Which Teams Could Win the UEFA Champions League for the First Time This Season?

The list of UEFA Champions League winners is a short one. Teams such as record champions Real Madrid dominate it, with their haul of 15 titles more than twice that of their nearest rival, AC Milan, who have seven. From there, Bayern Munich and Liverpool have six apiece, with the likes of Barcelona and Manchester United all featuring prominently.

But what of the great uncrowned? Some of Europe’s very biggest clubs remain without a maiden UCL title, despite their best efforts. But which of them, if any, can mount a march toward the trophy in 2025/26? Let’s take a look at three possible first-time champions.

Arsenal

Courtesy of their blistering start to the season, both domestically and on the continental stage, Arsenal have been installed as the surprising 11/2 joint favorites to win the Champions League this season, alongside German giants Bayern Munich. Using a specific no-vig betting tool suggests that their true odds are even shorter than that. The popular no-vig calculator at Thunderpick aims to determine a betting selection’s true chance of winning, without a bookmaker’s margin. When it comes to the Gunners leaving Budapest with the famous ‘Big-Eared’ trophy in tow next May, the calculator suggests that their true odds are closer to 4/1.

For Mikel Arteta, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic. Last season, Arsenal made it to the semifinals before being dispatched by eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain, and the entirety of that run was endured without a recognized striker following injuries to both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus. This season, they are armed with the deadly Viktor Gyokeres, but he too has recently joined his striking co-horts in the treatment room.

The good news is that all three are expected to return throughout the festive period. With the crunch knockout round clashes coming in the New Year, the attacking trident should be fit and firing, and Arsenal will be at full strength throughout the run-in, something they certainly weren’t last season.

Questions remain as to whether they can genuinely compete on two fronts, specifically the Premier League and the Champions League. However, their lead at the summit domestically is already six points, and if that increases further prior to the UCL knockout stage getting underway, the Gunners can focus their efforts on the continental assault as opposed to domestic, and that could be the difference between a maiden European title or falling short once again.

Atletico Madrid

Spanish heavyweights Atletico Madrid have featured in three UEFA Champions League finals throughout their illustrious history. They have lost all three. Back in 1974, they were beaten by Bayern Munich, before four decades later, they lost two finals in three seasons to archrivals Real Madrid, firstly in extra time in Lisbon and then on penalties in Milan. A decade on from that most recent defeat, and Diego Simeone’s men have their eyes on the prize once again.

Admittedly, there have been a few hiccups on this season’s continental journey. Atleti were thumped 4-0 in their recent visit to face Arsenal at the Emirates. They were also beaten 3-2 by Liverpool in their European opener, rallying back from 2-0 down only to succumb to a last-gasp Virgil van Dijk header. However, there has also been plenty to shout about, with a perfect record of two wins from two on home turf, scoring eight goals across the two games.

Atletico are just four points off the summit in La Liga and have already thumped Real Madrid 5-2 this term. With Julian Alvarez leading the line and veteran midfielder Koke looking reborn since returning to the first team fold, they will be more than a match for anyone in Europe this season. No one will want to face them across two legs, especially in the raucous Metropolitano.

Napoli

Napoli are the reigning Italian champions, with manager Antonio Conte managing to outlast former club Inter Milan en route to the Scudetto last term. The maverick Italian boss brought in iconic midfielder Kevin De Bruyne in the summer in a bid to add some much-needed creativity to an already stout defence. However, the veteran Belgian has suffered from a number of niggling injuries throughout his maiden campaign with the Partenopei, and those woes have been most felt in the Champions League.

They have won just one of their opening four games in Europe this season, scoring just four goals in the process. A thumping 6-2 defeat at PSV Eindhoven on matchday three set alarm bells ringing, with that steely defence breached time and again. However, when the mercurial KDB returns, expect the Italian champions to begin to flex their muscles.

Their victories domestically against both Inter and Atalanta point to a team capable of delivering on the biggest stage. No stage is bigger than the Champions League, and with a fully fit squad, Conte will be relying on that famous backline to provide the perfect platform for a fully fit De Bruyne to perform at his devastating best. If he does that, don’t be surprised to see them reach the semifinals for the first time, and perhaps go even further than that.