UEFA
Bayern Munich vs Barcelona 2022: Match preview, lineups, predictions, where to watch
The reigning German Bundesliga champions FC Bayern Munich will host Spanish giants FC Barcelona on Tuesday (September 13) at the Allianz Arena for a Champions League group stage match. Bayern Munich’s recent success against Barcelona has made them favourites for the clash. However, the Blaugrana are a more competitive team this season than they were in the last couple of seasons. The Bayern Munich vs Barcelona 2022 group C match preview is discussed in this article.
Bayern Munich vs Barcelona Match Preview 2022
Bayern Munich and Barcelona are two of the most successful Champions League teams in history. Bayern have won six UCL titles, while Barcelona have clinched five. Bayern have the advantage in a head-to-head battle. The Bavarians have nine victories over the Blaugrana in 13 meetings.
On the other hand, Barcelona have only two victories and the remaining two matches ended in draws. Bayern Munich, understandably, have the advantage in terms of goal scoring. They have netted 32 times in Barcelona’s goalposts while conceding 16.
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In Tuesday’s contest, the lineups of the two sides will be much different than their latest meeting in December 2021. Lewandowski transferred from Bayern Munich to Barcelona in this summer's window. The Spanish giants also included some quality footballers in their squad, which has helped Xavi to properly implement his game plan on the pitch. On the other hand, Bayern Munich replaced Lewandowski with Liverpool’s Sadio Mane. Besides, Julian Nagelsmann has made some adjustments in his system with Mane playing the lone striker role.
Barcelona’s head coach, Xavi Hernandez, is likely to implement a 4-3-3 system where the Polish goal machine, Robert Lewandowski, will play the main hitman role. There will be Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha to assist Lewandowski upfront. The defenders have a bigger duty in this match to stop Bayern’s attacking players in the match. It will be interesting to see whether they have the capability to stop Bayern’s attacking players in the contest.
Bayern Munich’s Julian Nagelsmann has tried to formulate his game plan for this season with the versatile offensive player Sadio Mane. The Bayern coach might deploy a 4-2-3-1 system which will allow Thomas Muller to remain close to Sadio Mane to provide regular assists. The host will likely play a bit cautiously to not allow Lewandowski a slight chance to find the back of the net.
Read UEFA Champions League 2022-2023: UCL Group Stage Predictions
Bayern Munich vs Barcelona 2022: Lineups
Two important players for Bayern Munich, Kingsley Coman and Bouna Sarr, will miss the contest due to injury. But Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez are most likely to be back in the starting lineup for the hosts.
Bayern Munich (Predicted Starting XI)
GK: Manuel Neuer;
Defenders: Benjamin Pavard, Matthijs de Ligt, Lucas Hernandez, Joshua Kimmich;
Midfielders: Alphonso Davies, Marcel Sabitzer; Serge Gnabry, Thomas Muller, Leroy Sane;
Forward: Sadio Mane
There is no major injury concern in Barcelona’s squad. Sergio Roberto has been included in the 25-member squad who missed out on playing the Cadiz match due to a muscular problem. Therefore, Xavi has no issue selecting players for this big contest.
Barcelona (Predicted Starting XI)
GK: Marc-Andre ter Stegen;
Defenders: Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia, Jordi Alba,
Midfielders: Gavi, Sergio Busquets, Pedri;
Forwards: Raphinha, Lewandowski, Dembele
Prediction: Bayern Munich 2 – 2 Barcelona.
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Where to watch Bayern Munich vs Barcelona, Group C match of UCL 2022-2023?
Football fans in India and the subcontinent can watch the group C match between Bayern Munich and Barcelona on the Sony TV network. Besides, the match can be seen on the Sony Liv app and website. The match will start on Wednesday at 1 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
Bottom Line
The Bayern Munich vs Barcelona 2022 UEFA Champions League encounter would be more thrilling to watch than it was the previous year. Because a lot of changes were made in the squads of both the teams during the summer transfer window of 2022, Barcelona’s hitman, Robert Lewandowski, knows a lot about his former club, Bayern Munich, and its players' weaknesses and strengths. This may aid Barcelona in properly executing their game plan on the field. Bayern Munich, on the other hand, is always good at coming up with novel solutions. Therefore, overcoming the host Bayern in this contest won’t be easy for Barcelona.
