Turmoil at Manchester City: Should City sack Pep Guardiola?
The woes are continuing for the Pep Guardiola-coached Manchester City after a huge 1-5 defeat against Arsenal on Sunday. Is it time for Manchester City to bid farewell to the Spanish genius?
Manchester City have been suffering a rough phase across all competitions for quite a long time now, as the pressure has been mounting on manager Pep Guardiola.
Ahead of this season, City boss Pep Guardiola was entering his final year of contact. Although the Spaniard penned a two-year contract extension with the club in November 2024, a tumultuous season has been severely crumbling him.
This unexpected run of form has also been forcing the question to arise from time to time, should Manchester City sack Pep Guardiola?
City's uncharacteristic streak of bad performances throughout the season
(Image Source | Man City on X)
Manchester City's tumultuous streak of frequent defeats started off with a shocking exit from the EFL Carabao Cup Round Of 16, as Tottenham Hotspur knocked the Blues out of the tournament with a 2-1 win on October 31st, 2024.
City went winless for the whole of November 2024, as they lost all three games in the Premier League, including a heavy 0-4 thrashing against Tottenham. In the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League, Sporting CP crushed City 4-1 on November 23rd, whereas Feyenoord stalled City in a 3-3 draw on November 27th.
They also lost two consecutive important matches; facing a 0-2 defeat against Juventus in the UCL 2024-25, following a shock 1-2 defeat against arch-rivals Manchester United in the prestigious Manchester Derby.
Pep Guardiola is now winless in his last seven games for the FIRST TIME EVER in his managerial career π³
However, amid all these distressing series of defeats, City management did not fall short in reinforcing the squad in the 2025 January transfer window.
The Club has collectively cashed out almost β¬210 million to rope in serious talents such as winger Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt, defender Abdukodir Khusanov from RC Lens, defender Vitor Reis from Palmeiras, whereas Nico Gonzalez from Porto is confirmed to be the latest to enlist himself in Pep Guardiola's roster.
π¨ Manchester City have now spent over β¬210M in the January transfer window:
However, their results and performances have remained inconsistent, facing a heavy 2-4 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League before their heavy defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.
former Manchester United centre-back Mikael Silestre told beIN Sports, that he 'would' consider sacking Guardiola if was in charge.
Honestly, I would (consider sacking Guardiola). If I was running the club or I was an executive, I would have these thoughts with the owners,
How many times have they been trying to readdress the team and make sure theyβre winning games and dominating like they used to. Itβs not working.
City have managed to secure their Champions League play-off qualification on the last matchday, but another great challenge awaits them. Real Madrid will be up against City in the play-offs, and a good result may spare some time for Pep Guardiola.
On the other hand, the Blues are currently placed fourth in the Premier League table, having earned 41 points in 24 matches, with Newcastle, Chelsea, and Bournemouth chasing after the UEFA Champions League berth.
Factors that convince the City management to not sack Guardiola
Guardiola with City owner Sheikh Mansour in 2021.
Without a shred of doubt, Pep Guardiola has been the most successful manager in the history of Man City, and that is one of the most crucial reasons why City management may not think of sacking the Spanish manager.
Six Premier League titles in a span of seven years and 18 trophies overall, including the maiden UEFA Champions League victory in the 2022-23 season, always back the Spaniard in the discussion of sacking him.
No one can deny that it is Pep Guardiola who made City one of the scariest sides in Europe to dominate the pitch, though the team has failed to find the same groove for quite a long time.
Pep himself expressed his thoughts regarding the potential decision to sack him, as he told in November 2024:
At this football club you have to win and if you don't win, you will be in trouble,
I know the people say: 'Why is Pep not in trouble, why is Pep not sacked?' What we have done the last eight years is why I have this margin. What's for sure is I want to stay. I want to do it. But the moment I feel I am not positive for the club another one will come. It has to be.
I have to find a solution. I'm trying every day. I have to prove myself now, just like I have always done,
However, Guardiola has received the reinforcements through the January transfer window, and he must be given time to work with the new inclusions and the preferential tactical shiftings.
The Man City management surely has immense trust in Guardiola, and he is most unlikely to bow out of Etihad. Even after the shock Champions League final defeat against Chelsea in 2021, City kept on trusting Pep, resulting in two more Premier League trophies along with the maiden UCL glory.
Guardiola does not have anything else to prove himself as one of the greatest football minds ever born, but he must find the solution to take City out of the darkest phase under his reign.
Although there have been various reports in the past couple of days suggesting that Guardiola will leave his position as Manchester City manager next summer, it will be interesting to see where Man City finishes in the remaining competitions this season in the end, which will direct the courses of events at Etihad.
Till now, 9 European clubs (Under UEFA) have managed to win a treble, which includes the premier national league competition, the main national cup competition, and the UEFA Champions League/UEFA Europa League.
