Three Teams A Champions League Title Would Mean Most To

There’s also the legitimate fear of relegation, which can set an organization back for a long time from a reputation and financial perspective.

Relegated teams may have a little more time to prepare for league games while players can perhaps take more time to unwind by enjoying some of their favorite activities like watching TV, listening to music, or even playing

online, however the elite clubs have an opportunity to stamp their ticket to football history if they play well in the Champions League. The best of the best across Europe come together to find out which team is the most superior in the continent that season.

We’ll take a look at three teams who would benefit the most from capturing a Champions League crown in 2023.

AC Milan

Unfortunately, it has been a turbulent decade-plus for Italian football, as Serie A has worked extremely hard to maintain its credibility while sparing no expense for the biggest stars in the sport. The product on the field has still been exciting, but the league has fallen a couple of steps behind its counterparts due to

. An Italian league team has not won the Champions League since 2009-2010 when Internazionale captured the title.

There are a couple of Serie A teams in the Champions League field this year, but a return to glory for AC Milan would go a long way into bringing them back into the class of Juventus and other top Italian squads. They have a really good chance to come away with some hardware, as Olivier Giroud and Theo Hernandez are coming off of a meaningful 2022 World Cup run with their native France. Their experience, coupled with the exciting young talent AC Milan has could result in a special ending to the season.

This may be AC Milan’s best chance to win the Champions League, considering Giroud is 36 years old, and may not have too much elite football left in him. The key to their fortunes may rest at the feet of 23-year-old Portuguese striker Rafael Leao, who has been excellent in the scoring department this season. In addition to putting the ball in the back of the net, Leao has also set up his teammates for goals as well.

SL Benfica

Speaking of Portugal, it is not often that a team from that nation receives a lot of attention as a legitimate candidate to win the

. While the country has a lot of respect from the football world for producing some of the game’s greatest players, teams usually aren’t able to compete with the upper-echelon clubs from Spain, France, England, or Italy. SL Benfica is hoping to open the world’s eyes to prove just how skilled the players from Primeira Liga are.

It's going to be really interesting to see how Benfica’s opponents elect to deal with them, considering that they have a two-headed monster that has dominated Primeira Liga. Joao Mario and Goncalo Ramos have shown that they deserve to be mentioned as a pairing that is as hard to stop as any in Europe. Mario has been exceptionally dangerous during the regular course of play, but also as a penalty kick attempter as well.

Benfica also has a sprinkle of some non-Portuguese-born talent that has had experience playing big games internationally. Jan Vertonghen from Belgium and Julian Draxler from Germany are no strangers to bright lights and could serve as X-factors when it matters most. A Benfica Champions League victory would be a stunning turn of events for the football world.

Manchester City

Representing the Premier League in the Champions League slate is no easy task, considering the level of competition. Chelsea was able to get a nod this year, but Manchester City would really love to bring home a championship this year. Everything has come together in a bit of a storybook fashion for them this season, and they would love to conclude things the right way.

One of the biggest keys to their success has been their acquisition of striker Erling Haaland, who has had a sensational campaign in his first season with the team. While other teams and

might singlehandedly have in a Champions League affair, there’s no doubt that opposing clubs will try to slow down the 2023 Premier League Golden Boot winner. That, of course, is easier said than done.

It may not be now or never for Manchester City, but this really does feel like a golden opportunity. They made the Champions League final two years ago, but have largely been absent from the picture. A victory would have them walking onto the pitches in England with a lot more confidence next year.

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