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2 years ago
UEFA Champions League 2022-2023: UCL Group Stage Predictions
The most prestigious European club football competition, the UEFA Champions League 2022–2023 season’s group stage, is all set to start on September 6, and this round will end on November 2. 32 clubs from across Europe will take part in the main event to earn a place in the tournament’s Round of 16 phase. Let’s take a look at the 2022–2023 UCL group stage predictions.
The UCL Group Stage Predictions for the 2022–2023 season
The groups were announced by UEFA at the end of August. There were 32 teams total, and they were split up into eight groups of four each. In each group, the top two teams will advance to the Round of 16. Here are the groups that stand the highest chance of advancing to the round of 16.
Group A
The four teams who will compete in this group are Liverpool, Ajax, Napoli, and Rangers. Last season’s Champions League runner-up, Liverpool, will be among the favourites to lift the trophy. They, along with the Italian team, Napoli, are expected to reach the next round from this group. Both Ajax and Rangers can give a hard time to Liverpool and Napoli.
Read UEFA Champions League Overview: Complete Winners List from 1956 to 2022
Group B
The four participating teams in Group B are Porto, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, and Club Brugge. Atletico Madrid are favourites to finish on top of the group. On the other hand, Leverkusen and Porto are expected to fight for second place. Club Brugge is considerably less strong than them, and they have a minimal chance of advancing to the next phase.
Group C
The four teams who will compete in group C are Bayern Munich, FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Viktoria Plzen. Bayern are favourites to advance from this group, but that is not guaranteed. FC Barcelona and Inter Milan also have a fair chance to seal a place in the Round of 16. However, Viktoria Plzen will likely struggle to face off against these big giants. This is considered a group of death.
Group D
The four teams who will compete in Group D are Eintracht Frankfurt, Tottenham Hotspur, Sporting CP, and Marseille. This is another tough group as all teams have an equal chance of advancing to the next round. However, English club Tottenham may start as favourites to move to the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League 2022-2023.
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Group E
The four teams who will compete in this group are AC Milan, Chelsea, Red Bull Salzburg, and Dinamo Zagreb. Italian Serie A champions AC Milan and English club Chelsea are hot favourites to move to the next round from this group. Red Bull and Dinamo may find it hard to compete against these two giants.
Group F
The four participating teams in group B are Real Madrid, RB Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Celtic. The reigning champions, Real Madrid, are overwhelmingly favourites to top the group. However, there could be stiff competition for the second spot from the other three teams.
Group G
Manchester City, Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund, and Copenhagen are the four teams who will compete in Group G. The reigning English Premier League champions, Manchester City, are strong favourites to finish first in this group. There will be a strong fight for second place between Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund. The Danish club, Copenhagen, may find it difficult to compete against these strong opponents.
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Group H
The four teams who will compete in Group D are Maccabi Haifa, Benfica, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain. Italian giant Juventus and mega-rich club PSG are strong favourites to qualify for the Round of 16. However, Benfica of Portugal have a chance to finish top two in the points table and advance to the next round. The Israeli team Maccabi Haifa's great achievement is their participation in the Champions League main event.
Bottom Line
The Champions League competition’s group phase usually ends in the first week of December. However, UEFA made some adjustments to their fixtures due to the upcoming Qatar World Cup 2022. The FIFA World Cup 2022 will start on November 20, so the group stage matches for the UEFA Champions League 2022–2023 will be finished as scheduled in the first week of November.
All of the teams will have to play a ton of games in the upcoming two months, which is taxing on the players' minds and bodies. Therefore, early UCL group stage predictions favour the clubs with strong squads.
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2 years ago
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) gets a bus from UEFA as gift
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) received a bus from Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) as a gift under UEFA Assist Infrastructure Project 2021-22.The bus was officially inaugurated Wednesday afternoon at the BFF House in Motijheel. BFF vice presidents Ataur Rahman Manik, Mohiuddin Ahmed Mohi, FIIFA council member Mahfuza Akhter Kiron were, among others, present at the function.