In football, a team wins a treble when they win three major trophies in a single season. Winning the continental treble means winning the premier national league competition, the main national cup competition, and the main continental trophy, for UEFA, which is the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League.
Though winning the Europa League is also considered a treble, it is not accepted wholeheartedly by the pundits and fans as winning the UEFA Champions League.
Till now, 9 European clubs have been able to win the continental treble. Before we discuss all the European treble winners in men's football history, we must know about the types of Trebles we have in football.
Barcelona is the only club to win multiple trebles with both their men's and women's team, completing the feat in 2024.
Continental treble
This is considered the actual treble in football where a team go on to win the national league, national cup competition and the main continental trophy. Celtic Football Club in 1966-67 became the first team in football history to win a Continental treble. Till now, 22 men's teams have won the Continental Treble, with 30 being the total number of times. In Europe, only 8 football teams have been able to accomplish the feat.
Domestic treble
Generally, for most of the footballing nations, winning a domestic treble is not possible since they do not allow first-division teams to win any secondary cup or league. A domestic treble includes winning three national competitions, including the national league title, the national cup competition, and one secondary competition. Countries which were under British or French possessions once allowed domestic trebles to happen. Celtic with 8 domestic trebles, and Rangers, with 7, are the most successful teams when it comes to winning domestic trebles.
European treble winners in men's football history
1. Celtic | 1966-67
Celtic team with their 1966-67 European Cup trophy. Image | Celtic Star
In the 1966-67 season, Celtic became the first team ever to win the continental treble when they won the Scottish Football League, Scottish Cup and European Cup (UEFA Champions League now).
Celtic with 58 points in the Scottish Football League went past Rangers to clinch the national league. In the Scottish Cup, they defeated Aberdeen Football Club by 2-0 in the final to win the trophy. William Wallace was the goalscorer for them in the final.
In the European Cup, Celtic defeated Inter Milan by 2-1 in Lisbon to become the first-ever Treble winner in football history. Thomas Gemmell and Thomas Chalmers were the scorers for Cletic that day.
2. 1971-72 | Ajax
Ajax 1971-72 team that won the European Treble | Image: X
Ajax, the football club from the Netherlands became the second European team to win the treble in the 1971-72 season. They won the Eredivisie, their national league and then won the KNVB Cup and later on won the European Cup to complete their treble. That season, Ajax were nearly the invincible team losing just one game in the whole season.
In the Eredivisie, Johan Cruyff became their top goal scorer with 25 goals. Ajax with 63 points, 8 points cleared Feijenoord in the second position. In the KNVB Cup, they defeated FC Den Haag in the final by 3-2 to win the cup. Cruyff had scored the opener in that game also and scored three goals in the tournament.
In the European Cup, they defeated Inter Milan by 2-0 with Johan Cruyff scoring a brace for them. In all together Cruyff had scored 33 goals for them that season in the three tournaments.
In the 1987-88 season, PSV became the second team from the Netherlands to win the historical treble. That season they won the Eredivisie, the KNVB Cup and the European Cup. They won their 10th Eredivisie title with 59 points, 9 points clear of Ajax in the league table. Wim Kieft scored 29 goals in that season for PSV in the league.
In the KNVB Cup final they defeated Roda JC by 3-2 in the extra time. Then, they went on to win the European Cup by defeating Benfica in the final by a 6-5 penalty shootout. Ronald Koeman came out as one of the standout performers for PSV that season.
Manchester United players with their 1999 UEFA Champions League trophy. Image | FC Barcelona
It took 11 more years for any team to win the European Treble and Manchester United became the first team from England to achieve that feat. United, under Sir Alex Ferguson won the Premier League, FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League after not winning any trophies in the previous season. The treble is regarded as the achievement in his career, and he was awarded the knighthood in November 1999 after that success.
They won the Premier League with 79 points, 1 point more than Arsenal. Dwight Yorke with 18 goals was their and League's joint-highest goal scorer in that season. In the FA Cup, despite facing difficult opponents throughout the tournament, Ferguson's men kept on fighting back, and after two semi-final replays against Arsenal and a final against Newcastle United, they won the FA Cup. Paul Scholes and Teddy Sheringham scored for them in a 2-0 win in the final.
In the Champions League, they were drawn into the group of death alongside FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Brondby. They qualified for the knockouts as the runner-up from the group and defeated Inter Milan and Juventus in the quarter and semi-finals, respectively, before beating FC Bayern Munich in a historic comeback in the final. In front of 91000 people in Barcelona, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored in the added minutes to hand Manchester United a terrific 2-1 win over Bayern.
Barcelona players with their 2009 UEFA Champions League trophy. Image | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona in the 2008-09 season became the first Spanish team to win the European Treble. Under their former captain, and Barcelona B coach Pep Guardiola, the Spanish giants reached their peak in that season winning the La Liga, Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League. They are still the only Spanish team to win the European Treble.
