Soccer fans are really enjoying themselves these days. The Champions League has started, and the knockout games are already over. While we expect the further selection of teams, surprises are still possible – even when it comes to those considered to be outsiders. This year, the selection is such that everything is possible.
2024 Will Be A Exciting Year for Soccer
Sports fans still claim that there is no better soccer than European soccer. And indeed, the entire atmosphere on the pitches, fans, and high motivation contribute to the fact that even today, we watch great matches in the most prestigious European competition. And although we had breaks of several months and changes in rules regarding funding and prizes – we can still rightfully claim that the Champions League is the most prestigious competition on the Old Continent.
This year, in the middle of February, the European football season officially started. The best among the best will cross spears on the soccer field. However, we know that there are those who, at this moment, many consider outsiders. Many believe that 2024 can bring many surprises. The former winners want to make big comebacks, while others still have the hope that it is possible to reach the cup.
Clash of the Titans
Even before the start of this prestigious competition, there was a lot of talk about the favorites to win the trophy. According to UFABET, many clubs are in the game – from Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Liverpool, Bayern from Munich to the famous PSG, which everyone would very much like to avoid. Of course, in addition to them, some other teams have not been crowned with this title so far and do not have such substantial victories behind them. However, soccer would not be soccer if surprises were not possible. Therefore, we present you with some of the teams’ considered underdogs but might surprise you.
● RB Leipzig
Speaking of German football, those who know will always tell you that the Bundesliga has spawned several strong teams. However, although this year most people consider Bayern Munich to be one of the main favorites – we must not ignore the quality of football played by RB Leipzig. Namely, their team seems to be very coordinated and in good shape. Not only does coach Marco Rose have the most expensive defender in the world Josko Guardiol at his disposal – but there are also great attackers like Christopher Nkunku and Dani Olmo. Just to remind you, this team has not lost a match since September 2022 – and whether it is a good sign, we will see it. So far, they have played a 1-1 draw with the wicked Manchester City.
● Inter
This club has not played in the Champions League for a long time – so this comeback is very important for them. Even before the first match with Porto, Inter football coach Simone Inzaghi said that he expects a difficult double match against the Portuguese in the round of 16. In their first match, the Milan club beat Porto with a score of 1-0. However, another duel awaits them with the Portuguese, who will not miss the opportunity to retaliate. We are not sure if Inter will manage to justify their first victory. However, what we DO KNOW is that Inter lost only one match in 2024.
● Naples
Although the opinion of public has changed significantly in recent days, Napoli was considered a club that is an outsider in this prestigious European football competition. Some soccer fans claim their chances are slim, but surprises are still possible. We can say that Spalletti’s team is one of those with the best result score in the competition so far. In the group stage, they had five wins out of a total of six matches, and they also got reinforcements in their ranks – so the team now includes the Georgian Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and the Nigerian Victor Osimhen, who are considered excellent attackers.
● Borussia Dortmund
This is another club that comes to us from the Bundesliga. They may have the tag of outsiders – but they can surprise us. Although their game within the Bundesliga is questionable, the popular Millionaires throw all their cards at the Champions League. Although the victory over Chelsea was tight, with a score of 1-0, their motivation is even greater – and it is expected that they can show an equally good game in the second match. The predictions are that this club will manage to reach at least the semi-finals.
● Benfica
Although they won the Champions League a long time ago – the Portuguese club has won the League of Nations and Europe League titles in the last ten years. However, the Champions League cup was always so far away. But it looks like the chances are changing from season to season. This season, Benfica played well in their championship – and with a 2-0 away win against Club Brugge, they gained a big advantage that they will use at home against the same opponent. The draw was favorable to this club. And while big clubs are fighting to reach the finals – Benfica can surprise us with their ‘smart’ tactics.
Conclusion
These are just some of the so-called outsiders. However, soccer is a strange game, so we should not be surprised if some of them make it to the very end of the competition. Soccer experts already know that the Champions League is a competition that can be very unpredictable. Therefore, we must not write off clubs like Milan, Chelsea, or Liverpool – which played in the final three times in the past five years but were not lucky enough to win the cup. This year, the motivation for all the clubs is even bigger – especially since the finances for the clubs have grown drastically. Also, the recently concluded world football championship in Qatar showed that favorites exist only on lists. So, let’s see if we might get surprised.