UEFA Champions League 2021-2022 season: here are 10 squads to look out for

The 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League season will start on September 14, 2021, and end on 28 May 2022 at the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

As usual, this season’s edition of the tournament comprises 32 clubs from 52 associations. One unusual aspect of the tournament is the fact that in the 2021-2022 season, there will not be an away goal rule for the first time since 1965.

This time around, if in a two-legged tie, two teams score the same amount of aggregate goals, the winner of the tie would be decided through 30 minutes of extra time. If the two teams score the same amount of goals in extra time, the winner would be decided by a penalty shoot-out.

Aside from this unusual change in this season’s UEFA Champions League campaign, another change the world would be looking forward to is the number of well-loaded squads that are available in the tournament.

The 67th edition of the tournament will see 10 world-class squads compete to lift the prestigious trophy in Russia. In the history of the competition, it is hard to remember when the competition had so many competitive clubs ready to battle for the title in a single season like in the 2021-2022 season.

Below is the list of 10 squads to look out for in 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League campaign

1. Paris Saint Germain

Paris Saint Germain are arguably the favorites to win the 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League trophy because they have the most loaded squad in Europe right now.

The signing of Lionel Messi from FC Barcelona and the presence of the usual suspects – Kylian Mbappe and Neymar would make the team almost unstoppable throughout this season’s UEFA Champions League campaign.

See PSG amazing Champions League 2021-2022 squad below:

Goalkeepers:

1. Keylor Navas
2. Gianluigi Donnarumma
3. Alexandre Letellier

Defenders

4. Achraf Hakimi
5. Presnel Kimpembe
6. Sergio Ramos
7. Marquinhos
8. Colin Dagba
9. Layvin Kurzawa
10. Abdou Diallo
11. Thilo Kehrer
12. Nuno Mendes

Midfielders

13. Marco Verratti
14. Leandro Paredes
15. Danilo
16. Georginio Wijnaldum
17. Ander Herrera
18. Idrissa Gueye
19. Eric Ebimbe

Forwards

20. Kylian Mbappe
21. Angel Di Maria
22. Lionel Messi
23. Mauro Icardi
24. Neymar
25. Julian Draxler
26. Chelsea

2. Chelsea

Chelsea are the reigning UEFA Champions League champions which means that they are expected to at least get to the final of the tournament.

The good news is that their UEFA Champions League winning squad is still intact and they have just added one of the most feared striker in Europe, Romelu Lukaku who could make Chelsea unstoppable this season.

See Chelsea amazing 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League squad below:

Goalkeepers

1. Kepa Arrizabalaga
2. Marcus Bettinelli
3. Edouard Mendy

Defenders

4. Marcos Alonso
5. Cesar Azpilicueta
6. Trevoh Chalobah
7. Ben Chilwell
8. Andreas Christensen
9. Thiago Silva
10. Antonio Rudiger
11. Malang Sarr
12. Reece James

Midfielders

13. Lewis Baker
14. Ross Barkley
15. N’golo Kante
16. Mason Mount
17. Hakim Ziyech
18. Jorginho
19. Kai Havertz
20. Mateo Kovacic
21. Saul Niguez
22. Christian Pulisic

Forwards

23. Ruben Loftus-cheek
24. Romelu Lukaku
25. Timo Werner
26. Manchester United

3. Manchester United

Manchester United have not been so consistent in the UEFA Champions League in recent history but it seems such inconsistency might be a thing of the past this season.

The club added three world class players, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, and Raphael Varane to an already solid squad which could mean that they are ready to go all the way this season.

See Manchester United amazing 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League squad below:

Goalkeepers

1. David De Gea
2. Tom Heaton
3. Dean Henderson

Defenders

4. Victor Lindelof
5. Eric Bailly
6. Harry Maguire
7. Diogo Dalot
8. Aaron Wan-bissaka
9. Raphael Varane
10. Luke Shaw
11. Alex Telles

Midfielders

12. Paul Pogba
13. Juan Mata
14. Jesse Lingard
15. Donny Van De Beek
16. Scott Mctominay
17. Amad Diallo
18. Fred Bruno Fernandes
19. Jadon Sancho
20. Nemanja Matic

Forwards

21. Cristiano Ronaldo
22. Anthony Martial
23. Marcus Rashford
24. Edinson Cavani
25. Manchester City

4. Manchester City

Manchester City have been very competitive in the UEFA Champions League campaign for six conservative seasons. They were very close to winning the title last season but Chelsea stopped them in the final.

The squad that got to the final of the tournament last season is still very much intact with the addition of Jack Grealish the club bought from Aston Villa for a British transfer record fee worth £100 million.

See Manchester City amazing 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League squad below:

Goalkeepers

1. Ederson
2. Zack Steffen
3. Scott Carson

Defenders

4. Kyle Walker
5. Ruben Dias
6. John Stones
7. Oleksandr Zinchenko
8. Nathan Ake
9. Aymeric Laporte
10. Joao Cancelo

Midfielders

11. Ilkay Gundogan
12. Bernardo Silva
13. Phil Foden
14. Jack Grealish
15. Rodri
16. Kevin De Bruyne
17. Fernandinho
18. Riyad Mahrez
19. Romeo Lavia

Forwards

20. Raheem Sterling
21. Gabriel Jesus
22. Ferran Torres
23. Bayern Munich

5. Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich are another consistent participates in the UEFA Champions League campaign. They have been one of the most feared team in the tournament for over seven years.

They will continue to be a team to fear even though they didn’t make any outstanding addition to their squad this summer. The fact that their main goalscoring machine, Robert Lewandowski, is still fully available for the team, Bayern Munich will remain a hard nut to crack this season.

