The new European football season represents a clean slate for those sides who perhaps underperformed last season and a chance to build on the momentum for those that finished their last campaigns strongly. We saw plenty of curveballs in football betting around the continent, from Atalanta’s Europa League success to shock victories in the Premier League and beyond.
Over the summer, teams have been using the transfer market to either build on their success or shortcomings last time out, with several teams catching the eye around Europe’s top leagues.
The new Champions League format will also add an extra layer of unpredictability to the 2024/25 season, and in this article, we assess five teams who could well be worth watching when the action commences.
Girona – Spain
After hanging in the La Liga title race for much longer than many expected, Girona will want to compete in the Champions League this season while also pushing Real Madrid and Barcelona for Spain’s top prize.
Despite the loss of Sávio to Manchester City, Girona have an elite manager in Míchel — a potential successor for Pep Guardiola if he departs Manchester City — and his tactics will make Girona a tough team to beat this season.
Bayer Leverkusen – Germany
Since the 2012/13 season, Bayern Munich have dominated Germany’s Bundesliga. While Borussia Dortmund came painstakingly close to the title in 2023, Jamal Musiala’s late goal ensured the title would return to Bavaria for a full decade. However, Bayer Leverkusen ended that dominance last season.
Xabi Alonso’s side, who won the Bundesliga unbeaten, also won the DFB Pokal whilst reaching the Europa League final, and it will be interesting to see how they perform alongside the best teams in the Champions League.
Leverkusen have plenty of exciting players in Victor Boniface, Florian Wirtz and Alex Grimaldo, although they could well lose Johnathan Tah to Bayern. Nonetheless, Alonso’s cleverly worked 3-5-2 system puts them in a strong position to defend their Bundesliga title and compete in Europe.
Crystal Palace – England
Oliver Glasner revitalized Crystal Palace when he arrived as manager in February. The Austrian ensured the Eagles finished their Premier League campaign strongly with plenty of goals and a winning streak that saw them beat the likes of Liverpool, Aston Villa and West Ham United.
Palace lost Michael Olise to Bayern Munich over the summer, but their savvy recruitment, having dealt with the losses of Wilfried Zaha and Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the past, means they are well-equipped to find a suitable replacement for the Frenchman.
If Palace can build on their purple patch towards the back end of last term, then they could well push for a spot in Europe come next May.
Sporting Lisbon – Portugal
Sporting Lisbon’s biggest achievement of the summer has been keeping manager Rúben Amorim. The 39-year-old had been linked with a plethora of high-profile clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester United, but looks set to remain at the Estádio José Alvalade for the upcoming season.
The Portuguese champions will be looking to retain their title, even with Benfica and Porto strengthening in the summer window. They will also be looking to go further in Europe, with talisman Viktor Gyökeres scoring 43 goals in all competitions in a campaign to remember.
Brest – France
Ligue 1 has been controlled by Paris Saint-Germain for a number of years now. However, the race for Champions League football in the French top flight still leads to plenty of excitement, with Brest snatching a third-place finish last season after coming 14th the year before. It was an underdog story that many hope will roll over into its third act.
Julien Le Cardinal and Ludovic Ajorque add quality and experience to Eric Roy’s side, while Romain Del Castillo looks set to remain in Brittany, with the 28-year-old winger earning a place in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season.
