After years of heartbreaks and near misses, Paris Saint-Germain finally lifted the Champions League title to cap off a historic 2024/25 campaign.
The Ligue 1 powerhouse had already secured the league title and the Coupe de France before rocking up to the Allianz Arena to take on Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
Not many would have predicted what followed as PSG wiped the floor with their Italian counterparts, thrashing the Nerazzurri 5-0 in a beat down of historic proportions.
Adding more feathers to their cap, PSG pulled it off with the youngest team to ever play in a Champions League final in the 21st century.
After making history in Munich, Luis Enrique laid down the marker for PSG next season, sending a clear message to the rest of Europe that they’re not resting on their laurels.
“I said that the only trophy that was missing was the Champions League,” he said. “Not anymore. We are going to continue to conquer the footballing world.”
You wouldn’t put it past PSG to defend their crown, but that’ll be a tough task. A lot of other teams will want the privilege of knocking them off their perch next season.
Champions League tickets will be in high demand on Seatsnet.com, with fans keen to see which team will be the next to rise to the pinnacle of European football.
With that in mind, we’ve selected five teams that should be considered serious contenders for club football’s holy grail next season, starting with the reigning champions.
Paris Saint-Germain
PSG’s Champions League win was a massive statement. Taking Inter to the slaughterhouse on the biggest stage in European football was a warning shot to the rest of the continent.
Under Enrique, the French giants have ditched the ‘Galacticos’ playbook in favour of forging a fearless, fluid and fast-paced team that reflects the modern game at its most ruthless.
This team is only just getting started too. Desire Doue, who was the star of the Champions League final, is only 19. Joao Neves is 20. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Nuno Mendes and William Pacho are all under 25.
Yet this has all the makings of a well-oiled machine built to dominate for years. At 30, Marquinhos is the only veteran in the squad, and his leadership balances the youthful energy around him.
Enrique deserves plenty of credit for building this PSG team, who have not only dominated both domestically and in Europe but have also done so by playing an entertaining brand of football.
PSG also benefit from Ligue 1’s flexible pace. It allows Enrique plenty of freedom to rotate the pack, manage workloads, and keep his players fresh for Europe’s biggest nights.
Whether or not opponents figure out a way to counter PSG’s dynamic style remains to be seen. But right now, the Parisian side are a step ahead, and they have time on their side.
It’ll be silly to discard their chances of successfully defending their new-found European crown.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid are Champions League royalty, so making any future predictions without throwing them into the mix is always risky, even though they were far from their sparkling best last season.
They were on the throne as recently as 2024, when they made light work of Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium, so their 2025 performance could be seen as a one-off.
It was clear since the arrival of Kylian Mbappe that the team had lost its balance. Carlo Ancelotti struggled to get the best out of his star-studded squad from the get-go.
Heavy defeats against Barcelona exposed the flaws in the system, and the Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands of Arsenal effectively sealed Ancelotti’s fate.
It remains to be seen if Xabi Alonso can succeed where his predecessor failed, but Madrid are built for European nights, so write them off at your own peril.
The 15-time winners will be back to reclaim their throne next season, but it’ll take some doing to wrestle the crown from PSG’s grasp right after their first taste of glory.
If Alonso can somehow find an attacking balance that accommodates Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and Jude Bellingham, then Madrid will be unstoppable next season.
But with a new face in the dugout, it might take a while before they return for their European crown.
Barcelona
Barcelona’s future looks brighter than ever, and much of it rests on the shoulders of a 17-year-old sensation. Lamine Yamal already has the world at his feet, yet he’s only just getting started.
He has become a lynchpin for Barca. If he maintains his current trajectory, he could be the key to returning Barca to the pinnacle of European football.
Yamal’s brilliance is just one part of an evolving, dangerous Barca attack.
With Pedri pulling the strings in midfield and Raphinha producing form worthy of Ballon d’Or whispers, the frontline is packed with promise.
Even as Robert Lewandowski begins to slow down, Ferran Torres has stepped up as a reliable option to lead the line, showing confidence and control in key moments.
Barca are also sorted at the back, thanks to the emergence of Pau Cubarsi and Alejandro Balde. But they have the likes of Inigo Martinez and Ronald Araujo to show them the ropes.
Hansi Flick’s side could do with reinforcement at the back, but they already have a solid foundation.
The German tactician took them to the Champions League semi-final at the first time of asking.
They were undone by a highly experienced Inter team, but that heartbreak could be the catalyst for another eye-catching run next season.
Barca have all the tools to become European champions. Maybe a bit more luck might do the trick.
Liverpool
Arne Slot made an instant impact by handing Liverpool their 20th league title and a second Premier League title in five years.
There’s no reason why the Reds shouldn’t be targeting the Champions League next season.
Only Madrid (15) and AC Milan (7) have been crowned champions of Europe more times than Liverpool (6), so the Reds are no strangers to the biggest stage in club football.
Their European legacy is a key part of the club’s identity. They can roll back the years next season.
Liverpool fell short last term. After steamrolling their way to the knockout stage, they faltered at the first hurdle. However, they can now make peace with the fact that they lost to the eventual champions.
But at the time, it was a huge disappointment given their blistering performance in the league phase.
On the plus side, they’ve managed to hang on to the core of their squad, even though Trent Alexander-Arnold couldn’t banish the whispers of the iconic Los Blancos shirt.
But with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk still running the show, Liverpool will fancy their chances.
With the additions of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, and more on the way, Slot might finally have the right tools to conquer Europe at the second time of asking.
