The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League––an annual soccer competition contested by top-division European clubs––may have started late this season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but it has brought entertainment and thrills that the tournament promises each year. Matchday 2 results of the UEFA Champions League have demonstrated the unpredictability of this year’s competition. Here are five teams that have the best shot at clinching the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League title.
#5 Atalanta B.C.
Gasperini’s Atalanta had a great start to the Champions League campaign following a 4-0 victory against Danish club FC Midtjylland. When challenged by the four-time Champions League winners AFC Ajax, Atalanta kept their composure and concluded with a 2-2 draw. In both match-ups, Columbian striker Duván Zapata impressed fans after netting the opening goal against Midtjylland and scoring two crucial goals against Ajax. Adapting to the 3-4-2-1 formation, the players seem to have found a balance between effectively switching from attack to defense. One of the major reasons Atalanta continues to win games are due to their sensational counter-attacking abilities. For instance, Atalanta’s second goal––the equalizer against Ajax––was made possible by Mario Pašalić’s quick-paced dribble down the middle, providing space for Zapata to run behind the defenders and position himself for a shooting opportunity.
The only point of improvement would be the countless second-ball chances Atalanta gave away. Minor communication issues in the defense line allowed opponents to take another shot at goal. When Lassina Traorè tapped in the second goal for Ajax, Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello and midfielder Remo Freuler were unaware of each other’s position and failed to clear the ball in time. Nevertheless, if Atalanta continues to play with counterattacking precision and speedy offense-to-defense transitions, the Italian side has a bright future ahead of themselves.
#4 Chelsea F.C.
The Blues’ start to the Champions League has been solid and foreshadows success down the road. Following Chelsea’s signing of former Ajax superstar Hakim Ziyech, German midfielder Kai Havertz, striker Timo Werner, left-back Ben Chilwell, and more recently, Edouard Mendy from Rennes FC, the squad has proven to be both stout in defense and deadly on offense. The most recent 4-0 win against Krasnodar is a testament to the team’s ability to maintain an organized defense line and utilize the wingers to threaten the opposition. Moreover, Lampard’s intelligent substitutions ensure the high level of intensity remains on the pitch and allows the team to explore different combinations of players––both young and experienced––for upcoming games.
Nonetheless, man-marking during corners or counter-attacks remains an issue that Chelsea must address. Often, an opposing striker quickly slips into the box when a corner-kick is taken without the Chelsea defenders noticing. Though the victory against Krasnodar was well-deserved, there were countless times throughout the game where Krasnodar’s Yury Gazinsky could have easily scored due to Kurt Zouma and Antonio Rüdiger’s man-to-man marking blunders. Frank Lampard’s Chelsea currently sits on the top of Group E; the 2012 Champions League winners have enough talent in their roster to beat the best in business.
#3 Manchester City F.C.
While Manchester City is off to a rough start in the Premier League, Pep Guardiola’s squad has looked impeccable in the Champions League. One player to look out for is Spaniard Ferran Torres. Though Sergio Agüero and Raheem Sterling have served as the main strikers under Guardiola’s management, Torres is on his way to becoming a world-class player. Against Porto, which was his debut on the European stage, Torres found a beautiful pass from midfielder Phil Foden and miraculously curled the ball into the back of the net––the third of the night for City. After being included in the starting lineup against Olympique de Marseille, Torres went on to score the opening goal. Moreover, City’s Kevin De Bruyne and Sterling are one of the deadliest duos on the pitch. During the 3-0 sweep against André Villas-Boas’ Marseille, De Bruyne constantly played sharp through-balls down the right-hand side to Sterling, demolishing Marseille’s defense. Needless to say, the 90 minutes was a nightmare for Marseille defenders Hiroki Sakai and Jordan Amavi. Though Sterling was unable to convert De Bruyne’s pass into a goal at times, Sterling neatly tucked in the third goal for Manchester City; De Bruyne recording his second assist for the 2021 Champions League. For the four-time Premier League winners, maintaining the high level of intensity and testing tactics with different players––both young and experienced––are of utmost importance for the remaining four group stage matches; if the club stays vigilant, their dream of being crowned European Champions may come true.
#2 Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
Reaching their first-ever Champions League finals last year, PSG is back, hungrier than ever before. PSG have dominated the French soccer league for almost a decade; with Brazilian star Neymar and French golden boy Kylian Mbappe in the squad, PSG has the necessary figures to turn their domestic dominance into European supremacy. PSG’s silverware cabinet welcomed major trophies in the form of the Coupe de la Ligue, Coupe de France, and the French Supercup. Yet, the absence of the Champions League trophy is the gaping hole that haunts the club’s legacy.
In Ligue 1, as per usual, the French powerhouse sits on the top of the table, consecutively winning the past seven of their league matches. Thomas Tuchel’s PSG started this season’s Champions League campaign with a loss to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United but bounced back on Matchday 2 with a comfortable 2-0 victory against Istanbul Basaksehir. Ángel Di María and Moise Kean are other players to keep a close eye on. Kean’s physicality drives PSG’s attacks and Di María’s dangerous left-foot is always an option when in doubt.
#1 FC Bayern Munich
There’s really not much to say about Bayern Munich apart from the fact that they are bound to win their seventh Champions League trophy. The defending champions have started their Champions League campaign from where they left off last season. With a 4-0 victory against Atlético Madrid and a 2-1 win against FC Lokomotiv Moscow, the Bavarian giants have now gone 13 consecutive games unbeaten in the competition. Since manager Hansi Flick’s appointment last year, the team has won their second treble (2020 UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga, and DFB-Pokal Cup Winners) and has implemented Gegenpressing––a strategy to press aggressively––and quick-paced passing; this transformation in Bayern Munich’s playing style has made them almost unbeatable.
These five teams are already heading down the road for European glory. Only time will tell which club dominates European soccer. Until then, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
@asdf haha I'll think about including them next time :)
Liverpool are better than most of the teams above