Champions League: Five dark horses to watch this season including Premier League, La Liga contenders

The 2025-26 Champions League group stage kicks off this Tuesday, and while the new league format reduces the likelihood of major upsets, there remain clubs capable of springing surprises.

As with last season, the tournament features 36 teams competing in eight rounds of the league phase. The top eight will progress directly to the round of 16, while sides ranked ninth to 24th will enter an additional playoff round to decide the remaining knockout places. Even in the latter stages—where favourites tend to dominate—surprises cannot be ruled out.

Here are five clubs that could emerge as dark horses in this season’s competition.

Monaco – Talented additions and dynamic football

The French side are aiming to replicate the success of their last Ligue 1 title-winning campaign, this time relying on a youthful core blended with experienced internationals. The likes of Maghnes Akliouche and Mika Biereth are joined by seasoned figures such as Denis Zakaria and Aleksandr Golovin.

Despite the departures of Wilfried Singo and Eliesse Ben Seghir, the arrivals of Paul Pogba and Ansu Fati offer plenty of intrigue. Should both remain fit, they could prove decisive in Monaco’s European ambitions.

Under Adi Hutter, Monaco adopt a proactive and slightly unorthodox style based on a 4-4-2 formation. The midfield features wide creative players and box-to-box central midfielders, with an emphasis on vertical play, skill on the ball and fast, one-touch passing.

Tottenham Hotspur – Pragmatism with purpose

Thomas Frank’s appointment has brought a new sense of optimism to Tottenham, further fuelled by positive results. Spurs defeated Arsenal in pre-season and held Manchester City to a draw in the Premier League.

The domestic campaign has started strongly: three wins and one defeat from four matches, and they came close to lifting the UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain—falling only on penalties.

Against stronger opponents, Tottenham could shine by combining a solid defensive block with well-structured counter-attacks, channelling the kind of pragmatic approach that often succeeds in knockout football.

Athletic Bilbao – Continuity and a strong start

Bilbao have opened their La Liga campaign with three wins from four and kept hold of key assets in the summer.

Nico Williams turned down a move to Barcelona and signed a contract extension, while Oihan Sancet—an in-demand creative midfielder—also stayed. The arrivals have been smart, notably Aymeric Laporte returning to the club and Jesus Areso joining from Osasuna.

Consistency and familiarity with their style of play could help Athletic spring a surprise or two in Europe this term.

Galatasaray – A giant from outside Europe’s top five leagues

Galatasaray boast one of the strongest squads outside the traditional elite leagues—and arguably rival many of Europe’s bigger names from Germany, France and Italy.

Under Okan Buruk, the Turkish champions have claimed three consecutive Super Lig titles and maintained a win percentage of over 70% across the past three seasons. Their tactical versatility, attacking threat and defensive discipline make them a serious contender to progress beyond the league phase.

Their summer recruitment has added further depth and quality. Victor Osimhen was signed permanently, while Leroy Sane and Ilkay Gundogan arrived on free transfers. The squad was also bolstered by Wilfried Singo and Ugurcan Cakir.

Union Saint-Gilloise – A debut campaign built on promise

Union Saint-Gilloise, Belgian champions just four years after gaining promotion to the top flight, are one of the stories of this season’s Champions League. Unbeaten so far in domestic action—with five wins and two draws from seven games—they have scored 15 goals and conceded only three.

While the Champions League presents an entirely different level, the club’s project is already a remarkable success. This is their first appearance in the competition, and with no past precedent to judge by, they could surprise even the most experienced opponents.

Part of the same ownership group as Brighton & Hove Albion, Union SG have become known for scouting and developing hidden talents—such as Kaoru Mitoma, Simon Adingra and Victor Boniface—before they make their names at bigger clubs.

This article was originally published on Trivela.