Another sensational Champions League season came to a stunning climax in 2022 with Vinicius Jr’s goal sealing a 1-0 win in the final over Liverpool to secure Real Madrid’s 14th European Cup and fifth in nine years, know the 2022/23 season favorites and predictions
The hard-fought victory capped off an incredible run even by Real Madrid standards that saw them fight back to overcome the odds time and time again.
Carlo Ancelotti’s squad were defiant throughout the year, unwilling to accept almost certain defeat, best exemplified by their remarkable turnaround against Man City in the semi-finals and Thibaut Courtois’ indomitable performance in goal in the final.
Whilst Madrid’s epic season ended in crowning glory, it is unlikely they will be able to repeat their fortunes this coming year, especially not in the same fashion. So the question is if not Madrid, who will knock the 14-time champions off their perch in 2022/23?
Champions League 2022/23 Favorites And Predictions: Who Will Win The Race To Europe’s Ultimate Prize
Can City finally end their Champions League hoodoo?
Those looking for betting bonuses when they place a wager on the winner of the Champions League might look to Pep Guardiola’s City as early frontrunners to win it all next year, and with good reason. They are the preliminary favourites to their first ever European title despite never quite being able to replicate their league form on the continent.
Having said that, a City not firing on all cylinders in European competition has still managed to make it to a semi-final and final in the last two seasons just falling short of glory on both occasions. However, the Manchester club have gone big in the transfer window this summer and it might just be the sign their fortunes on the biggest stage are about to change.
The club have parted ways with Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling but have replaced them in turn with the reliable midfield presence of Kalvin Phillips and Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland. The 21-year-old superstar Haaland walked through the doors of the Etihad earlier this window and with him comes European goalscoring pedigree to spearhead a truly lethal attack. His scoring stats are outrageous. He is the first player to have scored 25 goals in his first 25 Bundesliga appearances.
He netted 62 goals in 67 games, no other player has hit the back of the net that often in their first 67 games. He is the youngest and quickest to score 50 goals in the competition. He is one of only 10 players to score three goals in his first Champions League appearance and is one of only four to score in his first five Champions League appearances. The Norwegian is a goalscoring phenomenon and will surely give the Blues their best ever opportunity at finally lifting the Champions League trophy.
Will Madrid go back-to-back?
Ancelotti’s warriors claimed a famous 14th European Cup for the Spanish giants in 2022 courtesy of Courtois’ heroics. The Belgian goalkeeper’s outstanding last-gasp saves held out the dangerous Liverpool attack and even had Mohammed Salah howling in frustration at being unable to burst the net. It was a truly jaw-dropping showing but the chances are that Real will not be likely to pull off a string of comebacks and ‘one-off’ performances like they managed to last season.
Even so, you can never rule them out of the top contenders with such a European pedigree and they will likely threaten Europe’s elite even if they don’t reach the final. The club have long been after the prolific Kylian Mbappe and didn’t manage to get their man after one of the longest and most dramatic transfer sagas in recent memory. However, they have still managed to strengthen their squad.
The signings of Aurelien Tchouameni and Antonio Rudiger have bolstered their backline and the contract extension of veteran midfielder Luka Modric will ensure that the Croatian is dealing out quality precision passes for at least another year. Los Blancos might not have the firepower they once did to make it to the finale in 2022/23 but after their miraculous run to their fifth title in nine years last outing it would be daft to write them off entirely.
Who will make it to the final?
Guardiola’s City are rightfully the favourites but there is a long list of contenders who will make them work hard to claim their first-ever Champions League title. Jurgen Klopp’s Reds will be chief among them coming off the back of another appearance in the final, their third in five years. They have saved some of their best form for Europe but have still managed to push City to their limits in the most recent race to the Premier League title.
Whilst they parted ways with Senegalese veteran Sadio Mane, who signed for Bayern Munich in June, they have spent big on Uruguayan youngster Darwin Nunez who has shown a lot of promise in front of goal for Portuguese side Benfica. They will be relying on what they already have in experience and established talent to take them all the way again this year, but as they have shown in the past that is more than enough to get them there.
Paris Saint-Germain will also likely be in amongst it this year with a star-studded lineup that could cause anyone trouble on their day. Despite having an up and down year last season, it is hard to look past a world-class front three like Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, perhaps the greatest front three ever assembled. They have prone to the big occasion getting the best of them in seasons gone by but they should make the last eight and from there why not further?
Then there are perennial achievers Barcelona. Their financial woes as of late are no secret but even so, they have still splashed the cash on two big signings in Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski to bolster their ranks. Despite recent shortcomings, they have managed to quietly assemble a threatening team full of top-class players perhaps earning them the moniker of dark horses for the trophy this season.
As is always the case this season’s edition of Europe’s biggest competition promises to be thrilling and full of drama. Whoever hopes to lift the trophy come the end of it will likely have to go through some of Europe’s biggest powerhouses to do it, but as for who it will be to reach the pinnacle of European football, we shall have to wait and see.