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Its been another exciting Champions League experience so far this season. The thrills, disappointments, entertainment and magical moments all returned with the European competition to keep football fans glued to their TV screens as they watch their favorite clubs going head-to-head with one another.
As we all know, the dream of every club participating in the tournament is to go home with the coveted prize at the end of the term. However, there are some clubs on the continent right now whose desire to win it is far greater than others.
These clubs have grown desperate to claim Europe's top prize. They've put in a lot of effort but haven't been fruitful in their attempts in the past few seasons. Despite that, they are still keen to go all the way and make history in the competition and they are ready to give all it takes to achieve the dream.
Below, we take a look at the top five clubs who are desperate to win the Champions League at the moment:
#5 Paris Saint-Germain
Ligue 1 champions, Paris Saint-Germain remain one of the most desperate teams pushing for Champions League glory at the moment. As a matter of fact, that has been at the top of their objectives for the past few seasons. They've invested a lot of millions in their bid to win their maiden Champions League trophy. Only a few clubs can match their input.
Neymar was lured from Barcelona in a world-record transfer deal worth €222 million in the summer of 2017. Kylian Mbappe followed; also in a mega deal worth €180 million. However, they haven't been able to get the job done. The Parisians crashed out at the Round of 16 stage last season.
This term, they've started on the front foot, winning all their three games so far and are sitting comfortably at the top of Group A. It remains to be seen whether they can go all the way and get it nailed down.
Also check out:Champions League Schedule Champions League table Champions league top scorers
#4 Bayern Munich
The last time Bayern Munich won the UEFA Champions League trophy was in 2013 when they overcame local rivals, Borussia Dortmund, to triumph for the fifth time in the tournament. Given the club's stature and history, it is normal that they have grown desperate to return to the summit of European football.
The Bundesliga giants entered the competition with a tremendous force this season. They defeated Crvena Zvezda 3-0 in their opening fixture before sending a huge message across with the 7-2 humiliation of Tottenham Hotspur.
Bayern currently top the Group B with 9 points from 3 games so far. They are firing on all cylinders at the moment. The likes of Robert Lewandowski, Serge Gnabry and Philippe Coutinho are all performing at a brilliant level right now and giving the Bavarians reasons to believe they can go all the way. However, domestic struggles have meant they are without a manager at the moment, with Niko Kovac having been shown the door in dramatic fashion. It remains to be seen who takes over the reins at Bavaria.
#3 Manchester City
It's been a great ride for former Barcelona manager, Pep Guardiola, in the Premier League. The Spaniard has been on a successful run since he departed from Bayern Munich to join Manchester City in the summer of 2016.
Pep has won all that there is to win in England. He led the Cityzens to claim a historic Premier League title and the Carabao Cup two seasons ago. Last term, his team bagged an exclusive feat in history when they claimed all the four honors in the English top flight, namely the EPL crown, the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup and the Community shield.
The only stain on their reputation is their failure to triumph on Europe's biggest stage. Guardiola will be more determined than ever to put naysayers in their place. Having won all their three games in the Champions League so far this season and sitting on top of the Group C, the Cityzens will fancy their chances of going all the way to claim Europe's top prize.
#2 Juventus
Everyone knows how desperate Juventus have become in their bid to climb up to the top of the European football ladder once again. After losing two finals within four years to FC Barcelona and Real Madrid in 2015 and 2017 respectively, the only thing on the minds of the Bianconeri right now is to win the European crown.
They took a huge step towards their European dream by signing Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid in the summer of 2017. The attacker has settled down perfectly in Turin as he continues his record-breaking exploits.
He led Juve to claim both the Scudetto and the Supercoppa Italiano last season. Although he failed to inspire them to Champions League triumph, the Portuguese still showed his class by scoring all of the club's five goals in the knockout phase of the tournament.
With Massimiliano Allegri gone and Maurizio now in charge of affairs at the Allianz Stadium, Ronaldo and Co. have their eyes focused on the European crown once again. They currently sit at the second position on the Group D table with seven points from three games.
#1 Barcelona
It is an open secret that the only trophy that appeals to Barcelona at the moment is the Champions League. The Blaugrana last won the prestigious crown in 2015 when they edged out Juventus at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. Ever since then, they haven't made it past the semifinals.
Barca have been enduring painful eliminations in the tournament for the past few seasons. They collapsed to Roma in the 2017/2018 season and also got humiliated by Liverpool last term.
Domestic success has become a less motivating factor to Ernesto Valverde's men. The manager understands that he has to deliver in Europe in order to have any chance of extending his stay in Catalunya beyond the current campaign.
Despite their recent failings, Lionel Messi hasn't given up on his hopes of adding a fifth Champions League medal to his cabinet. The Argentine reiterated his desire to win the European crown once again ahead of the season. He's helped Barca to the first position in the Group F as things stand right now. The Catalans have earned seven points from three games so far.
