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#3 Barcelona
It feels strange to see Barcelona missing from the knockout stages this season, given their rich history in the tournament. They dominated European football, especially in the late 2000s with world-class talents such as Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Andres Iniesta. They have five Champions League titles to their name.
Out of a total of 333 matches, Barca have won 195. Masters of tiki-taka style of play, they have created innumerable eye-catching goals. Barca have scored 655 goals in the tournament and conceded 331. Messi has scored an incredible 120 goals for the club, nearly five times more than Rivaldo and Luis Suarez, with 25 each.
Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League group stage this season following a 3-0 defeat at Bayern Munich. This is the first time since the 2000-01 season that the Blaugrana have failed to make it into the knockout stages. Barca drew 1-1 against Napoli in the Europa League first leg playoffs on Thursday.
#2 Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich have always boasted some of the strongest teams across Europe. This has led to them being a major threat in the Champions League, especially in recent seasons. The Bavarians have won the title six times and are the joint-third most successful side in the tournament along with Liverpool.
The German behemoths have made 368 appearances in the competition and won 220 times. There has never been a lack of goal threat from any Bayern side, and they have scored 773 Champions League goals in total. Prolific striker Robert Lewandowski leads the club rankings with 65 goals. Their robust defense has conceded 363 goals over the years.
Bayern were ruthless as usual in the group stages this season, keeping a perfect record of six wins. Although their opponents in the group stages weren't the strongest, Bayern’s reputation and form still makes them serious contenders for the title. They drew 1-1 against Red Bull Salzburg in the first leg of the R16 match in the Champions League.
#1 Real Madrid
The top spot is claimed by Real Madrid, the undisputed kings of the Champions League. Los Blancos have won the title a whopping 13 times, a record which will remain for years to come. Real created history in 2018 by winning the Champions League for a third consecutive season.
Real Madrid have won 273 out of the 458 matches they have played so far in the tournament. They are the only club to have crossed 1000 Champions League goals, scoring 1006 in total. Los Blancos have conceded 498 goals so far.
With 105 goals, Cristiano Ronaldo ranks first in the European goalscoring charts for Real in the competiton. Karim Benzema is on 64 goals and should easily overtake Raul Gonzalez' tally of 66.
