La Liga in the UCL: How are Spain's best football squads performing?
La Liga has always been one of the best leagues in Europe, as they have produced some of the biggest contenders in the Champions League. In fact, Real Madrid is the defending champs of the current campaign, having won the 2023-24 UCL season. Will Spain’s best squads also be the top teams of Europe?
Spain is the most successful country in the Champions League, with Real Madrid having a total of 15 championship titles as of writing. In the current 2024/25 season, there are four La Liga teams playing against the rest of Europe’s top squads.
Learn more about Spain’s best clubs below.
Who are La Liga’s representatives in the 2024/25 UCL season
Four of the best teams from Spain’s La Liga are currently playing under the new UCL format this season. Have a look at La Liga’s representatives in the biggest club competition in Europe:
Real Madrid
Anyone who has watched the Champions League before should be familiar with Real Madrid. In this competition, Los Blancos are the most successful as they have 15 UCL trophies throughout history. The closest to them is AC Milan, who has less than half, seven UCL victories. Real Madrid have world-class players in every position on the pitch, including popular stars Kylian Mbappé and Luka Modrić. Expect this club to perform well and possibly win it all due to the talent under manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Barcelona
The second-most successful Spanish club in the UCL and coincidentally, Real Madrid’s fierce rival. Barcelona is one of the best clubs not only in Spain but for the entirety of Europe because they always field exciting squads. With 2020 winner Hansi Flick managing the club, they have a strong chance of winning this tournament.
Considering Barça already has five Champions League trophies to their name, expect their heritage to carry them well into the future.
Atlético Madrid
Despite not having a UCL trophy in their cabinet, Atlético Madrid has been a prolific club in the competition through the years. They are known for playing a rough-nosed style, as the system was built around manager Diego Simeone’s principles from when he was a player.
Atléti is a tough match-up for any team, as they have become one of the best defensive sides in Europe. With players like Antoine Griezmann and Rodrigo De Paul, the team has that edge, but they might still be behind the two Spanish giants.
Girona
The underdog team from the 2023/24 La Liga season earned their way to the Champions League by being one of the surprise stories of the campaign. Girona might be within the City Group of clubs, but they were underdogs during that campaign. They were leading the league for a large portion of the campaign, but their flame fizzled out and settled for fourth.
While the team’s 2023/24 top scorer Artem Dovbyk left for Roma, the rest of the team still plays exciting football. With Mîchel at the helm as the manager, Girona is in good hands since they are still performing at the highest level.
What are the UCL matches featuring La Liga teams?
Look into their fixture list and see which teams from other top tier European leagues are they playing against in the current Champions League campaign:
Barcelona vs Bayern Munich
Through the years, Barça and Bayern Munich are known for their massive match-ups in the UCL. They have constantly played against each other, but the most infamous fixture between them was during the 2019/20 season when the Bavarian side won the match 8-2.
It was an embarrassing loss for Barça, but the tables have turned for this season because the star player of that team is Robert Lewandowski, who is now with Barcelona. At the same time, Flick was also the manager of the Bayern side, which is pretty interesting due to the number of changes through the years.
Bet on Barcelona vs Bayern Munichthis match here
Real Madrid vs Liverpool
Real and Liverpool have been locking horns for the longest time, but their recent UCL history has shown they have played against each other multiple times. The most prominent of which are the 2018 and 2022 UCL Finals, where they played against each other, with the Spanish side winning both times.
This will be a fun one to watch because the narrative is mostly about Real Madrid’s super team, while Liverpool is fresh off parting ways with a Merseyside icon, former manager Jürgen Klopp. Expect this match to be filled with fireworks, as the November 27th fixture will be one to watch for either side, but mostly for your betting purposes.
Real Madrid vs AC Milan
It is always a big-time fixture when the two most successful clubs in the Champions League compete with each other. This is a premier fixture, even though AC Milan is not what it used to be. However, the history is still there as Real Madrid wants their 16th title with their retooled roster, with Milan being the underdog in this match-up.
This upcoming matchup is not filled with the top stars in Italy, but you can expect Los Blancos to pull off some massive performances just to get past Milan. It will be a challenge, but Real is still the favourite to win this November 5 game.
Atlético Madrid vs Paris Saint-Germain
While Atléti and PSG have only played against each other twice, this is still a high-profile game. This is a fantastic clash of styles, as the Madrid side will play the classic defensive style that they employ under Simeone while PSG will rely on their technical ability with their skilled players and manager Luis Enrique.
Since both clubs are European giants, they will want to win the match for the fans. They are not favourites any more, but they have a chance to make it further than most people realise in this tournament, so buckle up and watch the match on November 6.
Who are the most notable players from these La Liga clubs?
Now that you are more aware of the fixtures involving Spanish clubs, you should also know which players are standing out in the UCL. Here are some notable players you should be familiar with:
Kylian Mbappé’s quest for his first-ever UCL
Kylian Mbappé has been a superstar since his ascent in 2018, but he has not won a Champions League yet. That was mostly because he was with PSG, and they could not get over the hump. However, Mbappé has all the talent and now that he is with Real Madrid, he is likely to win that trophy.
Donny van de Beek’s redemption after years on the bench
After toiling away on the Manchester United bench for years, Donny van de Beek is playing regular football again, this time for Girona. This might be a downgrade from playing in England’s biggest club to an underdog Spanish side, but that is the opportunity he wants to take advantage of.
The Dutch midfielder is talented, but he needs the opportunity to showcase that. He could do that with Girona, as he can prove why he was such a big prospect in 2019 after Ajax’s phenomenal run to the semifinals, where they would only fall to a magical comeback from Tottenham Hotspur.
Julian Alvarez embracing the main man role
After wanting a bigger role away from Manchester City, Julian Alvarez became the main man for Atlético Madrid. He was sold for around €95 million, so the Madrid side has high expectations for him not only as a striker but also as a creator for his team.
He has the talent to become world-class as a forward since he has the goal-scoring acumen and the creative side. That kind of play style is challenging to maximise, but he has the talent and the experience of playing in a well-oiled machine like Pep Guardiola’s Man City side.
Other squads that will challenge La Liga teams’ run in the Champions League
The Champions League is the biggest stage for the best teams from Europe’s top-tier leagues. La Liga’s four representatives will play for the 2024/25 championship title with these squads:
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Arsenal - A team that has arguably the best defence in European football, but they can also play a faster-paced style with their offence centred on Bukayo Saka.
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Manchester City - This team is always one of the biggest contenders due to their squad of elite players and manager Pep Guardiola leading the charge.
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Inter Milan - Lautaro Martinez leads the line for one of the most well-rounded squads in European football, as they have a strong offensive system while having strong defenders at the back like Alessandro Bastoni.
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Bayern Munich - The German club has always been a tough match-up for any European side because they have one of the most supercharged offences in Europe under manager Vincent Kompany.
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Atalanta - The Italian side won the Europa League in the 2023/24 season, so they have the confidence and momentum to keep that up, but on a higher level in the Champions League.
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