2025/26 Champions League: Who are Europe’s best football clubs?

After a magnificent 2024/25 Champions League (UCL) season that ended in a dominant Paris Saint-Germain run, the 2025/26 season is shaping up to be a campaign filled with blockbuster matches! There is no clear favourite to win the UCL, making it exciting to think about the potential contenders.

Are you interested in learning more about the standout clubs for this upcoming UCL season? Get to know about the contenders and how the revamped UCL format has worked out a year after its implementation.

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Paris Saint-Germain’s title defence

Paris Saint-Germain had one of the best runs to the Champions League title in modern history. They beat giant clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal en route to dominating Inter Milan in the Final. It was a fantastic run that they could replicate in the 2025/26 season.

No club has repeated as winners since Real Madrid won their third-straight Champions League in 2018. That means it will be difficult for PSG to maintain this form, but Luis Enrique’s team will work hard to defend their title.

With Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia leading, this club could go all the way, especially with the experience they now have as winners. It will be a challenging achievement, as PSG have a target on their back, so they must be prepared to win again.

Arsenal: Realising the sky-high potential

For the past three seasons, Arsenal have been one of the most impressive teams in Europe. They went from being a mediocre club that was on the fringes of the Champions League spots. However, they suddenly became a title contender in the Premier League and became a fantastic defensive side.

With the improvements they have made through the years and their semi-final run in the 2024/25 Champions League campaign, this should be another strong year for Arsenal. They could improve on their previous season, especially with more depth in the lineup. The North London side struggled with injuries before, but they still reached the semi-finals.

With Bukayo Saka leading the charge, this Arsenal squad will be a tough team to play against. As long as they maintain their momentum, they could realise their potential and become the best team possible in Europe’s premier cup competition.

Liverpool: Maintaining momentum from the Prem title

Most people thought Arsenal and Manchester City would be the two clubs fighting for the Premier League title in the 2024/25 season. That was not the case, as they struggled with injuries and inconsistencies. The club that benefited from it was Liverpool, which won the Premier League. With that momentum, they could pull off some surprises in the UCL.

The team’s spine is still the same, with Virgil Van Dijk and Alison at the back, while Mohamed Salah headlines the attack. They might have lost Trent Alexander-Arnold, but they have reloaded with fantastic players from the transfer window, including Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, and superstar midfielder Florian Wirtz.

Liverpool has a stacked squad with most of their Premier League-winning squad from the 2024/25 season returning, and they have additional stars in the transfer window. They won this in 2019 with the same spine, so they have the experience. However, Arne Slot will have a tougher time, as the rest of the team were not part of that squad, but they are prepared to prove themselves.

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Manchester City: Redemption from a mediocre campaign

As the winners of this tournament back in 2023, Manchester City aims to regain their spot atop Europe. They struggled in the 2024/25 season across all competitions, failing to win all the major trophies available to them. That is unfamiliar for a Pep Guardiola-managed side, but this Man City team is prepared to bounce back after a disappointing campaign.

With Ballon d’Or winner Rodri back on the team, this is one of the toughest teams to play against. Erling Haaland remains the superstar striker, but his supporting cast is filled with talented stars like Omar Marmoush, Phil Foden, and more.

Man City should be one of the most imposing sides in this tournament, boasting the talent and financial power to compete at the highest level of this cup competition. With the combination of talent, financial power, and arguably football’s greatest-ever manager, Man City will be formidable and a favourite to win this tournament again.

Barcelona: A return to being a European powerhouse

After winning the 2024/25 La Liga title, Barcelona should be one of the best teams ahead of the 2025/26 Champions League campaign. They have teenage winger Lamine Yamal, who is arguably the most promising player in the world. He is already on the level of the best right-wingers, and will continue being the superstar of the Catalan side.

The team has many superstar-level players, which is enough to call them one of the best teams in Europe. Players like Pedri, Raphinha, and veteran striker Robert Lewandowski make this club a challenging lineup to play against. Barcelona are an intimidating matchup due to the talent and winning pedigree.

At the same time, they are managed by Hansi Flick, the same man who led Bayern Munich to the 2020 Champions League win. If they continue to keep playing at the level Flick wants them to be at, this Barcelona side could be one of the toughest matchups for any club that faces them.

Inter Milan: Bouncing back from humiliation

After a 0-5 defeat at the hands of PSG in the Champions League Final, Inter Milan will want to redeem itself. They are one of the strongest teams in Europe, especially on the defensive end, with Alessandro Bastoni leading the charge. However, they were beaten by PSG in the UCL Final and by Napoli for the Serie A title.

This should motivate the team to perform in the upcoming Champions League campaign, as they have lost two Finals in the past three years. They do not want to keep losing, and Inter Milan has the quality to compete at the highest level. It will be challenging to keep being the bridesmaid, so this is their chance to return to the top.

With players like Bastoni, Lautaro Martínez, and Nicolò Barella, this Inter team is strong. They just need the momentum and confidence to keep staying competitive and winning the matches by performing on the big stage. Losing in the UCL Final is the motivation they need to get more firepower and improve on defence.

Real Madrid: Returning to excellence

As the record-holder for the most Champions League trophies with 15, Real Madrid is always a strong contender for this tournament. They thrive in high-pressure situations, and they just won the 2023/24 tournament. Unfortunately for Los Blancos, they lost in the 2024/25 season to Arsenal, and it was an embarrassing defeat for them.

With new manager Xabi Alonso taking over, he wants to make the most out of his world-class squad. They have headlining talents like Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Jr., Jude Bellingham, and new arrival Trent Alexander-Arnold. They have the talent to overwhelm their opponents, and with Alonso’s tactics, they could blow everyone out.

However, they must not be complacent, as other clubs are catching up. With PSG’s first victory and other clubs like Arsenal raring to go, Real Madrid will have a challenging time winning their 16th Champions League. Fortunately, the talent in this squad could convince anyone to see them as favourites.

Top players to watch in the 2025/26 UCL

Every player in the 2025/26 Champions League will want to stand out. They want to help their clubs win matches en route to competing for the trophy at the end of the knockout stage. With all the talent in the Champions League, some players deserve the spotlight. Here are some of them:

• Erling Haaland (Manchester City) - As the most prolific goalscorer of the 2020s, Haaland has earned the right to become one of the world’s best players. He is an imposing striker who towers over most players, but he has the technique combined with his power that always finds a way to exceed his Expected Goals numbers.

• Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain) - The standout for PSG, Dembélé has always been talented, but the 2024/25 campaign cemented him as one of the world’s best players. He is a creative dribbler and hard-working off the ball, but his biggest strengths are with his ability to strike the ball on either foot.

• Declan Rice (Arsenal) - Declan Rice is such an effective midfielder as he does everything required of him. He defends well with his athleticism, he is a creative force with his playmaking, and he can even score goals. He is at the pinnacle of midfield performances, and he deserves the spotlight.

• Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) - For Barcelona, it is challenging to break out and constantly get compared to Lionel Messi. Yamal has done that at a young age, and he is continuously improving. That is an insane level of talent, and he will only get better with his skill set and maturity.

• Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool) - The most reliable defender in the world, Virgil Van Dijk is always a rock at the back. He can overpower his opponents physically while calmly leading his teammates.

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