Favourites teams to win the UEFA champions league 2016-17 season
As the most prestigious competition is around the corner, there is need to check out the favourites for this year’s Europe’s number one competition. The titleholders, Real Madrid and also the most successful club in the competition having won 11 titles, six when it was called European Cup and five when the name was changed to UEFA champions league is a team to look out for this season. After so many recent controversies in the UEFA world, this year’s competition will be a fierce one. With the introduction of new teams like Leicester city, which could be a problem for the so called big teams. Leicester City, as a team, would love to go out there and prove a point that they are not a one season wonder.
After much said, there are teams that have been consistent over the years and they have always been regarded as favourites to win this trophy every season even before the competition kicks off. Let us analyse the chances of these teams one after the other.
Barcelona
The Catalans in recent years have been the most successful team in the UCL, making it to the semi-finals seven times in ten years and winning it four times. They have been eliminated from the competition in the quarter finals by their fellow Spanish counterparts Atletico Madrid on two occasions.
The Catalonian club possess a strong squad with the likes of five times Balon d’or winner Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar their combo is tagged "MSN.Not to forget other great creative players like Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic and host of others. Barcelona are often referred to as the “Favourite of the Favourites” because of the depth of their squad and their style of play.
Barcelona have pathed ways with likes of Dani Alves, Alex Song, Tomas Vermalean, Montoya, Adriano, Sandro Ramirez and Marc Bartra. The team has also added Umtiti, Digne, Andre Gomes, Alcacer and bought back Denis Suarez from Villareal to make their squad stronger. It won’t be a surprise to the world if Luis Enrique’s men eventually lifts the trophy.
Real Madrid
The Spanish power house is the most successful team when it comes to the UCL having claimed eleven titles already and also they are the titleholders, after seeing out their fellow Madrid club in penalty shoot-out last season playing out a 1-1 draw in 120minutes of play. The UCL is the most important competition as far as the los blancos are concerned, even their supporters don’t take the Spanish League and Cup seriously as they take the champions league. When it comes to Real side of Madrid, UEFA champions league is a priority for every coach appointed as they want to remain the powerhouse in Europe.
Having appointed Zidane as their head coach in January at the expense of Rafael Benitez, the Frenchman has been able to win the competition last season for the los blancos in the space of 4 months. Its obvious much will be expected from him in this season’s champions league to prove his worth of being a good coach. He has added both Alvaro Morata and Marco Asensio to his squad and only pathed ways with Jese Rodriguez who joined PSG in a €25m deal. Despite their silence in the transfer market, Real Madrid have been able to perform well with the inclusion of both players in their squad especially Marco Asensio who scored in the last two competitive games he featured, slotting perfecting well in the position of Cristiano Ronaldo who is out injured.
The los blancos still have Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo (BBC) to bank on in this upcoming UCL season and will have Morata and Asensio as their back up. They also possess a strong squad just like Barcelona but they are always a bit shaky in defence and don’t have a distinct pattern like the Catalans. You can’t take it away from the 11-time champions because they have always been among the favourites to win every season, but the problem is that no team has ever won the trophy back-to-back since the name was changed to UEFA Champions League in 1992. Can Real Madrid break the jinx this season? We will wait if they can make it to the final in Cardiff.
Bayern Munich
After making it to the last four in the last three UCL season but failing to reach the final under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, the German side is also among the team tipped to win the competition. With the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti as their head coach for this season, Bayern poses a threat to other teams knowing that the Italian has won the competition on three occasions, twice with AC Milan and once with Real Madrid. It is expected that the Italian coach will show a winning mentality with the German side knowing fully well that he has won the competition as a coach and as a player.
Despite the fact that the team is filled with good players, they still added to the squad by bringing in Matts Hummels from Borussia Dortmund and Renato Sanches from Benfica but sent out of favour defender Mehdi Benatia on a season long loan to Juventus.
The Bavarians can go all the way in this season’s UCL and that is only if they increase their work rate against the best.
Atletico Madrid
The Rojiblancos are the most improved team in Europe, after making it to the finals twice in three seasons but losing out on both occasions to their fellow Madrid counterparts Real Madrid. In the last season’s UCL they defeated Barcelona in the quarter finals and Bayern Munich in the semifinals, they were tipped to win the trophy in Milan only to bow out in spot kicks at the San Siro.
Diego Simeone has done a great job in transforming the team from an average team into a world class team. Now they can compete well with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich. They have records against these teams in recent UCL competition except Real Madrid who have been their main obstacle in lifting the trophy beating them in two finals and edging them out in the quarter finals too. But when it comes to the league they have an edge over the los blancos.
A team that have the ever blazing poacher, Antoine Griezmann, rejuvenated Fernando Torres and also added the likes of Nico Gaitan and Kevin Gameiro to their frontline. Much is expected from Simeone’s men in this season UCL and also stamp their feet as a big team by winning the competition this time around.
Juventus
This is the most debated team in the world right now with their amazing striking deals in the season's transfer market which involved Former Manchester United player, Paul Pogba moving back to Manchester United. Well, the team has made good use of the money they earned in the deals that took both Pogba and Morata away from the club by acquiring the services of Gonzalo Higuaín. The Argentine was the highest goal scorer in the Serie A last season with 36 goals in 35 appearances.
The Old Ladies have a larger squad compared to other big teams and boast of two to three players in each position. This leaves Maximiliano Allegri in a satisfactory position, not to bother about injuries to players that much this season since there are replacements on bench.
They surprised the world by making it to the 2014-15 UCL final but lost to Barcelona. The Italian giants have won the Scudetto in last four seasons and we hope they can transfer that feat to Europe.
Paris Saint Germain
The Ligue 1 giants have been a team forced to be reckoned with in the world of football after making some important signings recently. Last season they won the league with a large point margin. The Ligue 1 giants were the best team in the pre-season according to statistics recorded. Notwithstanding, they lost their best player in the person of Zlatan Ibrahimović to Manchester United, they were still able to have a good pre-season. They relieved Laurent Blanc of his duties and appointed 3-time consecutive Europa League winner Unai Emery.
After being paired wit teams like Arsenal, Basel and Ludogorets in group A which is a good draw for them, they have been consistent in the last three UCL competition only to be out by low score line or away goal rules. I trust this season should be an exception despite losing the former Sweden international.
Manchester City
Most will see this as a controversial addition and argue it out that this team should not be among the favourites but checking out the English teams in this competition, Manchester City is arguably the only team that can slug it out with the big boys, reason being that they have a stronger squad compared to other EPL teams in the competition. They also have a manager who have not only won the competition twice but have made it into the last four in the past three editions.
Manuel Pellegrini led them to the semifinals last season only to be deprived a place in the final by a lone goal which happens to be an own goal. This season will be an exception even though they are in the same group with Barcelona, they have a good squad and that is a great deal. I won't be surprised if they go all the way in lifting the trophy, they have a well experienced coach, like Pep Guardiola who knows the competition well.
These are the favourites for this season UEFA Champions League, but don’t forget the likes of Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund who are also part of the competition. They might be considered as the underdogs, who says this season can't be another season of the underdogs. Let’s wait and see the team who eventually lifts the trophy in Cardiff come 3rd of June, 2017.
By Raphael Abiola
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