UEFA Champions League 2013: The 'new' League of Champions

The 58th edition of football’s most awaited club competition got underway last night. Every year around 32 teams from different nations across Europe fight it out with each other to earn the right to be crowned the next champions of Europe; a status that gives bragging rights not just to the club, but also to its fans all over the world.

Starting out as a rebel club competition in the 1950s, the UEFA Champions League has elevated its status to such a state that winning it is now considered to be a top priority on the list of achievements for any player or a club. The amount of competition within the participating teams is evident from the fact that 22 different clubs have won the tournament since its inception.

We might agree that clubs like Barcelona, Manchester United or Real Madrid attract the maximum attention on a European night, but lately the emergence of new forces in European football has seen these clubs lose some of the limelight in recent years. The shift in power caused due to the financial muscle or the fan base of a club is evident and is bound to shake things up in this edition of the Champions League.

There are clubs who have been resurrected from their dark days and are now ready to challenge the top clubs across Europe. These clubs on a given day can cause major upsets and change the dynamics of the competition this year. The pundits are wary of their chances and have advised the top teams to not take for granted qualification to the knock-out stage.

We take a look at four such clubs which are capable of turning the tables on the favourites in this edition of the UEFA Champions League.