The Champions League is often seen as a realm where dreams are fulfilled and legends are crafted. Yet, for clubs like Dinamo Zagreb, Red Bull Salzburg, Celtic, Red Star Belgrade, Slovan Bratislava, and Young Boys, it can feel more like a nightmare, with their aspirations thwarted in a harsh European landscape.
As the UEFA anthem plays during Matchday Three, fans of these teams might be filled with trepidation. In their domestic leagues, they usually dominate, securing around 60% to 84% of their wins, claiming 38 titles over the last seven seasons out of a possible 42. For instance, Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade have each won every league title available in Croatia and Serbia, respectively, while other teams have conquered most of their local competitions.
However, translating their domestic success to the Champions League has proven elusive. Across their first two matches this season, these clubs collectively scored only 12 goals while conceding an alarming 49, resulting in a staggering goal difference of -37 over 12 games.
The financial gap is a significant factor. Slovan Bratislava, for example, has invested just £2.6 million in new signings over the past three seasons, with a squad valuation of £24 million. In contrast, Manchester City has spent £365 million in the same period, with a squad value around £1 billion—meaning City has spent approximately 139 times more than Slovan.
When these teams clashed a few weeks ago, Slovan was a 40/1 underdog at home against City. Unfortunately, the match lived up to expectations, with City dominating with 28 shots and scoring four goals, leaving Slovan unable to register a single shot on target.
The reality for many of these teams is filled with challenges. Slovan’s manager Vladimir Weiss expressed pride in reaching the Champions League after a long absence but acknowledged the tough competition. Despite a disappointing start with a 5-1 loss to Celtic and subsequent defeats, he highlighted the importance of these experiences for his players and club development.
Salzburg, a regular in the Champions League, is adjusting under new management. However, they have faced a rough start, losing to Sparta Prague and Brest, leading to criticism and pressure on their new coach Pep Lijnders.
Young Boys, mirroring Salzburg’s struggles, sit at the bottom of the Champions League table after heavy defeats, prompting a managerial change shortly after their loss to Barcelona. Dinamo Zagreb is also reeling from a historic defeat to Bayern Munich, leading to the departure of their manager despite domestic success.
Celtic, with a storied history in European football, is struggling on the road. While they have secured notable victories at home, their away performances have been dismal, as highlighted by their recent 7-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund.
Early results from the current Champions League season have shown a trend of one-sided matches, with high-scoring games leading to an average victory margin of 2.57 goals. With the competition expanding, these imbalances seem poised to increase, leaving smaller clubs trapped in a cycle of dread rather than excitement for continental competition.