and the signs of clubs around the world getting stronger, are Real going to steamroll the competition again? A lot will be riding on talisman Ronaldo, whose hattrick saved his side from German giants Bayern Munich in the Quarter-Finals and once again against Atletico Madrid in the Semis. Such is the Portuguese’s influence in the competition, there are question marks about his ability as he enters his 30s and at the back-end of his career.
Now at 32, will Ronaldo have the legs to compete the way he normally does? One thing is for sure, he’s definitely not featuring as much as he did in his prime, and this could be a plan set by Zidane and Ronaldo to ensure the 4-time Ballon D’or winner remains refreshed. There is something different this year too; not only Ronaldo’s playing time but also the players around him. This year, there are more than just a handful of superstars in the team.
We could potentially be witnessing one of the stars of the world football in 21-year-old Marco Asensio as he makes his mark on the European stage. Having had his breakthrough for Real Madrid last season, the Spaniard has continued his fine form into the new season, seeing him score wonder goals against Barcelona and Valencia. Having previously relied upon Ronaldo, Benzema and Bale for goals, there is now another outlet who can be just as deadly and young enough to keep going for years.
All the players may not be in their prime as they were a couple of seasons ago, but Real certainly have what it takes to succeed. Will Zidane do what no other manager could even dream of, and win the Champions League for a third successive time?
Manchester City
Manchester City are in fine form at the moment, depicting the tactics of a Pep Guardiola side with a solid backline and a midfield capable of controlling the game, accompanied by a deadly strike-force miles above the rest in the Premier League. Such is their early dominance this season, it will be interesting to see if they are able to maintain their high performance football but with Guardiola now firmly settled in, he’ll have no excuses to go all the way in Europe.
Pep’s love affair with this competition dates back to his Barcelona days when they were simply unstoppable, winning against the elite many times. In his four-year managerial spell with the Catalan club, the 46-year-old won it twice and added it to his trophy collection, also becoming the youngest manager to have ever won it. Now at the Etihad, he has a monstrous task of lifting the trophy once again with a club that are only in their seventh season in the Champions League.
Already they have shown they have the cutting edge that pips them at the top of the league, alongside Manchester United, and will be a force to be reckoned with. While their usual dominant displays were slightly effective last year, they were found wanting in too many games due to a lack of goals. However, this year Man City are adding something extra to their game. Instead of having a club full of individuals, this side are starting to look more and more like a collective and once that cohesion is instilled within them, their passing play and movement will be second to none.
The pairing of Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero is proving to be a fruitful one as they have combined to score nine goals between them in just 10 games and will look to emulate that form in Europe. Already being touted as the next Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole, Guardiola has stated his faith in playing two up front has seen them score more goals by sayig:
“We scored a lack of goals last season so we thought that maybe they should play together. The way we played as a team, we are so happy.”
But will scoring plenty of goals be enough to tame the likes of Bayern, Real Madrid and other strong competitors this season?
See who are the other clubs with the best chances to win the Champions League.