After selling players like Deco and Ronaldinho, Barcelona started to reorganise their shape as a club and Lionel Messi alongside Samuel Eto'o became their hero at the front. They won La Liga with 87 points, 9 points clear of Real Madrid. Samuel Eto'o with 30 goals in the league was their top scorer.
In the Copa del Rey final, they defeated Athletic Bilbao by 4-1 as Yaya Toure, Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez and Bojan scored for them after conceding an early goal.
In the 2008-09 Champions League, Barcelona had to clear the qualifying round first to enter the group stage. They defeated WisΕa KrakΓ³w in a two-legged qualifying round before entering the group stage alongside Shakhtar Donetsk, Sporting CP and Basel.
That header from Lionel Messi that saw FC Barcelona win the 2009 Champions League.
They topped the group stage and then went on to beat Lyon, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea in the knockouts before beating Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United in the final in Rome. Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi scored one goal each as Barcelona scripted history. Messi finished with 38 goals in all competitions that season. That season saw Lionel Messi win his first Ballon d'Or award with a record margin of 240 points than second-position Cristiano Ronaldo.
Barcelona in 2009 became the first team to win a "sextuple" in European football history.
6. 2009-10 | Inter Milan
Inter Milan players after their historical 2009-10 European Treble
Right after Barcelona's historical 2008-09 season, Inter Milan created their history as they became the first and still the only Italian team to win the European treble. They were the sixth European Treble winners in the men's football history. It was the "special one", Jose Mourinho's second and last season with the club that helped the Italian giants create history.
After a historical season with FC Barcelona, Samuel Eto'o was swapped with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and was sold to Inter Milan. Eto'o that season went on to become the only player to win back-to-back European Treble. That season Inter Milan won their fifth consecutive Serie A title, Coppa Italia, and the UEFA Champions League.
They first won the Coppa Italia by beating Roma in the final. Diego Militao scored the lone goal for them in the final. Then, they won the Serie A on the final match day with 82 points, 2 points more than Roma.Diego Militao scored 22 goals in the league season for them.
In the UEFA Champions League, they were clubbed with Barcelona, Dynamo Kyiv and Rubin Kazan and progressed to the knockout stage as the runner-up of the group. In the knockouts, they defeated Chelsea, CSKA Moscow and Barcelona before winning 2-0 against Bayern Munich in the final. Militao scored a brace for them and won the player of the match award as well.
FC Bayern Munich with the UEFA Champions League 2012-13 trophy
In the 2012-13 season, FC Bayern Munich became the first and only German team to win the European Treble. Under head coach Jupp Heynckes, they won their 22nd Bundesliga title, and 5th UEFA Champions League title alongside the DFB-Pokal title.
Before the season they brought in players like Xherdan Shaqiri, Dante, Claudio Pizarro, Mitchell Weiser, Tom Starke and Mario Mandzukic alongside Javi Martinez for a then-record signing fee.
In the league, they acquired a record-breaking 91 points as Mario Mandzukic finished with 15 goals against his name. In the DFB-Pokal, they defeated VfB Stuttgart in the final by 3-2 as Mario Gomez scored a brace for them.
In the Champions League, they were grouped with Valencia, BATE Borisov and Lille. They moved to the next stage as the group champions and then faced Arsenal, Juventus and Barcelona in the knockouts. In an all-German final, they defeated Borrusia Dortmund by 2-1 to complete their treble. Mario Mandzukic and Arjen Robben scored for them in the final.
8. 2014-15 | FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona players after winning the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League. Image | FC Barcelona
They won the La Liga narrowly with 94 points, 2 points clear of Real Madrid. Lionel Messi (43) was outscored by Cristiano Ronaldo (48) in the league that season. Neymar also scored 22 goals for Barcelona in the league that season.
In the Copa del Rey final, they defeated Athletic by 3-1 as Messi scored a brace and Neymar netted once.
In the Champions League, they faced PSG, Ajax and APOEL in the group stage and advanced to the knockout stage as the champions of the group. They then went on to beat Manchester City, PSG and Bayern Munich before beating Juventus by 3-1 in the final. Neymar, Rakitic and Suarez scored in that final. Messi with 58 goals in all competitions was their top scorer. After that performance, Messi went on to beat Ronaldo and Neymar to win his 5th Ballon d'Or.
9. 2019-20 | FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich won their second European Treble in the 2019-20 season
Post Barca's remarkable success in the 2014-15 season, German club FC Bayern Munich went on to equal their records as the second team in European Football history to win the treble more than once. Under coach Hansi Flick they went on to become the second team in European football to win the "sextuple".
Niko Kovac was the manager for FC Bayern Munich when they started the season, and then Hansi Flick was named as the interim manager. In a season hit by Covid-19, Bayern were forced to play behind closed doors.
