Top 5 club football teams in Europe this season
The football season in Europe is over. Real Madrid have won the Champions League beating Liverpool 1-0 in the final while Eintracht Frankfurt lifted the Europa League title after beating Rangers on penalties.
Manchester City retained the English Premier League (EPL) title by maintaining a one point lead against Liverpool, Real Madrid won the La Liga title with a comprehensive 13 points lead over Barcelona.
In Germany, Bayern Munich continued their dominance by clinching the 10th successive Bundesliga title; in Italy, AC Milan won the Serie A title for the first time in 11 years; in France, Paris St Germain (PSG) secured a record-equalling 10th Ligue 1 title.
We take a look at who have been the top performing teams in Europe this season, and make a list of the top 5 of them.
5. AC MILAN
After the nine-year dominance of Juventus, the Serie A title is going to be in Milan for two straight years. In 2021, Inter Milan clinched their first Serie A title in 11 years, and now in 2022, AC Milan also won their first league title in 11 years.
Needing just a point to claim the Scudetto, Milan won the title on May 22, the last day of the league, by beating Sassuolo 3-0, thanks to an Olivier Giroud brace.
In the 90s, Milan used to be one of the most dominant sides in Europe. With seven European Cup and Champions League titles, Milan are the second most successful club in the competition’s history behind only Real Madrid (14).
But the last one decade has been horrible for them. In 2014, they were on the brink of bankruptcy. But now, they are the champions of Italy.
4. BAYERN MUNICH
Borussia Dortmund have come close at times to the Bundesliga title, but this has been the decade of Bayern Munich's dominance in German football. Bayern have now won 31 Bundesliga titles since the introduction of the top division in 1963, and 32 German league crowns in all.
Bayern’s 10th straight German championship is now a record among Europe’s top five leagues. They broke the record of Juventus winning nine Serie A titles in a row from 2012 to 2020.
Bayern retained the title on April 23 only when they defeated second-placed Borussia Dortmund 3-1 at the Allianz Arena.
Robert Lewandowski was again the top performer for the club with a record 35 goals, best in the league.
3. MANCHESTER CITY
Liverpool were just one point behind Manchester City and if they won on the last day and City lost the game or were held to a draw, they would clinch the title by a point on the last day of the league. That was highly unlikely, as City were facing Aston Villa, who were struggling at 14th place in the points table.
A 37th-minute goal and another one in the 69th minute had put Villa 2-0 up against City. The fans were distraught and the City players were panicked. Liverpool were sensing the title. But just like 2012, City produced another stunning comeback. This time they scored three goals in five minutes to win the game 3-2 and successfully defend the title by a single point.
Germany’s Ilkay Gundogan scored in the 76th minute, Spaniard Rodri equalised in the 78th minute and then Gundogan scored again in the 81st minute to take City to victory.
City have now won four of the last five Premier League titles and this is their sixth league title overall. They are now only behind Manchester United who have won 13 titles.
City were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid after conceding two goals in the dying seconds of the second leg of the semi-final.
2. LIVERPOOL
It may have been Liverpool's greatest season ever had they won the quadruple - the Champions League, the Premier League, the FA Cup and the League Cup. But, after losing the EPL title by just one point, they lost the Champions League final by one goal to Real Madrid.
But, still, they were the most dominant team in Europe this season all around the tournaments. Of the 38 matches they played in the Premier League this season, Liverpool won 28, drew eight and lost just two games.
On their route to the Champions League final, Liverpool looked in control at all times. They were the Group B winners, defeated Inter Milan 2-1 (agg) in the Round of 16, before beating Benfica 6-4 (agg) in the quarters. In the semi-final, they won against Spanish side Villarreal comfortably by 5-2 (agg).
They played a whopping 63 games this season, and lost just three.
1. REAL MADRID
Real Madrid have to be the best team in Europe this season. No one believed they could reach the last four of the Champions League, let alone win Europe's most prestigious tournament.
But Carlo Ancelotti's men, after comfortably winning the Spanish League title, made two back-to-back stunning comebacks against Chelsea in quarters and against Manchester City in the semis, before registering a win against Liverpool in the final to win their record 14th Champions League title.
Vinicius Junior scored the only goal of the game as Real Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 in Saturday’s final in Paris to become kings of Europe.
Real Madrid, on their route to the summit clash with Liverpool, were on and off with the form but they never gave up. They were the Group D winners before beating the French Champions PSG 3-2 (agg) in the Round of 16 and registering a come-from-behind victory against defending champions Chelsea in the quarters. They were almost out of the tournament in the semis against City, but made a stunning comeback to score three late goals.
What makes their triumph even greater is the fact that the team is in a transition phase and doesn't have the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos in the squad.