The 2024-25 UEFA Champions League tournament promises to be one of the most interesting and unpredictable in recent memory. A lot of that is due to the new format, which will allow more teams, games, and a new league phase instead of a group phase.
The top teams you would expect are favored to win the Champions League by pundits and UK betting sites. Real Madrid, the reigning champions, added Kylian Mbappé to its squad and should be the favored to retain their title. Manchester City, FC Bayern Munich, Arsenal FC, and Inter Milan all have a chance as well. But, don’t sleep on Paris Saint-Germain who reached the semi-finals last season.
If PSG is to reach the latter stages of the Champions League, Bradley Barcola will have to be at the top of his game. The Frenchman replaced Mbappé on the left side of PSG’s attack and he’s started the season with four goals in three Ligue 1 matches. If the former Olympique Lyonnais attacker can continue his scoring street in the Champions League, there’s no question that PSG could surprise and make it through the league phase despite having the most difficult league phase of any other team.
For Barcola to be at the top of his game, someone has to be feeding him passes into space where he can be dangerous. João Neves was signed by PSG this summer from Benfica and already has four assists in only three Ligue 1 matches. The 19-year-old is a complete midfielder and at times, appears to know how a play will develop before it actually does. Neves has Champions League experience and shouldn’t be afraid of the bright lights.
The biggest question for PSG is with their defensive backline and another new signing will have to be at the top of his game throughout the Champions League. Willian Pacho was signed this summer from Eintracht Frankfurt for €40 million. At the time, it was a bit of a surprise because there weren’t any rumors or news reports linking the Ecuador international with a move to PSG. However, since his arrival, the 22-year-old has stepped in at center-back and has yet to put a foot wrong. He is good with the ball at his feet, has great positioning, and can get physical when he has to. Alongside Marquinhos, Pacho will have to be at the top of his game for PSG to advance in the Champions League.
The last player who has to be at the top of his game for PSG to succeed in the Champions League is Gianluigi Donnarumma. In recent years, we’ve seen Donnarumma and other PSG goalkeepers make foolish mistakes that cost the team to come up short of their goals. Donnarumma is arguably the best shot-stopper in Europe, but he’ll have to dispense the ball accurately and be confident on set pieces. There can be no lapse in his judgment, and he’ll likely need to make several key saves to keep PSG in matches.
If PSG can get solid performances from these players, they should have what they need to reach the Champions League final and maybe win the whole thing in the first season in the post-Mbappé era.
