8 Clubs Aiming For The Champions League Again
17 winners. Ten runners up. None of them are in the Champions League this season.
One of the most-watched sporting events each year. The most prestigious prize in club football. Nearly £30 million in prize money available to the team who can reach the final unbeaten.
We all love the Champions League, at least we say we do. The huge teams, the underdogs, the upsets, it all happens in the most glamorous competition in the world, but sometimes it does get a little underwhelming, or maybe we've just been spoilt in the past?
Liverpool's comeback, Bayern Munich's demolition of Barcelona, Gareth Bale making Maicon look like Glen Johnson, *that* Drogba penalty. All typical moments of a brilliant competition, but there are some huge teams missing out on that this year. Some teams that have been missing for a while, others hopefully just for this year, but anyway you put it, they deserve to be in there.
With 27 visits to the final of European football's biggest prize between them, these eight teams won't be competing this year, but are all pushing to be involved next year. Whether gathering players in the transfer market or just finally ready to make that last push up the table, this article takes a look at eight teams ready to challenge for the Champions League again...
8. Athletic Bilbao
Being one of the three clubs that's never been relegated from La Liga keeps you in some highly esteemed company, and Athletic Bilbao have managed just that, hanging up there with Barcelona and Real Madrid. Despite this though, Bilbao have only played in the Champions League for one season, the one just gone, and only managed a third place finish in the group stages. Ernesto Valverde will be hoping to change that in the coming year, and will no doubt be aiming for a higher finish in the league than last seasons seventh place.
Competition in La Liga will be difficult this year, given that five teams managed to qualify for the Champions League in the previous campaign. Los Leones may be better off following in the footsteps of Sevilla and focusing on the Europa League, with a win in the final granting access to next seasons Champions League.