After a long wait, the Champions League is finally back with its new season. The 22/23 group stages will be played out over the course of the next few weeks before the World Cup takes over our TV screens. This makes it a very unique season for club and European football.
Following the tournament in Qatar, club football will resume alongside the Champions League. And as you can assume, this one is going to be a packed year for the players, and exhaustion is going to be massive heading into the tail end of the season.
UEFA Champions League 22/23 preview
We have already talked about the teams that are expected to make it to the knockout stages. But in the Champions League, anything can happen, which is why the predictions should be taken with a pinch of salt.
The World Cup will not only affect the fitness of players due to its demands on the pitch, but also form, owing to the mental battle. Players will have to turn their focus from the national team to the club in time to make things count on both fronts. Of course, this is way easier said than done.
Real Madrid lifted the trophy by defeating Liverpool in the finals last season. And their balanced squad makes them contenders for the title yet again. However, teams like Bayern Munich, PSG and Manchester City could also come up with a surprise following their smart recruitment over the summer.
Whatever happens to be the outcome of the group stage, the real battle for the title will begin after the break for the World Cup.