Read: BFF sign 3-year MoU with AIUB for developing booters’ educational skillsThe BFF officials thanked two continental football bodies --UEFA and AFC --for proving the bus to BFF. The BFF got the bus through its Asian body AFC.
2 years ago
UEFA Women’s EURO 2022: Previews for the semifinals
The semi-final line-ups for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 were finalized after four exciting quarterfinal fixtures. The four semifinalists of the 2022 Women’s EURO competition are England, Sweden, Germany, and France. England's performance in the tournament has been quite impressive. The English women’s team have dominated the competition and are considered the favourites to eventually clinch the title. Besides, Germany’s outings have been pretty solid as well, and they have a solid defense. Sweden and France have also deservedly secured a place in the last four, but do they have a chance against England and Germany respectively in the semifinals?
Who are the front-runners to advance to the final?
In the first semi-final, England will face Sweden on Wednesday at 1 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time), while in the second semi-final, Germany will face France on Thursday at 1 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time).
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1st Semi-Final (England vs Sweden)
Venue: Bramall Lane, Sheffield | Date: July 27 | Time (BST): 1 a.m.
Verdict: England 2-0 Sweden
England should consider themselves favourites against Sweden in their semi-final fixture as they have shown authoritative performances in this event so far. England won all of their group stage fixtures with ease, including an 8-0 thrashing of Norway. They also came from 1-0 behind and eventually sealed the quarter-final match against Spain 2-1 in extra time.
Sweden, on the other hand, had a tough start to the competition before clinching a 5-0 victory over Portugal to secure a spot in the knockout rounds. Sweden had to work hard to beat Belgium 1-0 in their quarter-final match. Therefore, England will start as favourites in this UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 semi-final fixture against Sweden.
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England’s predicted starting XI
GK: Mary Earps;
Defenders: Lucy Bronze, Millie Bright, Leach Williamson, Rachel Daly;
Midfielders: Georgia Stanway, Keira Walsh; Fran Kirby;
Forwards: Beth Mead, Lauren Hemp, Ellen White.
Sweden’s predicted starting XI
GK: Hedvig Lindahl; Defenders: Hanna Glas, Amanda Ilestedt, Magdalena Eriksson, Jonna Andersson; Midfielders: Nathalie Bjorn, Filippa Angeldahl, Kosovare Asllani; Forwards: Rytting Kaneryd, Fridolina Rolfo, Stina Blackstenius.
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2nd Semi-Final (Germany vs France)
Venue: Stadium MK, Milton Keynes | Date: July 28 | Time (BST): 1 a.m.
Verdict: Germany 1-0 France
The German women's team hasn't given up a goal so far in this competition. They have hammered eleven goals into the opposition goal post but haven’t received a single one. They overcame Austria 2-0 in the quarter-final match, and their confidence level is high at the moment to make it to the final. On the other hand, France started the campaign with a thumping 5-1 win over Italy but had a tough time after that to secure a spot in the last four.
France defeated the defending champions Netherlands by a single goal in extra time in their quarter-final match, ensuring a meeting with Germany in the semi-finals. Overcoming eight-time European champions Germany in the semi-final would be a huge task for France. However, the fixture promises to be an interesting match to witness.
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Germany’s predicted starting XI
GK: Merle Frohms;
Defenders: Giulia Gwinn, Marina Hegering, Kathrin Hendrich, Felicitas Rauch;
Midfielders: Lena Oberdorf, Sara Dabritz; Lina Magull, Svenja Huth,
Forwards: Klara Buhl, Alexandra Popp
France’s predicted starting XI
GK: Peyraud-Magnin;
Defenders: Eve Perisset, Mbock Bathy, Wendie Renard, Sakina Karchaoui;
Midfielders: Grace Geyoro, Charlotte Bilbault, Sandie Toletti;
Forwards: Kadidiatou Diani, Melvine Malard, Delphine Cascarino.