However, that did not restrict them from being their brutal best. Robert Lewandowski broke the record for the most goals scored in a single Bundesliga season (34) as Bayern lifted the league for the 29th time.
In the DFB-Pokal final, they defeated Bayer Leverkusen by 4-2 as Robert Lewandowski scored a brace for them.
In the UEFA Champions League round of 16, they defeated Chelsea. Then, they humiliated Barcelona by an 8-2 win (the biggest margin in a UEFA Champions League knockout game) and thrashed Lyon by 3-0 before beating PSG by 1-0 in the final. Kingsley Coman scored the all-important goal for them in the final.
10. 2022-23 | Manchester City
Manchester City with their first-ever Champions League trophy in 2022-23 season
In the 2022-23 season, Manchester City became the second English team and 8th overall team to win a European Treble. Pep Guardiola created one of his records as he became the first coach in European history to win the treble more than once.
Manchester City were coming into the season as the Premier League defending champions and signed players like Erling Haaland, Kalvin Phillips and Julian Alvarez to strengthen their squad. Erling Haaland went on to break the record for the most Premier League goals scored in a single season as he scored 35 goals in the whole season. City went on to win their 7th Premier League title with 89 points.
In the FA Cup final, City's captain Iikay Gundogan scored the fastest goal in the FA Cup final's history as they defeated Manchester United by 2-0 in the final.
The Haaland riot continued in the UEFA Champions League as well as he scored four goals against RB Leipzig in the round of 16. They then went on to beat Bayern in the quarters and Real Madrid in the semis before beating Inter Milan in the final by 1-0. Rodri scored the lone goal for them in the final and was named player of the final as well.
Erling Haaland scored 52 goals in his 53 games for Manchester City that season. However, despite that performance, he could not beat Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d'Or trophy.
11. 2024-25 | PSG
PSG became the latest team to win the European treble under Luis Enrique as they clinched their first-ever Champions League trophy, and also lifted the Ligue 1 and Coupe de France trophies.
In Ligue 1, they clinched the French Championship with 84 points, as Ousmane Dembele, with 21 goals, won the Ligue 1 Golden Boot.
In the Coupe de France final, they defeated Reims by 3-0 as Bradley Barcola scored a brace and Achraf Hakimi scored another goal to seal the win.
In their historic Champions League season, Dembele finished as their top scorer of the season while Desire Doue scored a stunning brace to help them lift the title. Achraf Hakimi scored in all quarters, the semis and the final to become one of the heroes for them.
With this win, Luis Enrique became the second manager to win two European trebles with two different teams.
After Luis Enrique became only the sixth football manager to win the Champions League with different clubs, we present you with some interesting football facts about managers with the most UCL titles in their careers.
In Europe, the Champions League is seen as the most demanding title among players, managers, and clubs from all over Europe. The Giant clubs compete for this specific trophy every year, with the prestige and financial rewards received from the tournament being among the biggest in club football.
Achieving success in this competition is usually seen by most players and managers as the benchmark of club-level achievement in Europe. For many managers, winning the Champions League is the ultimate goal.
Some managers, however, have managed to win the competition multiple times, some with multiple teams as well. Without further due, here are the interesting football facts of the five managers with the most Champions League titles.
Many regard Pep Guardiola as the greatest manager of his generation due to his success with all the clubs he has managed. The Spanish manager has won the competition thrice in his managerial career, two times with FC Barcelona and once with Manchester City.
Guardiola won his first Champions League title in his first season in charge of Barcelona, with his side defeating Manchester United 2-0 in 2008-09 as part of their first-ever treble. The former Barcelona midfielder was 38 years old at the time, making him the youngest manager to win the competition to date.
He won his second title two years later in the 2010-11 season, defeating the same opponent 3-1 in the final. Lionel Messi was the star of both triumphs, scoring both times.
Then he managed Bayern but wasn't able to bring any Champions League titles to the German Club. Finally, his 12-year wait came to an end when Manchester City defeated Inter Milan 1-0 in the Final of the UCL 2022-23 season.
Zinedine Zidane led Real Madrid in its most dominant period of the 21st century. The Frenchman won three titles with Los Blancos in three years in charge of the club.
Zidane won his first title just four months after he replaced Rafael Benitez as manager of Real Madrid. He led the side to defeat Atletico Madrid on penalties in the 2015-16 final.
The next season, Real Madrid defeated Juventus 4-1 in the final for their 12th crown.
Zidane led Real Madrid to a 3-1 win over Liverpool in the 2017-18 final. The Frenchman is the only manager in history to win the competition three consecutive times. He is also the first and only French manager to win the competition to date.
Bob Paisley | 3 European Cups
Bob Paisley was a Liverpool soccer player, manager, and administrator for almost 50 years.
No football manager demonstrated the art of leading quietly and without ego more than Bob Paisley. He won twenty trophies in nine years for Liverpool Football Club between 1974 and 1983.
