Chelsea were the last English club to win the Champions League in 2012.
Can an English side win the Champions League this season…?
While there are several foreign teams who could win Europe’s elite footballing competition, England have four representatives with enough talent to go deep into the tournament.
SEE MORE:
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Arsenal Team-Sheet: How the Gunners will start v Borussia Dortmund
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Here’s how we rank their chances of tournament success…
4. Liverpool
Of all the English sides in this years competition, Liverpool appear to be the least likely to lift the giant trophy in May, having not competed in the tournament since 2009. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t have a good chance. Brendan Rodgers has got his side playing with a pace and style that will threaten the best defences in Europe while in Raheem Sterling, they have a real gem of an attacker whose skill and direct style of play will be very useful against European teams.
Liverpool’s chances of winning the competition, like their chances of winning the Premier League, may hinge on which Mario Balotelli turns up at Anfield. Will it be the confident maverick who can score impossibly good goals? Or will it be the moody striker who looked completely disinterested during his final days at Manchester City. With so many factors needing to go for them if they are to win the Champions League, Rodgers and his men will probably consider a place in the quarter finals as a good campaign this year.
3. Arsenal
Like Liverpool, Arsenal have a chance of winning this year’s tournament but they would not consider themselves in amongst the favourites. They do have quality in their squad with the likes of Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey fast developing into two of the best midfielders in Europe while Alexis Sanchez is a versatile attacker capable of scoring sublime goals.
The problem Arsenal may face is the size of their squad. Already, Arsene Wenger is without several key personnel for the Gunners first game against Borussia Dortmund, meaning a youth team player may have to come into the side. The Champions League campaign is a long one and if the North London club lose the likes of Sanchez and Ramsey for any length of time, their chances of winning the competition diminish rapidly.
2. Manchester City
The Premier League champions are in a better position than ever to make an assault on Europe. Their squad is crammed full of quality attacking players like David Silva and Sergio Aguero, who are good enough to unlock any defence. Defensively, the Sky Blues are much stronger than they were last season. Martin Demichelis is in great form alongside Vincent Kompany while the highly rated Eliaquim Mangala is waiting in the wings if either of them get injured.
Although Manuel Pellegrini’s side may once again have a tough group, they are good enough to beat the best and unlike Arsenal, they have a big enough squad to cope with injuries. After spending millions assembling a world class team, City now have a real opportunity to become champions of Europe.
1. Chelsea
The Blues are undoubtedly the most likely English side to win this year’s competition. In fact, they are one of the favourites to win it in general. Jose Mourinho has assembled one of the best squads in Europe. Defensively, his side are as solid as you expect while new goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is fast becoming one of the best shot stoppers in the world.
Where Chelsea fell down last year was in attack. They didn’t have any world-class strikers and there were times that they struggled to break down good defences. That problem has been solved with the additions of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa. The Blues are now a threat up front and are capable of putting three or four goals past good defences.
Chelsea have one final weapon that make them one of the favourites for this year’s Champions League and that is Mourinho himself. The Portuguese boss has won the competition twice so he knows what it takes to be victorious in Europe.
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