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Verdict
In the semi-final lineups, England and Germany will likely have a slight edge over their respective opponents, Sweden and France. The England women’s team has shown commanding performances so far, and they don’t want to miss this golden opportunity to clinch their first-ever European title.
Germany, on the other hand, is the most successful team in the tournament, and their past success will give them confidence to secure yet another final berth. However, none of the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 semi-final games will be easy. The teams must play to the best of their abilities to advance to the championship match.
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2 years ago
UEFA Women's Euro 2022: Participating Teams, Venues, Groups
The UEFA Women's Euro 2022 is slated to begin on July 6 (Wednesday). The competition's thirteenth edition will take place in England. This year's event will include 16 teams in total. The championship match of the 2022 Women's Euro will be held on July 31 (Sunday) at London's iconic Wembley Stadium. The tournament details are discussed in this article.
2022 UEFA Women’s Euro: Participating Teams
The qualifying round for the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 tournament was open to 48 teams. England will automatically participate in the competition as the host nation. Therefore, the qualifying competition featured 47 nations. Nine groupings were formed out of the teams. Two groups had six teams each, while seven groups had five teams each.
The champions of each group, along with the best three runners-up, advanced to the final competition. The final three positions were decided through play-offs. UEFA suspended Russia in February 2022. Portugal, who lost to Russia in the playoff, will take their position in the main event.
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The participating teams are: England (host), Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Belgium, Iceland, Spain, Finland, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Northern Ireland, and Portugal.
Venues for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022
England were picked as the host nation of the tournament. This will be the second time England will organize a UEFA Women’s Euro competition. England first hosted the tournament in 2005. The matches of the competition will be played in 10 stadiums in nine cities, with the Wembley Stadium in London hosting the final.
The Old Trafford in Manchester will host the opening match between England and Austria on July 6. The two semi-finals will be held at Bramall Lane stadium in Sheffield and Stadium MK in Milton Keynes.
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The following are the venues for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022
City
Stadium
Capacity
London
Wembley
90,000
Manchester
Old Trafford
74,879
Sheffield
Bramall Lane
32,702
Southampton
St Mary’s Stadium
32,505
Brighton and Hove
Falmer Stadium
31,800
Milton Keynes
Stadium MK
30,500
London (Brentford)
Brentford Community Stadium
17,250
Rotherham
New York Stadium
12,021
Leigh
Leigh Sports Village
12,000
Manchester (Bradford)
Academy Stadium
7,000
Source: https://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/news/0258-0e223dbee206-0b8de08ec9ba-1000--schedule-all-the-matches/
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2022 UEFA Women’s Euro: Groups
Sixteen teams were divided into four groups, and each group contained four teams. Each group's top two teams will proceed to the quarterfinals. The reigning champions, the Netherlands, will participate in Group C, while the tournament hosts, England, will compete in Group A.
The group stage matches will take place from July 6 to July 18. The group phase will decide the competition's quarterfinalists. The quarter finals will be held from July 20 to July 23. The semi finals will take place on July 26 and 27, respectively.
The UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 groups
Groups
Teams
Group A
England, Austria, Norway, Northern Ireland
Group B
Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland
Group C
Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal, Switzerland
Group D
France, Italy, Belgium, Iceland
Source: https://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/news/0258-0e223dbee206-0b8de08ec9ba-1000--schedule-all-the-matches/
Read UEFA Nations League 2022-2023: Who are the Favourites to Reach the Semi-Finals?
Favourites to Win the 13th Edition of the UEFA Women’s Euro Cup
As per the bookies, Spain, England, and the Netherlands are the top favourites to win the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 tournament. Besides, Sweden, Germany, France, Norway, and Denmark also have a good chance to do well in the competition.
As per FIFA rankings for the women’s national team, Sweden, France, Netherlands, and Germany are in better positions than Spain and England. However, as per recent form and strength-wise, the Spanish women’s team looks stronger than the others. On the other hand, England will get an advantage by being the host nation.
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Aftermath
The inaugural women's European competition took place in 1984. Germany have dominated the competition with a record eight gold medals. Norway have won two, while Sweden and the Netherlands each have one gold. Will Germany continue to rule the upcoming event, or will a new team emerge as champions? According to multiple predictions, Spain and England are the heavy favourites to win the UEFA Women's Euro 2022.