He brought 3 European Cups, six League Championships (including three in a row in 1981, 1982, and 1983), three League Cups, 6 Charity Shields, one UEFA Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup.
Paisley is the only British manager to win the European Cup three times. Bob is now regarded as one of the best soccer managers of all time.
Carlo Ancelotti | 5 Champions League titles
Carlo Ancelotti is one of football's managerial greats of the 21st century. The Italian manager has won five Champions League titles in his time as a manager, having also won the competition twice as a player.
Ancelotti won his first Champions League title in the 2002-03 season with AC Milan as his side defeated Juventus on penalties in the final. He won his second title in the 2006-07 season as AC Milan defeated Liverpool 2-1.
Most Champions League titles won by Football Clubs
Real Madrid are the most successful team in UEFA Champions League history with 15 titles. Here are the football clubs with the most Champions League titles.
Europe has the best and the toughest club competition in the world. The only thing which separates an elite club from a normal club is the Champions League title. Clubs all around Europe dream of winning this competition. Clubs with the most Champions League titles earn more bragging rights than the others. Let's take a look at the top clubs that have won the most number of Champions League titles in the tournament's history.
Champions League Finalists and Winners List since 1956
Top clubs with the most Champions League titles (3 or more)
1. Real Madrid CF (15 UCL titles)
Everyone considers Real Madrid C.F. as the most successful club in world football. This club has achieved great heights both in recent times and in the past. Real Madrid won the first-ever European Cup in 1955-56 which was also the founding year of the competition. Back then it was formally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup. The current format has been around since 1992. Real Madrid has won 15 UEFA Champions League titles which is more than any club in the world.
They won the tournament five consecutive times in the first five seasons of the tournament. Their recent achievement includes a three-peat of winning the UCL under Zinedine Zidane (2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18).
Cristiano Ronaldo was their star performer with the most impact in the competition. He further tops the chart of the most goal scorers and assists providers in the competition as well.
Paolo Maldini lifting the Champions League 2006-07 season.
AC Milan is an Italian giant with a rich history and glories. They produced players like Maldini, Dida, Nesta and many more. They dominated world football in the past few decades, but things have changed drastically since then.
Milan has fallen from the ranks of great clubs in recent times, but their UCL glory is still more than others, just behind Real Madrid. They have beaten the likes of Juventus, Liverpool, and Barcelona to win the Champions League in the past. Milan has won the Champions League 7 times in their history.
Bayern Munich has been the dominant force in Europe for quite a long time. They dominate the Bundesliga and the domestic cup titles, too. Recently, they have been one of the most prominent sides in Europe to deal with. Bayern humiliated Barcelona with an 8-2 defeat in the UCL quarter-finals and won the 2019-20 Champions League, beating PSG comfortably by 1-0.
Robert Lewandowski was their main man in recent years, with the most goals. However, they have consistently produced players like Robben, Franck Ribery, Thomas Muller and others who helped them win the trebles and sextuples.
Bayern Munich's Title winning years
Winning year
Opponent Team
Scoreline
Venue
1973-74
Atletico Madrid
0-4
Brussels
1974-75
Leeds
2-0
Paris
1975-76
St- Etienne
1-0
Glasgow
2000-01
Valencia
1-1 (5-4) Pen
Milan
2012-13
Borussia Dortmund
1-2
London
2019-20
PSG
0-1
Lisbon
All 6 titles of FC Bayern Munich
4. Liverpool FC (6 UCL titles)
Trophy Cabinet of Liverpool including 6 UCL titles. Image - This is Anfield
Liverpool has turned the tables beautifully in recent times. They were a great force in the European competition but suddenly went numb. Liverpool had a rough patch where they went trophyless for many years. With the appointment of Jurgen Klopp as manager, Liverpool slowly redeemed themselves. In the 2017-18 season, they reached the UCL finals but failed to win against Real Madrid.
Next season they came back stronger, from a 3-0 defeat in the first leg to win 4-0 in the second leg and knocked Barcelona out of the UCL semis. Liverpool went on to be the champions defeating Spurs by 2-0 in the all-English final to win their 6th UCL trophy. Their great comeback against Milan in 2005 at Istanbul still gives goosebumps to every football fan.
Liverpool's Title winning years
Winning year
Opponent Team
Scoreline
Venue
1976-77
Monchengladbach
3-1
Rome
1977-78
Club Brugge
1-0
London
1980-81
Real Madrid
1-0
Paris
1983-84
Roma
1-1 (2-4) Pen
Rome
2004-05
AC Milan
3-3 (2-3) Pen
Istanbul
2018-19
Tottenham Hotspur
2-0
Madrid
All 6 titles of Liverpool FC
5. FC Barcelona (5 UCL Titles)
FC Barcelona bagging their 5th UCL title. Image - 90MIN
FC Barcelona are one of the biggest clubs in Europe with a great history in the UCL. They have won the title 5 times, while three of them came in the last decade. Their famous Lamasia - The FC Barcelona academy produced world-class players at the time. Players like Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique and many more were a part of the academy.
