In recent years, Premier League sides have held a good account of themselves in the Champions League. From Liverpool’s victory over Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid, to Chelsea’s unexpected success against Manchester City in another all-English affair and then Pep Guardiola’s side righting their wrongs two years later, it’s been a strong showing.
That said, the new Champions League format has opened the door for different sides to lift Europe’s premier competition.
The new format adopts the Swiss system, where each team plays eight different opponents in a single league table, replacing the traditional group stage. This change aims to increase unpredictability, competitive balance, and fan engagement by offering more diverse matchups.
With the competition in danger of being dominated by Real Madrid, who won their 16th European crown with victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley last May, it’s left many wondering who the next English team will be to win the Champions League, and if any can do it this season.
In this article, we assess how the English teams in the Champions League have performed so far and if any have done enough to have the free bets UK odds in their favour when plotting their road to Munich.
Liverpool
Leading the pack in the Champions League are Liverpool, who top the league phase heading into their final group game.
Arne Slot’s side have been a revelation in the Dutchman’s first year at Anfield, conceding just two goals at the time of writing and beating the likes of AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, Madrid and Lille – ending the latter’s 21-match unbeaten streak.
It’s been six years since the Reds last tasted European glory, but with an experienced dressing room comprised of some of the remaining members of the team that beat Spurs, there’s every chance they can compete for a seventh title.
Arsenal
Despite a frustrating domestic campaign that has seen them drop crucial points in the title race, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal still have plenty to play for this season and will look to improve on their return to the Champions League last term.
The Gunners lacked experience on those big European nights and were ultimately outclassed by Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich when the lights shone the brightest.
Arsenal, as they have done with each shortcoming dealt, have dusted themselves down and gone again, overcoming big hurdles this season, including wins against Sporting Lisbon and Paris Saint Germain.
Though beaten by Inter, it will be interesting to see how Arteta performs next time there is a big game in Europe.
Aston Villa
The surprise package of the season, Aston Villa’s home form will be crucial to their success in the knockout rounds of the Champions League.
Unai Emery, a tournament specialist particularly in the Europa League, knows how to navigate knockout football, but even in the league phase his Villa side have been scintillating at times, taking points from Bayern and Juventus as they look to secure the top eight.
Things need to improve on the road though. Defeat to Monaco in the penultimate matchday highlighted their fragility away from the West Midlands and that could cause concerns if they are handed a difficult draw.
Manchester City
One of the biggest shocks of the season has been City’s fall from grace in both the Premier League and Europe.
Injuries to Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne left the Sky Blues struggling for form and momentum, losing 12 of their last 14 games of 2024, including a thrashing by Sporting in Ruben Amorim’s last game.
City find themselves in danger of dropping out of the Champions League and will need a big performance in the final group game at home against Club Brugge to finish as strongly as possible.