See Bayern Munich 2021-2022 Champions League squad below:

Goalkeepers

1. Christian Fruchtl
2. Manuel Neuer
3. Sven Ulreich

Defenders

4. Lucas Hernandez
5. Benjamin Pavard
6. Bouna Sarr
7. Niklas Sule
8. Omar Richards
9. Marc Roca
10. Josip Stanisic
11. Dayot Upamecano

Midfielders

12. Eric Choupo-moting
13. Michael Cuisance
14. Alphonso Davies
15. Leon Goretzka
16. Joshua Kimmich
17. Leroy Sane
18. Corentin Tolisso
19. Tanguy Kouassi
20. Marcel Sabitzer
21. Malik Tillman

Forwards

22. Kingsley Coman
23. Robert Lewandowski
24. Serge Gnabry
25. Thomas Muller
26. Real Madrid

6. Real Madrid

Real Madrid are often expected to do very well in the UEFA Champions League because they are the most successful club in the tournament.

The 2021-2022 campaign would not be different even though they were not able to make an outstanding addition to the squad. They will be carried by Karim Benzema if Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale fail to pick up their forms this season.

See Real Madrid 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League squad below:

Goalkeepers

1. Thibaut Courtois
2. Andriy Lunin

Defenders

3. Dani Carvajal
4. Jesus Vallejo Marcelo
5. Eder Militao
6. David Alaba
7. Nacho
8. Ferland Mendy

Midfielders

9. Toni Kroos
10. Luka Modric
11. Lucas Vazquez
12. Casemiro
13. Federico Valverde
14. Dani Ceballos
15. Isco
16. Eduardo Camavinga

Forwards

17. Eden Hazard
18. Karim Benzema
19. Marco Asensio
20. Luka Jovic
21. Gareth Bale
22. Vinicius Junior
23. Rodrygo
24. Mariano Diaz
25. Barcelona

7. FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona lost their talisman, Lionel Messi, to Paris Saint Germain ahead of the 2021-2022 season but they are still a team to beat.

They have added a series of new football stars including Memphis Depay, Sergio Aguero, and Luuk De Jong who could make a difference on a good day.

See FC Barcelona 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League squad below:

Goalkeepers

1. Inaki Pena
2. Neto
3. Marc-andre Ter Stegen

Defenders

4. Jordi Alba
5. Eric Garcia
6. Oscar Mingueza
7. Ronald Araujo
8. Sergino Dest
9. Clement Lenglet
10. Gerard Pique
11. Samuel Umtiti

Midfielders

12. Sergio Busquets
13. Frenkie De Jong
14. Riqui Puig
15. Sergi Roberto

Forwards

16. Sergio Aguero
17. Ansu Fati
18. Martin Braithwaite
19. Philippe Coutinho
20. Luuk De Jong
21. Ousmane Dembele
22. Yusuf Demir
23. Memphis Depay
24. Pedri

8. Liverpool

Liverpool football club struggled in the UEFA Champions League last season due to the injuries most of their first-team players sustained. All those who were injured especially their charismatic defender Virgil Van Dijk are back and ready to battle for this season’s UEFA Champions League campaign.

See Liverpool 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League squad below:

Goalkeepers

1. Alisson Becker
2. Adrian Caoimhin
3. Kelleher

Defenders

4. Virgil Van Dijk
5. Ibrahima Konate
6. Joe Gomez
7. Kostas Tsimikas
8. Andy Robertson
9. Joel Matip
10. Trent Alexander-arnold
11. Nathaniel Phillips

Midfielders

12. Fabinho
13. Thiago Alcantara
14. James Milner
15. Naby Keita
16. Roberto Firmino
17. Jordan Henderson
18. Sadio Mane
19. Alex Oxlade-chamberlain

Forwards

20. Mohamed Salah
21. Takumi Minamino
22. Diogo Jota
23. Divock Origi
24. Harvey Elliott
25. Borussia Dortmund

9. Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund sold one of their best players, Jadon Sancho to Manchester United this season but they remain a huge threat to any opponent they will come across this season.

They succeeded in keeping their talisman, Erling Haaland despite offers from Chelsea and other top European clubs.

See Borussia Dortmund 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League squad below:

Goalkeepers

1. Roman Burki Marwin
2. Hitz Gregor Kobel
3. Luca Unbehaun

Defenders

4. Manuel Akanji
5. Emre Can
6. Raphael Guerreiro
7. Mats Hummels
8. Thomas Meunier
9. Marin Pongracic
10. Nico Schulz
11. Dan-axel Zagadou

Midfielders

12. Jude Bellingham
13. Julian Brandt
14. Mahmoud Dahoud
15. Thorgan Hazard
16. Ansgar Knauff
17. Felix Passlack
18. Marco Reus
19. Axel Witsel
20. Marius Wolf

Forwards

21. Erling Haaland
22. Donyell Malen
23. Reinier
24. Steffen Tigges
25. Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid is another squad to look out for in this season’s UEFA Champions League campaign. The return of Antoine Griezmann and the presence of Luis Suarez would give them a spark to dare for the European title.

See Atletico Madrid 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League squad below:

Goalkeepers

1. Benjamin Lecomte
2. Jan Oblak

Defenders

3. Sergio Camus Felipe
4. Jose Maria Gimenez
5. Fran Gonzalez
6. Mario Hermoso
7. Renan Lodi
8. Stefan Savic
9. Kieran Trippier
10. Sime Vrsaliko

Midfielders

12. Rodrigo De Paul
13. Thomas Lemar
14. Hector Herrera
15. Geoffrey Kondogbia
16. Marcos Llorente Koke

Forwards

17. Angel Correa
18. Joao Felix
19. Antoine Griezmann
20. Matheus Cunha
21. Luis Suarez