The Champions League’s expanded league phase has provided a revealing test of whether squad value still dictates outcomes at Europe’s top table.
A comparison by Sportingpedia between squad market values and final league-phase standings shows that while financial power remains influential, it is no longer a guarantee of success in a format built on consistency across eight fixtures.
Several clubs operating outside Europe’s financial elite emerged as the competition’s most efficient performers. Qarabag were the standout, finishing well above expectations despite holding one of the tournament’s lowest-valued squads.
Olympiacos, Bodo/Glimt and Pafos followed similar paths, turning structure and cohesion into tangible results against far wealthier opposition.
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Efficiency was not limited to smaller leagues. Sporting CP and Club Brugge also finished comfortably above their financial profiles, underlining the growing importance of squad balance and tactical clarity.
At the top end, Arsenal and Bayern Munich set the benchmark for elite-level efficiency. Arsenal topped the league phase despite having only the third-most valuable squad, while Bayern finished second with a squad ranked eighth by market value.
Others fell short. Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain all finished below their expected positions, while Eintracht Frankfurt, Napoli, Marseille and Villarreal recorded some of the sharpest declines relative to squad value.
The league phase confirmed a modern Champions League reality: money still matters, but organisation, adaptability and execution increasingly decide who advances.
Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