2 years ago
Mané joins Bayern, leaves as a ‘modern-day Liverpool icon’
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp described Sadio Mané as a “modern-day icon” of the English club after the Senegal forward’s move to Bayern Munich for 32 million euros ($33.5 million) was finalized on Wednesday.
“It’s a big moment — there is no point in anyone trying to pretend otherwise,” Klopp said. “One of Liverpool’s greatest ever players is leaving and we must acknowledge how significant this is.”
The 30-year-old Mané has signed a contract with Bayern through June 2025 in a deal that could end up being worth 41 million euros ($42.9 million) depending on future achievements at the Bavarian powerhouse.
“There are very few players like him in the world,” Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn said. “We’re sure that Sadio Mané will delight our fans in the coming years with his spectacular style of play. He’s ambitious and eager to win more titles. This package is very strong.”
Klopp’s sentiments were similar.
Read: Champions League 2021-22: Man City, Liverpool in Strong Position to Reach Final
“He leaves with our gratitude and our love,” the Liverpool manager said of Mané. “He leaves with his status among the greats guaranteed. And, yes, he leaves in a moment where he is one of the best players in world football.
“But we must not dwell on what we now lose, instead celebrate what we were privileged to have. The goals he scored, the trophies he won; a legend, for sure, but also a modern-day Liverpool icon.”
Mané just completed what was arguably the best season of his career, converting the clinching penalty in a shootout to win the African Cup of Nations for Senegal, helping his country qualify for the World Cup, and starring for Liverpool in a campaign where the club nearly achieved an unprecedented quadruple of major trophies.
He won every major honor with Liverpool — the Champions League and Club World Cup in 2019, the Premier League in 2020 and both the FA Cup and League Cup in 2022. He has also scored 31 goals in 89 appearances for Senegal and was named African Footballer of the Year in 2019.
Liverpool has already signed a replacement for Mané in Darwin Núñez, the Uruguay striker who has joined from Benfica.
As for Bayern, Mané’s arrival will fuel speculation that Poland star Robert Lewandowski is set to leave. Lewandowski, who has scored 312 goals in 384 Bundesliga games for Bayern and former club Borussia Dortmund, has been pushing for a departure since last season ended.
Read: UEFA Champions League 2022 Final: Liverpool to Face Real Madrid
Lewandowski tallied 35 goals in 34 appearances last season to become the Bundesliga’s leading scorer for the fifth straight season, and the seventh time overall. He also broke the old record for Bundesliga goals in a season with 41 last year.
Mané finished last season playing as Liverpool’s central striker, and scored 120 goals in 269 competitive appearances for the club after joining from Southampton in 2016. He previously played for Salzburg, where he won the Austrian title, and French club Metz, which he joined as a 19-year-old from Génération Foot in Senegal.
“Everyone knows his outstanding technical qualities as well as his incredible mentality,” Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić said. “He will contribute a lot and help to lead our team, which has a great structure.”
2 years ago
UEFA Nations League 2022–2023: The Tournament's Third Edition Begins on June 1st
Europe's football governing body, UEFA, launched a brand new tournament named the UEFA Nations League in 2018. This is Europe's third men's national team competition apart from the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA EURO. The main objective of organizing this competition is to replace international friendlies with more competitive matches. In addition, the competition serves as a qualifier for the European Championship. The UEFA Nations League 2022–2023 league phase will begin on June 1st, 2022. Portugal won the first edition, while France won the second edition the previous year.
UEFA Nations League Format
All the members of UEFA are eligible to take part in the competition. Therefore, 55 nations compete in the A, B, C, and D leagues based on rankings and previous tournament results.
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The highest tier is League A, where the teams compete for the Nations League trophy. A total of 16 teams each compete in Leagues A, B, and C. In each league of these three, they have four groups. The remaining seven teams are divided into two groups of League D, where one group has four teams and the other has three.