Coach Pep Guardiola conquered the world with some beautiful football. He managed to win both the Treble and Sextuple during his reign. A few years later Luis Enrique guided them to their 5th UCL title and also a treble. That was Barcelona's last high run in the UCL. After that, they have faced some problems and have not been able to continue their dominance in European football.
AFC Ajax has a great history. They are the only team to win the UCL 4 times which is not from the top 5 leagues. Football maestro Johan Cruyff was from this team, he later changed the definition of playing football. Introducing Tiki-taka football to the world, Ajax had a great run in the past. He later influenced Barcelona to play that type of football which brought them huge success in the end.
They last won the title in 1995 when the likes of Van der Sar, and Rijkaard used to play for them. Since then they have reached the UCL semifinal in 2019 upsetting big teams and then lost to the Spurs in the semifinal in the dying minutes. Ajax's run is considered one of the greatest underdogs in the history of the UEFA Champions League.
Ajax's Title winning years
Winning year
Opponent Team
Scoreline
Venue
1970-71
Panathinaikos
2-0
London
1971-72
Internazionale
2-0
Rotterdam
1972-73
Juventus
1-0
Belgrade
1994-95
AC Milan
1-0
Vienna
All 4 titles of AFC Ajax
7. Manchester United (3 UCL Titles)
Manchester United one of the greatest clubs in the world has won three Champions League titles. They looked like the best team in the world during their reign. Players like David Beckham, Ryan Gigs, and Wayne Rooney were part of the golden team when United lifted their 3rd European title. Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of this team is one of the greatest ever in the history of the sport. He introduced one of the recent footballing greats Cristiano Ronaldo in top-flight football, who was also part of that 2007-08 team.
Manchester United have also won the treble and enlisted themselves in an elite list in World Football. Since then they qualified for two Champions League finals but faced defeat against FC Barcelona.
Internazionale won two of their three trophies back in the 1960s. Since then, they have been having a disappointing year in and year out. Their recent UCL title was in 2009-10 when Jose Mourinho took charge. They were not the favourites in that season, yet they went on to win the UCL.
Jose Mourinho at that time was emerging as one of the best coaches in the world. He played typical defensive football, frustrating his opponents, which created mistakes. They capitalised on those mistakes and went on to win their 3rd Champions League. They defeated the heavyweights Barcelona in the semis and Bayern Munich in the final to clinch their title.
Internazionale's Title winning years
Winning Year
Opponent team
Scoreline
Venue
1963-64
Real Madrid
3-1
Vienna
1964-65
Benfica
1-0
Milan
2009-10
Bayern Munich
0-2
Madrid
All 3 titles of Inter Milan
Clubs with less than three Champions League titles:
Premier League teams to qualify for Champions League every season since 2016
Here are the Premier League teams to qualify for UEFA Champions League every season since 2016. A record six Premier League teams have already qualified for Champions League 2025-26.
The English Premier League, or the Premier League, has been the best football league in Europe for a long now. As per UEFA Club Coefficients, the Premier League is the best football league on the continent, with the best standard of football and competitiveness.
The competitiveness not only makes it tough for teams to finish at the summit of the points table, but the battle for the UEFA Champions League spot also intensifies. This season, Liverpool FC, Arsenal FC, Manchester City, Chelsea FC, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have already qualified for the UEFA Champions League from the Premier League.
This is the first time six teams from any league have qualified for the Champions League. Not only that, there is also a chance that another team can qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season, depending on Chelsea's performance in the Conference League final this season.
How do teams qualify for the Champions League from a league?
Till the 2022-23 season, every top-four team from the European Leagues used to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. Along with the top four teams, the Europa League winners also qualified for the Champions League next season.
But, from the 2024 season, along with the top four teams and Europa League/Conference League winners, leagues started getting an additional European Performance Spot. EPS is awarded to the league with strong UEFA coefficient performances, which the Premier League earned this season as well.
Premier League teams to qualify for the Champions League every season since 2016
2015-16
In the 2025-16 Champions League season, Chelsea qualified as the champions of the Premier League 2014-15. Manchester City and Arsenal qualified as the second and third finishers of the league.
Meanwhile, Manchester United qualified for the Champions League play-off round as the UEFA Europa League 2014-15 winners.
Leicester City surprised everyone to win the 2015-16 Premier League after a historic season. They entered the Champions League as the champions of England. Arsenal, Spurs and Manchester City qualified as the second to fourth spot finishers.
Chelsea qualified for the Champions League by winning the 2016-17 Premier League. Spurs, who were very close of a title, finished second to qualify for Europe. Manchester City and Liverpool qualified as the third and fourth place finishers.
