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The group stages of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League will commence after the first international break of the season from Tuesday, September 19. Some of the top teams in Europe were drawn into comfortable groups, while others will find it difficult to reach the knockout stages
The usual suspects like Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid are expected to qualify as group winners. Besides, some recent underachievers like Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Arsenal could easily progress as group winners.
While most of the big clubs are expected to progress to the knockout stages of the competition, some underdog clubs could provide a surprise package this season. The Champions League has a history of underdog clubs punching above their weight, and this time is not likely to be any different.
So without further ado, let's look at three sides who could be the dark horses in the Champions League this season:
#3. RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig lost a host of talent this summer. The departure of Dominik Szoboszlai, Christopher Nkunku, and Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol could have crippled any squad. But if their recent form is anything to go by, it is clear that Marco Rose’s team still has plenty to offer.
After thrashing Bayern Munich in their own backyard in the German Super Cup, Die Roten narrowly lost out to Bayer Leverkusen in their season opener. However, two top-class performances against VfB Stuttgart and Union Berlin (currently third and fifth in the Bundesliga, respectively) have raised their stock significantly.
The arrivals of Benjamin Šeško and Loïs Openda have made up for the loss of Nkunku, whereas Xavi Simmons has done well to replace Dominik Szoboszlai. The presence of experienced campaigners such as Timo Werner, Emil Forsberg, Yussuf Poulsen, and Dani Olmo adds various dimensions to their already stellar attack.
Their recent European campaigns have also been hugely promising. They managed to reach the last four in both Europa and the Champions League in the last four years. And they even managed to give City a run for their money before Erling Haaland single-handedly destroyed them in the Round of 16 last season.
Their attack could prove to be a nightmare for any team across Europe. And even though it is still unclear whether they’ll be able to make up for the loss of Gvardiol, they could definitely cause a few upsets in the Champions League.
#2. Arsenal
After spending 248 days at the top of the Premier League, Arteta must have been gutted after losing out on the league title to Manchester City. However, as per preseason expectations, Arsenal did manage to achieve their biggest target of the 2022-23 season: Champions League qualification.
The Gunners displayed tremendous guile to fend off competition from City to land Declan Rice. The shrewd additions of Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz to an already talented squad could prove to be a game-changer for them.
Although their recent form has not been encouraging, they could significantly benefit from a favorable draw. Neither PSV nor Lens won their respective leagues last season, whereas Sevilla finished 12th in La Liga even though they won the Europa League.
Despite Sevilla being stacked with European pedigree, Arsenal are heavy favorites to win the group. If the Gunners avoid a defeat against the Spaniards, they should qualify as Group B winners. And if they do, they could avoid a heavyweight in the early knockout rounds.
The Gunners certainly have a squad that could make a dash to the later stages of the competition. Last season’s unexpected yet scintillating Premier League title push indicates the same. If they don’t get overwhelmed during their first Champions League appearance since 2016-17, they could spring a big surprise.
#1. Napoli
Granted, Napoli have lost their Serie A winning manager Luciano Spalletti and are paired with Real Madrid and the Bundesliga surprise package Union Berlin. But, except for Kim Min-jae, they haven’t lost the key players that led them to their first Serie A title in three decades.
Victor Osimhen, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Hirving Lozano could terrorize any defense in Europe, whereas the experience of Mario Rui and Giovanni Di Lorenzo should come in handy. The rest of the squad is filled with quality all over the pitch, which will be aided by the acquisitions of youngsters Giacomo Raspadori and Jesper Lindstrøm.
However, the biggest push to Napoli’s success in the Champions League will be provided by Real Madrid’s vulnerabilities. Los Blancos have already lost Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, and Arda Guler to long-term injuries, and Vinicius Jr. is likely to remain unfit for Real’s visit to Napoli.
So, if Napoli manage to beat Los Blancos in Naples, they will have a great chance of winning the group. Last season, Napoli achieved the same by beating Liverpool 4-1 at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, which resulted in Liverpool facing Real Madrid in the Round of 16.
Napoli were probably the best team in Europe in the first half of last season. Their Serie A form only dropped after winning the title, and if not for Victor Osimhen’s injury, they could have beaten AC Milan in the UCL quarterfinals as well. With some luck, they could go all the way in the Champions League this season.
