It’s that time of the season again, as we enter the endgame and prepare to crown new champions in the world’s biggest tournaments. Could it be a brand-new winner of the Champions League in 2022 or is it more likely that we’re going to end up with a team that has been there and done it before?
In this guide, we’re running through our top tips to win the Champions League in 2022. The bookmakers have their favorites too, and a quick look will show you that the majority of online sports betting companies are suggesting that this could be the year for Pep Guardiola to cement his place as a true legend in Manchester. Well, in the blue half at least.
Manchester City
Manchester City has continued to threaten to win the Champions League but fallen at the hurdles along the way. Could this be their year?
Nobody can deny that Man City is one of the very best teams to watch, and they play some beautiful football. They are not infallible, and perhaps the biggest problem that they have is the lack of an out-and-out striker with the ability to score 30+ goals in a season.
City is linked with Erling Haaland, a summer transfer that could absolutely revolutionize their team and provide them with the extra goals they need, but until then, they will have to cope with the firepower they have.
With plenty of goals from midfield, it is not a surprise that Man City has reached the latter stages and we think that this could well be their year.
Liverpool
Liverpool has had injury problems in recent years that seem to have disappeared just in time for the Champions League, and it would appear that the draw has been relatively favorable for the Merseyside team. We expect them to go a long way in the tournament.
One of the things that is going to play into Liverpool’s hands is the fact that they have added some depth to their squad, with players such as Luis Diaz hitting the ground running and showing that they have all the skill needed.
Bayern
Bayern Munich’s season has been hit and miss compared to other seasons, but they are still dominating, and they will surely finish the job in their domestic league. Dortmund’s form has been patchy too, so they haven’t been pushed in the Bundesliga.
Bayern has won the Champions League before. With a stable squad, it won’t be too much of a surprise if they manage to compete this year too.
Their squad is impressive, and while the German giants can be leaky defensively, they also tend to score a lot of goals, which could make for some exciting games in the remainder of the season.
Real Madrid or Chelsea?
The case for these two teams is weaker, not only because they are playing one another in the Quarter Finals.
However, both have pedigree, and it would be stupid to rule them out altogether. Chelsea is in a crisis of sorts. While on the pitch, they aren’t in total meltdown, however, the off-field events certainly seem to be having an impact.
For Real Madrid, there are similar issues, including getting humiliated by rival Barcelona recently. That said, it still looks likely that they will easily take the league and could focus on the Champions League should they manage to beat Chelsea.
Real Madrid and Chelsea aren’t our top picks, but you can never rule these teams out. Both have recent Champions League wins under their belt and there is every chance they will be able to use this to spur them on.
Could a serious outsider spring a surprise?
Villarreal could be the team that springs a surprise. They have an incredible record in the Europa League, and this tournament experience could make all the difference. Unai Emery’s team knows how to win European competitions, and though this is a step up, it is not inconceivable.
As ever with the Champions League, it tends to be a very select group of clubs that actually have the quality to go the distance and win the tournament overall, but there is always the chance that an outsider could spring that surprise. There is a chance that we will see it this year.
Summary
The beauty of this tournament is that nobody really knows who is going to win it until we reach the very end of the season, and this year will be no different. There’s always the chance of a surprise, and inevitable drama to finish the football season.