Meantime, Manchester United, who were sixth in the league qualified after winning the 2016-17 UEFA Europa League.
Manchester City's domination in the Premier League started with winning the 2017-18 season, as they entered the Champions League 2018-19 as the champions of England. Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Liverpool were the other teams to qualify for Champions League.
Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur played an all-England final where Liverpool defeated Spurs by 2-0 to win the title.
After winning the Champions League, Liverpool finished second in the Premier League, just one point behind the champions, Manchester City. Chelsea and Spurs qualified as the third and fourth team from Premier League.
Liverpool finally broke City's Premier League domination as they lifted 2019-20 Premier League title with 18 points lead over Manchester City, who finished second. Manchester United and Chelsea were the other teams to qualify for the Champions League.
Manchester City and Chelsea played an all-English Champions League in 2021, where Chelsea won their second UCL title.
Manchester City again won the Premier League title to qualify for Europe, with Manchester United finishing second in the league. Liverpool and Chelsea were the other tequalified as the third and fourth teams from the Premier League.
Liverpool lost the Champions League final against Real Madrid in the 2021-22 season.
City defended the Premier League title in the 2021-22 season and entered the Champions League 2022-23, which they eventually won, beating Inter Milan in the final.
Liverpool, who lost the Premier League race by just one point, qualified alongside Chelsea and Spurs.
City won their third consecutive Premier League title helped them earn the Champions League spot. Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United qualified for the Champions League 2023-24.
Back-to-back four Premier League titles for City ensured them another go at the Champions League. Arsenal, Liverpool, and Aston Villa were the other teams from Premier League to qualify for the new format Champions Legaue.
Arsenal were the only team from the Premier League to play semi-final that season.
A record six teams qualified for the 2025-26 Champions League season from the Premier League. Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea qualified as the top four teams. The EPS allowed an added spot as Newcastle United qualified as the fifth team.
Most English Top Flight Titles: Liverpool equal with United
With their 20th top-flight title, Liverpool FC have now equalled Manchester United for the record of most English top flight titles. Here are the other teams on the list.
With their 20th top-flight title, Liverpool FC have now equalled Manchester United for the record of most English top flight titles. Through the eras of English football, Manchester United and Liverpool FC have made themselves one of the most successful clubs in the league's history.
Founded in 1888, the English Football League started as the Football League, the oldest football league in the world. In 1892, the Football League First Division kicked off and continued till 1991 as the top flight football league in England.
Later, in 1992, the Premier League was created and replaced the Football League First Division as the top flight football league in England.
In this article, we will discuss all the teams with the most titles in England's top flight football. Till now, 24 clubs have been able to lift the top flight title.
10. Sheffield United, West Bromwich Albion, Ipswich Town, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City | 1 title
Leicester City won the Premier League title in 2015-16 season.
Sheffield United, West Bromwich Albion, Ipswich Town, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City have been crowned the champions of English football once. Sheffield United won the league in 1897β98, the tenth season of the Football League First Division. Since then, they have roamed between the first division and second division leagues.
West Bromwich Albion won the league in 1919β20, right after the First World War. Ipswich Town won the competition in 1961β62, while Nottingham Forest won in 1977β78.
Leicester City are the only team to win the league in the Premier League when they lifted the Premier League in a miraculous 2015β16 season.
9. Preston North End, Burnley, Portsmouth, Tottenham Hotspur, Derby County | 2 titles
Preston North End, the first ever champion of the Football League, won the title in back-to-back seasons. This made them the first ever team to win a football league and also defend it. They won the league in the 1888β89 and 1889β90 seasons. Preston now plays in the EFL Championship.
Burnley, who recently got promoted to the Premier League this season, won the league twice in the 1920β21 and 1959β60 seasons. Portsmouth won the title first time in the 1948-49 season and then defended the crown in the next season as well.
Spurs, one of the big six of English football, won the league in the 1950β51, 1960β61 seasons. Since then, they have not been able to win the league again. Derby County won the title in the 1971β72 and 1974β75 seasons.
Blackburn Rovers, one of the founding members of the Football League, won the league twice in the 1911β12 and 1913β14 seasons. Then, they were crowned the Premier League champions in 1994β95, when Alan Shearer brought them to glory with 34 goals. But in the next season, they were relegated to the second division.
Huddersfield Town were one of the stronger teams in English football, winning the First Division in three back-to-back seasons in 1923β24, 1924β25 and 1925β26. But, after many promotions and relegations, they now play in the third division in England.
Wolves, who are now competing in the Premier League, won the first-division title in the 1953β54, 1957β58, and 1958β59 seasons.
Leeds United, who also won promotion to the Premier League, won the first division in 1968β69, 1973β74, and 1991β92 seasons. They were the last champions of the Football League First Division before the Premier League took over.
