The 2017/2018 Champions League is already shaping up to be an exciting one given the influx of new faces. One team will feature in the competition for the very first time in their short history, while there are some fallen giants who will look to get back amongst the elite.
Here are the five teams you need to watch out for next season in the Champions League.
Spurs
They might’ve fallen short in the Premier League again this season, but Spurs’ emergence as an elite team in England has been extraordinary. Built with a core of talented, young, homegrown players and coached by the driven Mauricio Pochettino, Spurs have become the most exciting team in England. The hard work and organisational qualities instilled by Pochettino are well complemented by their counter-attacking and creative smarts.
Their strength may lie in collective cohesiveness, but Spurs’ individual array of talent will be keen to shine on the biggest stage of them all. Dele Alli especially, the golden boy of English football, must continue his progression and there is no better place for that than the Champions League.
Alli’s sharp, incisive play off the frontline has been a constant feature of Spurs’ attack in their rise to the top. Leading that line is Harry Kane, who claimed the Golden Boot in the Premier League for the second successive season – a feat not achieved since 2013 by Robin van Persie.
At the back, meanwhile, Spurs will be a difficult nut to crack. Hugo Lloris is a solid presence in goal while their backline has a settled nature to it. Pochettino knows his team have disappointed in Europe in the past, and this season they must deliver once and for all after establishing themselves as a genuine Premier League force.
RB Leipzig
Leipzig, only founded in 2009 with backing from drinks firm Red Bull, will play in the Champions League group stage as they achieved an astonishing 2nd place finish in the Bundesliga.
With the backing of the Austrian energy drink manufacturer, Leipzig reached Germany's top flight last year and in their first year, landed a Champions League spot. This came after four promotions in seven seasons, though not without controversy.
Their success has been met with fierce criticism and opposition, with fans taking issue against the commercial structure at the club. Earlier this season, Borussia Dortmund supporters boycotted their club’s game against Leipzig.
Next season, however, Leipzig will attempt to lead an assault on Europe, and look to follow in the footsteps of Monaco as the surprise package of the tournament. They have plenty of talent available to do it as well.
Midfielder Naby Keïta has been a sensation since joining the club and has attracted the attention of Europe’s elite clubs. Timo Werner meanwhile notched up 21 goals in the Bundesliga, and despite his age - 21 - he will be another player to watch in the Champions League.
Manchester United
After their Champions League absence last season, Manchester United make a return to a competition they last saw in 2015-2016.
After a disappointing Premier League campaign in which they missed out on automatic Champions League qualification, they decided to do it the hard way by winning the Europa League. Now, however, they’re back in Europe’s elite club competition and will look to make an immediate statement.
More expenditure will occur over the summer as Mourinho looks to add more balance and firepower to an already star-studded squad. Paul Pogba arrived last summer as United looked to create a team capable of challenging the elite once again – and the Frenchman will certainly be backed by similarly costly talent.
Chelsea
Like Manchester United, the London outfit had a year away from the Champions League, and after reinventing themselves, will look to mix it once again with Europe’s elite. Antonio Conte’s side demolished everything put in front of them over the course of the Premier League season, as the Italian stormed to a league title in his first season with the club.
Now, however, Conte faces his toughest test yet. It will be his second season, and how Chelsea navigate having more competitions to deal with will be interesting. Part of the reason Chelsea looked so fresh across the course of the season was that they had no European football to focus on. They will add players over the course of the summer but expect Conte to stick with the majority who brought about the Premier League success, and simply look for some smart tweaks.
How Conte operated tactically was mightily impressive, and he will need to offer similar progression should Chelsea want to succeed in Europe.
Eden Hazard is also due a performance or two when it comes to the Champions League, and if he wants to establish himself as one of the best players in the world, then he’ll need to come up with the goods when Chelsea require it in Europe.
Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar Donetsk achieved a stunning domestic double this season, their first since the 2012/2013 campaign. Now coached by Paulo Fonseca, the Ukranian outfit play an exciting, attractive brand of football and will no doubt be an asset in the Champions League.
This despite the club playing with the backdrop of conflict in Ukraine. Shakhtar, after all, still play their football at Kharkiv, given their own stunning Donbass Arena has been declared off limits since 2014. Shakhtar moved all home games to Kharkiv (150 miles to the north of Donetsk) in early 2017 and subsequently all other club operations including training and business.
On the field, they have not been distracted, however, and Fonseca has built an interesting side capable of causing big teams problems. If it wasn’t for a late surge from Celta Vigo in the Europa League this past season then the Ukranian side could have gone all the way. At home, they remain a threat too, despite having to move away from their own turf.
The likes of Taison, Fred and Bernard will be difficult to contain for many teams as Shakhtar look to make their mark in Europe’s elite competition.
