The UEFA Champions League is starting on the 14th of September and soccer fans worldwide are more than excited about who will raise the trophy in May of 2022. It will be a bombastic opening, with the first week featuring a rematch between Bayern Munich and Barcelona, after the Bavarians routed the Catalans out of the Champions League two years ago with an 8-2 defeat. Another marquee match-up will be on the 15th of September, with Liverpool and Milan replaying the finals from 2005 and 2007. While Chelsea, Manchester City and PSG are clear-cut favorites to win it all, here are three teams that might surprise you.
Bayern Munich
The winners from 2020 are, for the first time in years, not considered one of the top favorites, with the aforementioned English and French clubs being ahead of them. However, even with a change in coach and losing David Alaba to Real Madrid, Bayern is still a serious Champions League contender who will ruthlessly punish any team that provides them with an inch of space.
World-class striker Robert Lewandowski opened his Bundesliga tally with 5 goals in just three games, showing the world why he is still up there, even at 33 years of age. Major additions Marcel Sabitzer and Dayot Upamencano are still adjusting to the team, but they will surely be big boosts for the midfield and defense of the Bavarian giants.
Other than the three mentioned players, there is still quality in every facet of this Munich squad. In goal, of course, is one of the best keepers of all time and true heir of Bayern legend Oliver Kahn, Manuel Neuer. The former Schalke 04 man is up there in age, but he can still completely lock his goal up for the opposition. In front of him, other than the newcomer Upamecano, is a strong back-line of Alphonso Davies, Niklas Sule and Josip Stanisic, where Davies is the the best player. The Canadian did have a somewhat underwhelming season after booming in 2020, but he can still hold down the left side for the Germans with incredible quality.
In the middle, coach Julian Nagelsmann has a plethora of options, but the stars are Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich. They are as stable as it gets, box-to-box midfielders that have a knack for completely controlling the midfield. They will be helped by new signing Sabitzer, who comes in from rivals RB Leipzig, and occasional apps from the likes of Thomas Muller and Correntin Tolisso. Up front, however, the Munich squad looks incredibly scary. Lewandowski is holding down the middle while Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane will bomb down the wings and provide width for the attack. All in all, this is a very dangerous squad and there is definitely a scenario where Bayern tops the favorites and wins the Champions League next May.
Real Madrid
It is never smart to count out the 13-time UCL winners, so they deserve a spot on this list. Los Blancos did have a very turbulent summer, losing manager Zinedine Zidane and stalwarts Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos, but the first three matches in La Liga (two wins, one draw) were promising for the Whites. New manager Carlo Ancelotti was able to imprint his all-out-attack identity on the squad, with Vinicius Jr. especially exploding with three goals in three matches, equaling his league tally from last season.
The squad, overall, does not seem strong when compared to the squad that won the Champions League four times in five years, however, it is still not going to be an easy challenge for any of the favorites. Nacho Fernandez and Eder Militao are proving their worth as a stable partnership in the middle of the defense, and have done so since the end of last season, when they were forced to play there due to injuries to Varane and Ramos. However, they are now aided by the returning Dani Carvajal and David Alaba, who are both world class in both attacking and overlapping with wingers, and in defending, with the help of Nacho and Militao who cover for them in their offensive runs.
The middle of the park is where the true strength of the Madrid squad comes which should help in the Champions League. Casemiro is one of the best play-destroying midfielders in the world, with an impeccable eye for plays and a no-nonsense attitude in getting the ball from the opposition. He is supported by the workhorse of the midfield, Federico Valverde who seems to have endless energy running up and down the pitch. With them, usually, there is Luka Modric or Toni Kroos, but other players such as Isco, Marco Asensio and new signing Eduardo Camavinga will be receiving minutes as well.
In the attack, the focus will be in the middle, as Karim Benzema is in the form of his life, finishing up last season with 30 goals in all competitions. He will be supported by the returning Gareth Bale and an Eden Hazard ready to prove his doubters wrong. Also, young and hungry wingers Vinicius and Rodrygo will be ready to pounce on any opportunity given, while Luka Jovic will try to make his presence felt. This team might not be as strong as it could have been with Kylian Mbappe, but it still will not be an easy task for anyone in this years Champions League.
Liverpool
It would be easy to count out the Merseyside team due to the season they had last year, but Jurgen Klopp’s team is still a force to be reckon with. The winners in 2019 are going to be a tough opponent wherever the draw takes them, and they will be tested immediately, being placed in one of the toughest groups, together with Milan, Porto and Atletico Madrid. However, this Liverpool squad is full of talent and it cannot be overlooked in the Champions League.
The defensive wall of Allison and any pair of center-backs Klopp can put out on any given night will be a nightmare for opposition attackers to go through. Not only is Virgil Van Dijk returning, but Liverpool also has Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate waiting to show the world what they can do. On the flanks, the team from Anfield has options any team in the world would like, as Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold are stable and consistent full-backs who will deliver every night.
The midfield is still strong, despite losing Georginio Wijnaldum to PSG, with Henderson dictating play and Fabinho making sure that the middle of the pitch is dominated by the English team. They will be joined most likely by Thiago, who will be the creative spark needed for the squad. In the attack, a devastating partnership of Mohamed Salah on one, and Sadio Mane on the other side will instill fear into any opposition. Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota will be the rotation in the false nine role preferred by Klopp, and their job will be to distribute the ball to the goal-scoring options on the wings. This squad will definitely turn some heads in the Champions League and they definitely deserve to be up there with their compatriots from London and Manchester, and with the squad from Paris that everyone is backing to win the biggest club competition in the world.
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