The winners of four groups in League A qualify for the Nations League finals. The final is a knockout tournament where two semi-finals, one third place, and a championship match take place. One of four qualifying teams will host the knockout finals, decided by the UEFA executive committee.
Teams from Leagues A and B that finish fourth in their groups are relegated to League C. The fourth-placed teams in League C's groups go to the play-offs, with the two teams who lose in those ties demoted to League D.
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Teams Competing in League A of the UEFA Nations League 2022–2023
From the League A participants, four national teams will be qualified for the knockout finals in June 2023. Therefore, the League A group stage fixtures are the center of attention. In the group stage, each side will play six matches, with home and away bases. Here are the competing teams and their groupings.
Group A1: France, Denmark, Croatia, Austria
Group A2: Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Czech Republic
Group A3: Italy, Germany, England, Hungary
Group A4: Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Wales.
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Here are the six matchdays and the Knockout Finals schedule:
Matchdays 1 and 2: Between 1-8 June 1, 2022
Matchdays 1 and 2: Between 1-8 June 1, 2022
Matchdays 1 and 2: Between 1-8 June 1, 2022
Semi-Finals: 14 and 15 June 2023
Third-place and Championship match: 18 June 2023
Bottom Line
Following the success of the previous two seasons, the UEFA Nations League 2022-2023 is likely to engage fans even more. Some of the world's top national teams will participate in League A, and they will give it their all to qualify for the knockout finals next year. The third season of the Nations League will begin with a match between Poland and Wales at Stadion Miejski Wrocław on Wednesday (June 1).
Read UEFA Champions League Overview: Complete Winners List from 1956 to 2022
2 years ago
UEFA Champions League Overview: Complete Winners List from 1956 to 2022
The Union of European Football Associations organizes an annual club football competition called the UEFA Champions League. It is widely considered as Europe's most prestigious club football competition. The tournament was founded in 1955 and was formerly known as the European Cup until being renamed the Champions League in 1992.
According to the current structure, 32 teams compete in the group stage, with 16 moving on to the first knockout round. Teams must compete in the Round of 16, Quarter-Finals, and Semifinals in the knockout round to get to the final. Real Madrid are the current champions after defeating Liverpool 1-0 in the 2022 Champions League final. Let's have a look at the complete list of competition winners from 1956 to 2022.
European Cup and Champions League: The List of Winners
Twenty-two clubs have won the Champions League in 67 seasons. Thirteen of them have won the championship several times. Real Madrid of Spain have won the most UCL titles, with 14 to their credit. AC Milan of Italy is the second-most successful club in Champions League history. They have won the championship seven times. Liverpool are the most successful English club in the tournament's history, having won it six times.
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Winners of the European Cup/Champions League in each season (Updated - May 30, 2022)
Club
Titles
Seasons Won
Real Madrid
14
1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022
AC Milan
7
1963, 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007
Bayern Munich
6
1974, 1975, 1976, 2001, 2013, 2020
Liverpool
6
1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005, 2019
Barcelona
5
1992, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015
Ajax
4
1971, 1972, 1973, 1995
Inter Milan
3
1964, 1965, 2010
Manchester United
3
1968, 1999, 2008
Juventus
2
1985, 1996
Benfica
2
1961, 1962
Chelsea
2
2012, 2021
Nottingham Forest
2
1979, 1980
Porto
2
1987, 2004
Celtic
1
1967
Hamburger SV
1
1983
Steaua Bucuresti
1
1986
Marseille
1
1993
Borussia Dortmund
1
1997
Feyenoord
1
1970
Aston Villa
1
1982
PSV Eindhoven
1
1988
Red Star Belgrade
1
1991
Source: https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/statistics/all-time/
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Performances by nation in the European Cup and Champions League
So far, clubs from 10 different nations have won the UEFA Champions League trophy. Spanish clubs have won a total of 19 titles among them. English clubs have won 14 UCL titles, while Italian clubs have won 12.
