PSG Aims for Third Consecutive Champions League Title as New Season Begins

The UEFA Champions League kicks off again this week, and Paris Saint-Germain is set on joining an exclusive group of clubs that have won the tournament three years in a row.

PSG successfully defended their crown last season, edging out Arsenal on penalties in Budapest to keep the trophy they claimed for the first time just a year before. Under coach Luis Enrique, the team has already secured legendary status by winning back-to-back titles—something only Real Madrid had done since the modern Champions League began in 1992.

Winning three consecutive titles would push PSG into an even rarer category. Real Madrid pulled off this feat from 2016 to 2018 under Zinedine Zidane. Only Ajax (1971-73) and Bayern Munich (1974-76) have matched this, while Real also captured the first five European Cups between 1956 and 1960.

“Our objectives are clear. I want to win important trophies, and there are none more important than the Champions League,” said Luis Enrique, who previously led Barcelona to victory in 2015.

Challenges with the New Format

The recent back-to-back victories coincided with the Champions League's revamped format. Now, 36 teams play eight games each against different opponents during the league phase. This change has made the group stage tougher, with PSG failing to finish in the top eight during the past two seasons and needing to pass through extra playoffs to reach the knockout rounds.

This year, the Parisians face familiar rivals like Manchester City, Barcelona, and Aston Villa. The competition is fierce, and the chances of a surprise winner outside Europe's powerhouse clubs seem slimmer every year.

English Clubs Eyeing Success

The Premier League continues to dominate financially, with its clubs expected to feature strongly. Arsenal has come close lately, losing in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and then the final over the past three years. Mikel Arteta's squad looks ready to take the next step after topping last season's league phase with a perfect record, though they face a tough opening away match at Napoli.

• English clubs competing: Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Aston Villa

Other top contenders include Bayern Munich, Real Madrid (with Jose Mourinho back to lead them), and Barcelona, eager for another title. While these teams look strongest, clubs like Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid could make an impact, especially with Atletico aiming for a final hosted in their stadium.

Newcomers Bring Fresh Energy

Outside the major leagues, only Mourinho’s Porto has won the Champions League in the last 30 years (2004). This season features new faces like Como, who finished fourth in Serie A, displacing giants AC Milan and Juventus.

Viking Stavanger makes its Champions League debut after a 34-year wait following their first Norwegian title. Sabah enters too, traveling to Old Trafford after claiming Azerbaijan’s first league title and advancing through four qualifiers. Their coach, Valdas Dambrauskas, who started coaching after earning money on a Lithuanian quiz show, admitted he always dreamed of becoming a football coach.

“Since I was 12, when I realised I would not be a professional player, I knew I wanted to be a football coach,” Dambrauskas said. “I cannot guess what would have happened without this game, but I believe I would have found a way to achieve my dream.”

While Sabah might not advance further, just reaching the league phase guarantees a minimum of €20 million (about US$23.2 million), a major boost for smaller clubs. Winners of the tournament earn around €90 million before TV revenue, with PSG reportedly making about €150 million for each of their last two triumphs.