For the team that managed to collect the most Champions League trophies, maybe Real Madrid is on top but in the last few seasons Real Madrid can't be expected to win the Champions League.
This season, seeing Real Madrid's progress improve, there is hope of being able to fight for the trophy again, even though Real Madrid will have to compete with teams from leagues like Mancester City.
Pep Guardiola is very excited or very sure that the team he coaches can win the Champions League again and this will make it difficult for Real Madrid when they will compete for the Champions League.
If you say Real madrid had a better performance it seems a little wrong and if you see after losing Benzema Madrid was not able to perform optimally to give a better performance than last season and I doubt if you really really favor Manchstr city even if only because of haaland but does not mean to have a guarantee to be able to get back to the champion league title.
This season many club have seen their performance decline in their domestic league competition, they look a little bad, but if for the champions league there is no certainty how this top flight club can perform even better.
But I just hope that every season there are always new clubs that can get champions league trophy like Arsenal.
Benzema was a sharp striker for Real Madrid last season and the departure of Benzema gave a slight decrease in the game from Real Madrid but when you watch Real Madrid in the Domestic League they play quite well and even tend to be better than Barcelona.
Now Ancelotti is always trying to make the team less dependent on one player like last season when Benzema was there.
Manchester City has a goal machine, namely Haaland and he can make Manchester City have a different chance of winning, plus there are other players up front like Julian Alvarez and assisted by quite reliable midfielders Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy
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With them on the front lines, Manchester City has very good strength in every attack on the opponent's goal.
Undoubtedly, a player like Karim Benzema left Real Madrid and Real Madrid could not recruit another star in that position which can be considered as a weak point for Real Madrid. After Karim Benzema left Real Madrid, Real Madrid lost their first two friendlies and everyone feared that a bad season might be in store for Real Madrid, but as the season started, Real Madrid returned to their former form. Real Madrid have played three matches so far in La Liga where Real Madrid have won the first three matches. Real Madrid will do well without Karim Benzema in the Champions League if they can maintain their current performance in La Liga.