Winners by nation (Updated - May 30, 2022)
Nation
Titles
Spain
19
England
14
Italy
12
Germany
8
Netherlands
6
Portugal
4
France
1
Romania
1
Scotland
1
Yugoslavia
1
Source: https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/statistics/all-time/
Read Real Madrid vs Liverpool: UEFA Champions League Final 2022 Preview
Aftermath
Winning the UEFA Champions League trophy is the ultimate goal for every elite team in Europe. European heavyweights typically invest a large amount of money in building their squads to achieve a competitive edge over their opponents. It's even difficult for teams like PSG and Manchester City to win their first UCL championship, despite spending a lot of money.
In contrast, Real Madrid, who were voted the best club in the twentieth century, have a habit of winning the competition quite often. The Spanish giants have won the championship five times in the previous nine years.
UEFA is contemplating restructuring the championship in order to allow more teams to participate in this premier competition. Therefore, a significant change may happen in future editions, potentially increasing fan excitement. On the whole, the competition is often dominated by clubs with a long and illustrious history, as seen by UEFA Champions League analysis from 1956 to 2022.
Read UEFA Champions League 2022 Final: Vinicius Jr.'s Strikes Secure Real Madrid's 14th UCL Title
2 years ago
UEFA Champions League 2022 Final: Vinicius Jr.'s Strikes Secure Real Madrid's 14th UCL Title
Real Madrid clinched their 14th Champions League title by defeating Liverpool 1-0 in the UEFA Champions League 2022 final at the Stade de France on Saturday (May 28). Liverpool were the pre-match favourites to win the UCL trophy for the 2021–2022 season, and they performed as such. However, Real Madrid's excellent fortune in the campaign continued in the final match. Los Blancos won the title courtesy of a second-half goal from Brazilian sensation Vinicius Junior. The match report of the 2022 UEFA Champions League final is discussed in this article.
Match Report of UEFA Champions League 2022 Final: Real Madrid vs Liverpool
Liverpool had a strong start to the game, putting pressure on the opponent's defense. They had produced at least three genuine chances in the opening 20 minutes of the game. However, Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was at his utmost best, as he had been all season, and denied Liverpool every time they tried to score.
There was also a sense that something wasn't quite right with Liverpool's team, as they continued to miss opportunities. Real Madrid failed to create any meaningful chances in the first half. They attempted to break past the Liverpool defense for the first time in the 43rd minute. After collecting the ball from Federico Valverde, Karim Benzema smashed it into the net. However, he was caught off-side.
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Liverpool continued to play with the same energy in the second half, but Real Madrid looked more sturdy. Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Luis Diaz all made valiant attempts to penetrate Real Madrid's defense. However, keeper Courtois and some good defensive play kept Liverpool from scoring on every occasion.
Real Madrid scored the game's opening goal in the 59th minute, in the midst of Liverpool's squandered chances. They attacked down the right flank, and Valverde delivered a good pass to Vinicius, who slammed it into the net. Liverpool sought to level the score multiple times after that, but failed to do so. In the end, Real Madrid won their 14th Champions League trophy with a 1-0 victory against Liverpool in the 2022 final.
Champions League Final 2022 Match Statistics: Liverpool vs Real Madrid
Except for the goal chart, Liverpool dominated almost every statistic in the final. Liverpool had 54 percent of possession compared to Real Madrid's 46 percent. They had completed 592 passes, compared to 514 for Madrid. The Kopites had a passing accuracy of 88 percent, whereas the Los Blancos had an accuracy of 82 percent.
Read Real Madrid vs Liverpool: UEFA Champions League Final 2022 Preview
Real Madrid only had four attempts compared to Liverpool's 24. The English team had nine shots on target, whereas the Spanish team only had two. Liverpool were penalized for 13 fouls and were given one yellow card. Oppositely, Real Madrid committed seven fouls but received no cards.
Verdict
Real Madrid had accomplished something that no one could have predicted at the start of the 2021–2022 season. The Madrid team is in the midst of a rebuilding phase after losing a number of important players in recent seasons. Even some of their players weren't in good enough shape to play the entire season. Despite this, Real Madrid battled heroically under the leadership of head coach Carlo Ancelotti, who took over as manager last season. They won La Liga with a few games to spare and qualified for the UCL 2022 final by defeating PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City in the knockout stages.
