Champions League Ranking: Analysis and Perspectives for the Season
Welcome to the fourth installment of the Champions League rankings! This year, the competition presents an unexpected twist: Manchester City is not leading the classification. In fact, it is not even close to the top. After years of being the favorites, City’s absence opens up a more competitive panorama than ever. With City out of the equation, five clubs are emerging as serious contenders for the title. In addition, there are several teams with the potential to surprise.- Analysis of key UCL stories
- The worst transfers of the summer of 2025
- Reaction to the UCL draw: unmissable matches, easy and difficult paths
Team Ranking
36. Kairat Almaty: This team, the most eastern to participate in the Champions League, achieved its qualification after penalty shootout victories. Its total market value is around 12.53 million euros, similar to the average of a Benfica player, with little chance of winning the tournament.
35. FK Qarabag: It is estimated that Qarabag would be favored over Kairat by a considerable margin on a neutral field, a difference similar to that between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.34. Pafos: Mislav Orsic, remembered by some, now plays for Pafos.
33. Slavia Prague: Jindrich Trpisovsky has been managing Slavia Prague for years, a remarkable achievement in the unstable world of football.32. Bodø/Glimt: Playing in the Arctic Circle gives them a significant home advantage.31. F.C. København: They have dominated the Danish league in the last two decades, but their top scorers rarely exceed 20 goals per season.30. Olympiacos: They could have had an interesting duo with Mehdi Taremi and Rémy Cabella, but Cabella was not included in the Champions League list.29. Club Brugge: With one of the youngest teams in the tournament, they have lost several key players this summer, suggesting a rebuilding period.28. Union St.-Gilloise: Although they have lost several important figures, they seem to know how to improve despite the losses.27. Ajax Amsterdam: Club Elo rankings are not favorable for Ajax, indicating underperformance.
26. PSV Eindhoven: The question is whether they will be able to replace Luuk de Jong, who now plays for FC Porto. Although they are still leading the league, they haven’t been as dominant as before.26. Sporting CP: Will they be able to maintain their level without Viktor Gyökeres and Rúben Amorim? The key will be in their new striker, Luis Suárez.25. Benfica: Despite not having suffered as many losses as in other years, the key will be in their scoring ability.24. Marseille: With 15 new players and a performance exceeding expectations, the margin for error is minimal.22. Villarreal: A solid team, but without great potential. Their recent defeat against Atlético de Madrid shows that they still need to improve.21. AS Monaco: With an interesting forward duo, they could surprise their rivals.20. Galatasaray: Concern about their potential, with players like Victor Osimhen and Leroy Sané.19. Eintracht Frankfurt: The absence of Marmoush and Ekitike could affect their performance. If they manage to maintain the pace, their coach could be highly sought after.18. Bayer Leverkusen: After a bad start, Leverkusen dominated Frankfurt despite playing with one man less. Uncertainty is high.17. Atalanta: A team that could disappoint if it doesn’t advance beyond the group stage. Their performance will largely depend on the draw.16. Borussia Dortmund: If Serhou Guirassy maintains his level, they will be a difficult opponent. However, their ceiling seems limited.15. Tottenham Hotspur: Their unpredictable approach could surprise European teams. The key will be their ability to generate opportunities.14. Athletic Club: With a solid defense and the Williams brothers in attack, they are a difficult team to beat at home.13. Juventus: With promising signings like Loïs Openda, they could be more interesting than last season.12. Newcastle United: Their success will depend on their away performance.11. Atlético Madrid: Atlético Madrid’s recovery could depend on regaining their precise passing game.10. Internazionale: Despite being the oldest team in the Champions League, they managed to reach the final last season.9. Napoli: An organized team, with an experienced coach. Their success will depend on luck and a good draw.8. Chelsea: They need to prove their worth against the best teams in the world. The quality of their defense is a concern.7. Manchester City: Despite some weaknesses, they still have high-level players and the best coach of the 21st century.6. Bayern Munich: With Vincent Kompany, Bayern focuses on dominating the Bundesliga. The key will be their performance against the best.5. Real Madrid: They have shown a more controlled and defensive game, which has given them good results. However, they have not yet faced high-level rivals.4. Arsenal: With a deep squad and a solid defense, they have high potential. The key will be their ability to generate opportunities.3. Liverpool: The start of the season has been promising…
