'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 Bayern Munich | German Bundesliga
While PSG rules France, the Bavarian giants have maintained their ruthless rule over the affairs of German football, winning nine Bundesliga titles in nine years. Their DFB-Pokal and Supercup records are eerily similar, which shows how well Bayern Munich have dominated domestic football in Germany.
In the previous decade, Die Roten won the Champions League twice, and they look set to start this decade in similar fashion.
It is very hard to forget Barcelona's shocking 8-2 loss at the hands of Bayern, with the German outfit relentlessly attacking with flourish and clinical prowess. While the Bavarians may struggle to teach another European powerhouse a similar lesson, every club in the Champions League is rightfully worried about facing them.
They finished top of their group this season, winning all six games, and they could continue the rest of the campaign in similar fashion. The side drew 1-1 against RB Salzburg, a surprise result as many expected the Bavarians to beat the Austrian side easily.
Bayern will likely see off Salzburg when they meet again at the Allianz Arena, with the German side intent on winning the coveted Champions League trophy this season.
#2 Liverpool | English Premier League
Thanks to a brilliant performance in the transfer market over the last half decade, the Reds have become a ruthless force to be reckoned with in Europe. Liverpool managed consecutive Champions League Finals, eventually winning the second time around, in 2019, and becoming the champions of Europe after 14 years.
Although they fell off slightly in the last couple of years, the Reds are back again and are clearly out for blood. Liverpool are currently fielding Mohamed Salah, arguably the most in-form player in European football right now.
Salah's fellow attackers have kept him on his toes, with nearly all of them set to hit double digits in direct goal contributions this season. The Reds are currently in the Premier League title race, having won the Carabao Cup recently, and they could potentially add a Champions League trophy to boot.
Like the Bavarians, Liverpool finished first in their group, winning all their games and setting the momentum for the rest of the season. A 2-0 win against Inter Milan at the Giuseppe Meazza already puts them in prime position to enter the quarter-finals once they finish off the Italians in the home fixture at Anfield.
#1 Manchester City | English Premier League
Liverpool's title race with Manchester City has started once more, with both sides clearly in control of the proceedings in English football. However, City have been the truly ruthless outfit, taking on every team with the same attacking vibrance and quality.
The Cityzens remain unmatched in England, with even Liverpool struggling to turn City's monopoly into a duopoly.
Although Pep Guardiola is yet to make his mark at the Etihad with a Champions League trophy, Manchester City know he's the best man to make it happen. With the way things are headed, this season could be the one where they finally become European champions - a title that has eluded them for the last decade.
Thanks to their ruthless and possessive style of play, City tend to enjoy a goalscoring advantage, irrespective of who they play. Scorelines like 5-1 and 4-1 against Club Brugge, as well as their more recent 5-0 win against Sporting, show just how clinical the Cityzens can be.
They currently sit at the top of the Premier League table, having enjoyed a rich vein of form throughout the season. If they can take that form into the Champions League, Manchester City arguably have the best chance of winning the coveted trophy.
