The eyes of football fans around the world will turn – the day after tomorrow, Thursday – towards the Principality of Monaco, which will host the draw ceremony for the 2023-2024 season edition of the European Champions League competition.
It will become clear – during the group stage draw – the features of the matches of the first stage of the most glorious European championships.
Manchester City, led by Spaniard Pep Guardiola, achieved the title last season, the first in the club’s history, but the task of defending it will not be easy, in light of the many clubs seeking to climb the podium, the first of June 2024, the date of the final match at the famous Wembley Stadium in London.
Ederson final heroes 🔥#UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/W2ZYTddrG2
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 12, 2023
It is expected that the new version will witness Real Madrid’s attempt to regain the title of its favorite championship, and its rival Barcelona is trying to practice its usual hobby in “Wembley”, in which he won two of his five championships, in addition to Bayern Munich, who made the Champions League his first goal since he signed English striker Harry Kane. .
Meanwhile, the Spanish newspaper “Sport” reported that these teams are not the only ones that will compete for the title, but there are other clubs that aspire to be the “new kings” of the old European continent.
Manchester United
One of the historical teams in the competition, and won the title 3 times, the last of which was the 2007-2008 season, and returns to the championship after missing it in the last version.
The “Red Devils” strengthened their ranks in the new season with distinguished contracts such as Rasmus Hollund, Mason Mount and Andre Onana, in a “quantum leap” for a team looking to return to the ranks of the European elite after years of living “in the shadows”, according to the description of “Sport”.
intermilan
“Alienratzoi” was very close to winning the title last season, but “City” had another opinion and refused to forfeit its second chance to obtain the title, and returns again this season in an attempt to raise the balance of its championship titles to 4 after winning three previous ones, the last of which was 2009-2010 season.
Inter completed the treble on this day in 2010 🙌@Inter || #UCL pic.twitter.com/2IqbODoUQA
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 22, 2023
The club’s management worked to strengthen the team after the departure of Romelu Lukaku, Milan Skriniar and Onana, and signed Marcos Thuram, Alexis Sanchez, Juan Cuadrado and Benjamin Pavard, which preserved the structure and style of the team under the supervision of coach Simone Inzaghi.
Leipzig
The German team aspires to be one of the beautiful surprises in the Champions League, despite the departure of the team’s pillars such as Yoshko Gvardiol, Christopher Nkunku and Dominic Suboslay.
On the other hand, the club succeeded in replacing them with Louis Obenda, Castillo Lukiba and Xavi Simons, who succeeded in gifting the team the German Super title at the expense of “Bayern”, and this is an indication that Leipzig is able to compete with the best teams in Europe led by striker Dani Olmo.
Arsenal
One of the historical teams that has developed in recent years, where Mikel Arteta was able to lead a sports project that almost won the English Premier League last season, had it not been for the failures of the last meters.
The “Gunners” have strengthened their ranks with high-quality players such as Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Urian Timber, and the supporters dream of winning the European title for the first time in their history.
Milan
The second largest team to achieve the main continental championship (7 times) after Real, and reached the semi-finals last season before being eliminated by its arch-neighbor Inter Milan.
📅 #OTD in 1990 & 2007, AC Milan lifted the trophy!
🔴⚫️1 ⃣ 9 ⃣ 9 ⃣ 0 ⃣ 🏆
🔴⚫️2 ⃣ 0 ⃣ 0 ⃣ 7 ⃣ 🏆#UCL | #OnThisDay | @acmilan pic.twitter.com/EAsxWSLety— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 23, 2020
And the Milan administration worked to strengthen the team in order to win the first Champions League title since the 2006-2007 season, signing Samuel Chukwueze, Yunus Musa and Christian Pulisic, who could give joy to the “Rossoneri” supporters and help them forget the departure of Sandro Tonali to Newcastle United.
Newcastle United
This English team has developed rapidly since its acquisition by the Saudi Investment Fund, and succeeded in occupying fourth place in the English Premier League and ensuring participation in the Champions League.
The “Al-Makbayes” currently aims to confirm that they have the necessary quality to compete in Europe against the strongest teams in the “old” continent.