The majority of them expected Liverpool to win the UEFA Champions League 2022 final, but that did not happen. Real Madrid have once again shown to the rest of the world that they are the true champions of the Champions League competition. Liverpool's hopes of clinching the quadruple this season were dashed after missing out on the Premier League title last week. They had a chance to win the treble as well, but it didn't happen after losing to Madrid. Therefore, they must be content with the FA Cup and EFL Cup this season.
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2 years ago
Favourites to reach the UEFA Champions League 2022 Finals
The football world was treated to a few spectacular contests in the quarter-final stage because the majority of the matches were evenly poised. Manchester City, Liverpool, Villarreal, and Real Madrid are the teams that have qualified for the semi-finals. The first leg will take place at the end of this month, with the second leg taking place at the start of May. This article discussed which teams could qualify for the UEFA Champions League 2022 finals.
Champions League 2021/2022: Semi-Finals Fixtures and Favourites
The opening legs of the semi-finals will take place on April 26 and 27. The second tie in this elimination round will take place on May 3 and 4, respectively. A total of four matches will be played in the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-final stage will be determined by goal differential. If the aggregate goals aren't enough to decide the winner, a penalty shootout will be held.
The defending Premier League champions, Manchester City, will face European heavyweights, Real Madrid, according to the draw. In the other semifinal, English club Liverpool will meet Spanish side Villarreal. Let's have a look at the teams with the best chances of reaching the UEFA Champions League 2022 finals.
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Manchester City vs Real Madrid
First Leg Fixture: Tuesday (April 26/1 a.m.) | Venue: Etihad Stadium
Second Leg Fixture: Wednesday (May 4/1 a.m.) | Venue: Santiago Bernabeu
Manchester City and Real Madrid both faced a tough opponents in the quarter-finals. Manchester City beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 at home in the first leg but had to settle for a 0-0 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano in the second leg. Though both ties were difficult for the English champions. On the other hand, Real Madrid enjoyed a big lead over Chelsea after winning the first leg 3-1 at Stamford Bridge. It was believed that Madrid would have an easier time in the second leg, but Chelsea fought back strongly and won the match 3-2. However, Real Madrid proceeded to the semi-finals with a scoreline of 5-4 on aggregate.
The semi-finals ties between them will be difficult to predict because both teams have been in excellent form this season. Manchester City prefer to play in the build-up and control possession. Oppositely, Real Madrid have the potential to surprise the opponent out of nowhere, and this has been a feature of their game this season. Manchester City's top scorer is Riyad Mahrez, who has six goals, while Real Madrid's top scorer is Karim Benzema, who has twelve.
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Verdict: Manchester City
Liverpool vs Villarreal
First Leg Fixture: Wednesday (April 27/1 a.m.) | Venue: Anfield
Second Leg Fixture: Tuesday (May 3/1 a.m.) | Venue: Estadio de la Ceramica
Villarreal's ousting of Bayern Munich from the competition was the most unexpected outcome of the quarter-finals. Villareal had created a fantastic chance for themselves after defeating Bayern Munich 1-0 at home in the first leg. They qualified for the semi-finals after a 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. On the other hand, Liverpool enjoyed a big lead over Benfica after winning the first leg 3-1 away from home. Benfica performed well in the second leg, scoring three goals at Anfield. However, the match finished 3-3, and Liverpool proceeded to the next round with a 6-4 aggregate.
In the semi-finals, Liverpool may start as favourites against Villarreal. However, Villarreal's team has so much confidence right now that they can overcome Liverpool in this round. Therefore, it won't come as a surprise if Villarreal reach the final. Mohamed Salah leads Liverpool with eight goals, while Arnaut Danjuma leads Villarreal with six.
Read Manchester City vs Liverpool 2022: The Match that Could Decide Premier League Champion
Verdict: Liverpool
Bottom Line
On paper and based on current form, no team appears to be a strong favorite to go to the semi-finals. Whoever executes their game plan properly in both games will have a better chance of advancing to the UEFA Champions League 2022 finals. Given the intensity of the quarter-finals, the semi-final stage promises to be even more exciting.
2 years ago