7. Sheffield Wednesday, Newcastle United | 4 titles
Sheffield Wednesday, the second-oldest professional association football club in England, have won the league four times and are one of the most successful clubs in English football. They won the league in the 1902β03, 1903β04, 1928β29, and 1929β30 seasons.
Newcastle United, one of the biggest names in English football, have spent 93 years in the top tier of English football. They and Sheffield Wednesday won the league in back-to-back seasons. Newcastle won in 1904β05, 1906β07, 1908β09, 1926β27.
6. Sunderland, Chelsea FC | 6 titles
Chelsea FC won their 6th top flight title in 2016-17 season.
Newcastle United's arch-rival, Sunderland, are one of the most underrated teams in tournament history. They were also the first winners of the Football League First Division in the 1892 season. Nicknamed Black Cats, they won the First Division titles in 1891β92, 1892β93, 1894β95, 1901β02, 1912β13, 1935β36.
Chelsea, one of the most prominent names in European football. Before the Premier League era started, Chelsea had only won the First Division league once in the 1954β55 season. But, after Roman Abramovich's takeover, Chelsea evolved as one of the strongest teams in the Premeier League.
In the Premier League era, they won the title in 2004β05, 2005β06, 2009β10, 2014β15, and 2016β17.
Although they have not won the league title in the Premier League era, Aston Villa are still one of the most successful clubs in England's top-tier football. In fact, it was William McGregor, the Aston Villa director, who founded the Football League in 1888, which was the World's First Football League as mentioned earlier.
Not only that, George Ramsay, who was Villa manager in 1886, was the world's first professional football manager.
With 7 titles in 1893β94, 1895β96, 1896β97, 1898β99, 1899β1900, 1909β10, and 1980β81, they still remain one of the oldest clubs to remain in the top-flight football.
4. Everton | 9 titles
Everton team with 1986-87 English First Division League.
Another club with great history and culture that lost the battle in modern football. Although Everton have stayed in the First Division of Football for more than 122 years now, is one of the three clubs to be a founding member of the Football League and Premier League.
Everton won the First Division titles in 1890β91, 1914β15, 1927β28, 1931β32, 1938β39, 1962β63, 1969β70, 1984β85, and 1986β87 seasons. This makes them the club with the fourth most English Top Flight titles.
3. Manchester City | 10 titles
Manchester City with their Premier League title in 2023-24 season.
Since then, they have won 6 Premier League titles, out of which four came in consecutive seasons from 2020 to 2024, which is a record in English top flight football. Before Pep Guardiola, it was Roberto Mancini, who led them to Premier League success in the 2011-12 season, the club's first league title in 45 years.
Till now, Manchester City have won 10 titles in top-flight English football. Their success came in 1936β37, 1967β68, 2011β12, 2013β14, 2017β18, 2018β19, 2020β21, 2021β22, 2022β23, and 2023β24.
Arsenal squad with their 2003-04 Premier League title.
One of the most loved and historical clubs in England, Arsenal, comes in the list as the third club with the most English top-flight titles. They were the second most successful club in the top flight before Manchester United went past them in the Premier League era.
From 1931 to 1938, they won the First Division League five times in 8 seasons, which made them one of the most loved and feared clubs in England. In the Premier League era, they won the league three times in 1997β98, 2001β02, and 2003β04.
Arsenal were crowned the champions of England in 1930β31, 1932β33, 1933β34, 1934β35, 1937β38, 1947β48, 1952β53, 1970β71, 1988β89, 1990β91, 1997β98, 2001β02, 2003β04.
Liverpool FC after wining the 2024-25 Premier League title.
After Liverpool FC's success in the Premier League 2024-25, they have now equalled Manchester United's record for most English Top Flight titles with 20 titles.
Both Liverpool and Manchester United are among the most popular football teams in World football. Liverpool were ahead of Manchester United in terms of top-flight titles, but Manchester United's resurgence under Sir Alex Ferguson left them behind.
Manchester United with their Premier League title in 2012-13 season.
In the Premier League era, Manchester United won the most titles. Their 13 Premier League titles are yet to be matched by any club, although they won the league title last time in the 2012-13 season.
Meantime, in the Premier League era, Liverpool have only won the league title twice, in the 2019-20 and 2024-25 seasons.
Manchester United have won the league in 1907β08, 1910β11, 1951β52, 1955β56, 1956β57, 1964β65, 1966β67, 1992β93, 1993β94, 1995β96, 1996β97, 1998β99, 1999β2000, 2000β01, 2002β03, 2006β07, 2007β08, 2008β09, 2010β11, 2012β13.
Meantime, Liverpool FC won the league in 1900β01, 1905β06, 1921β22, 1922β23, 1946β47, 1963β64, 1965β66, 1972β73, 1975β76, 1976β77, 1978β79, 1979β80, 1981β82, 1982β83,1983β84, 1985β86, 1987β88, 1989β90, 2019β20, 2024β25.
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