After five rounds in the group stage, some of the biggest teams in European football are far from meeting expectations in this season’s Champions League.
From Manchester City’s stumbles to Real Madrid’s shocking losses, here are the standout underperformers so far.
Manchester City (17th, 8 points): Despite their high standards, City finds itself in an uphill battle for a spot in the top eight. A disastrous loss to Sporting CP (4-1) and a dramatic collapse against Feyenoord (3-3) overshadow their big wins against Slovan Bratislava and Sparta Prague. With crucial fixtures against Juventus and PSG on the horizon, Pep Guardiola’s side must produce near-flawless performances to avoid further disappointment.
Real Madrid (24th, 6 points)
The defending champions are enduring an unprecedented group stage campaign with three losses, including defeats to AC Milan and Liverpool. While still in contention for the knockout stages, Carlo Ancelotti’s men must regroup and secure points against Atalanta, Salzburg, and Brest to stay alive. The pressure is mounting as their usually dominant form has faltered.
Paris Saint-Germain (25th, 4 points)
PSG’s campaign has been marred by offensive inefficiency and narrow losses to top opponents like Bayern Munich and Atlético Madrid. Despite their struggles, qualification remains possible if they can secure crucial wins against Salzburg, Manchester City, and Stuttgart. However, with little room for error, the French giants face an uphill battle.
RB Leipzig (34th, 0 points)
The German side’s campaign has been nothing short of a disaster, with five consecutive losses despite leading in three of those games. With only theoretical chances of qualification, Leipzig must win their remaining games and hope for miracles elsewhere. It’s a sharp fall for a club that had been a consistent presence in the Champions League knockout stages in recent years.
As the group stage nears its conclusion, these teams must navigate high-pressure scenarios to salvage their European campaigns, or they risk being remembered as the biggest disappointments of the season.
