The 2024/25 Champions League group stage is winding down, and the table is taking an interesting shape as we head into the knockout rounds.
Some teams have started as they mean to go and look poised to make a deep run into the competition.
Read on as we analyse which teams can reach the final in May 2025 at the Allianz Arena based on their current form.
The showpiece event is still months away but fans determined to catch all the action live can get Champions League final tickets from Seatsnet.com – the most trusted marketplace around.
Liverpool
Liverpool continued their dominant run in the Champions League with a hard-fought victory over Spanish side Girona. Mohamed Salah netted a penalty, and it was enough to see the Reds over the line and keep their 100% record unblemished.
The Merseysiders have won all six games, defeating RB Leipzig, AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid, Bologna, and Girona to take the top spot on the general Champions League standings.
Liverpool have the best defensive record in the competition – only one goal conceded so far – and with Salah firing on all cylinders, this team has all it takes to push on and reach the final.
New manager Arne Slot has filled Jurgen Klopp’s boots seamlessly, and just like he took Feyenoord to the Conference League final, he will be eager to leave his mark with this exciting Liverpool squad.
The Reds would love to crown the season with their seventh Champions League title, and with the way they have started this season, you wouldn’t bet against them at least reaching the final.
Barcelona
Apart from a shock slip-up against AS Monaco on the first matchday, Barcelona have been imperious in Europe, mullering everyone that crosses their path and rising to second on the table.
They responded to the Monaco loss with a 5-0 thumping of Young Boys before taming arch-rivals Bayern Munich 4-1 and beating Red Star Belgrade 5-2. They managed to scale past Borussia Dortmund in Germany, winning 3-2.
Hansi Flick’s side is sensational in attack. They have scored more goals than any other team in the competition (21), and the German tactician, who won the title in 2020, will back this young, hungry squad to bulldoze their way to the final.
Barca have one of the most feared frontlines in Europe and a technically pristine engine room. Even though their famous high lines are susceptible, not many teams will want to encounter the Catalans when in their groove.
They can overwhelm and embarrass any side in world football, and after failing to make an appearance in the final since their last win in 2015, they will be itching to prove their mettle on the grand stage.
Arsenal
Third-placed Arsenal are coming off a 3-0 demolition of AS Monaco and will be tipped to make a deep run in Europe after their latest showing. The Ligue 1 club had creative answers to Arsenal’s famed set-piece threat but couldn’t handle their weaponry.
Bukayo Saka bagged a brace before Kai Havertz put the icing on the cake, and the pair will be key to their hopes of a run a la 2006.
The Englishman has been electrifying for the Gunners this term, bagging four goals and two assists in five Champions League appearances while playing two key passes per game. Besides, his set-piece deliveries are another potent weapon in the armament.
Meanwhile, Havertz is a Champions League winner with Chelsea and netted the winning goal against Manchester City in Porto. He delivered impressive performances throughout that unlikely run and can inspire/spearhead Arsenal to the final.
Their rearguard is also strong enough to withstand the heat from the big boys in the latter rounds. Only Liverpool and Inter (one) have conceded fewer goals than the Gunners (two) after matchday six.
Mikel Arteta’s side does not give much away, and they pounce on opportunities in the blink of an eye. With the Gunners seemingly out of the Premier League title race, they can focus on the Champions League and deliver a sensational run to the final.
Bayer Leverkusen
Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen did not enjoy the best start to the season as the hangover from their uber-successful 2023/24 campaign took hold.
However, they have shaken off the rust and pushed to second in the Bundesliga while sitting in fourth place on the Champions League log.
Despite drawing Brest 1-1 in France and getting thrashed 4-0 by Liverpool at Anfield, they have taken wins over RB Salzburg (5-0), Feyenoord (4-0), AC Milan (1-0), and Inter Milan (1-0).
The win over the Nerazzuri was even more impressive than the high-scoring results. Inter are a tough nut to crack, but Xabi Alonso’s side handled business and dispatched the 2023 Champions League finalists, proving their credentials.
Die Werkself reached the Europa League final last term but fell short thanks to an Ademola Lookman hat-trick. They can atone for the disappointment with another unforgettable run, this time in Europe’s premier competition.
Alonso has proven to be a top tactician, and the Spaniard can mastermind another remarkable European season for Leverkusen.
They kept most of the core of last term and added new assets to bolster their ranks. The Bundesliga side is a tricky customer for any team that they face.
Inter Milan
Sixth-placed Inter Milan may have suffered a 1-0 loss to Leverkusen in their last outing, but you can never discard a Simone Inzaghi side in cup competitions.
The Nerazzurri sealed impressive results that show what they are capable of. They held Manchester City to a draw before claiming scalps against Young Boys, RB Leipzig, Red Star Belgrade, and Arsenal.
The Arsenal clash was a perfect depiction of Inter’s quiet strength. Despite fielding a second-string team as they prepared to take on Napoli in a crucial Serie A clash during the weekend, they handled the Premier League giants well.
They masterfully nullified their strengths before scoring via a Hakan Calhanoglu penalty en route to a narrow 1-0 victory.
Winning by a lone goal and shutting up shop has been a theme of their European campaign, and this team is perfectly capable of maintaining this slow but steady momentum, pushing into the final.
Inter have enough firepower up top with Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez to down any team in Europe.
Flanked by the mercurial Federico Dimarco with experienced operators like Nicolo Barella and Calhanoglu in the engine room and a well-drilled, watertight backline, Inter are well-placed to make a play for the finals.
