As the Champions League kicks off on Tuesday, the competition once again poses an intriguing question: does a manager need years of experience to win Europe's top prize, or can a fresh appointment thrive from the outset?
History suggests both paths can lead to glory. Chelsea lifted the trophy twice under managers who had only just arrived that same season. Carlo Ancelotti won the Champions League in his debut campaigns during both of his spells at Real Madrid, while Zinedine Zidane guided the same club to three consecutive titles after taking over mid-season. Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique each triumphed with Barcelona at the earliest possible opportunity, and Hansi Flick, now in charge of Barcelona, completed a treble in his first year at Bayern Munich. Liverpool supporters may be hoping Andoni Iraola can follow the example of fellow countryman Rafael Benítez, who won the competition almost immediately after arriving at Anfield.
Despite these precedents, this season's field shows a wide spread of managerial tenures. Of the 36 clubs competing, 14 are led by managers appointed within the last year, another 14 have bosses with at least two years in the role, and eight fall in between—having qualified for the Champions League in their first full season before now facing their second campaign in the competition.
Betting markets, however, appear to favor experience over novelty. Paris Saint-Germain, the two-time defending champions, are the bookmakers' favorites, largely due to their squad depth and comparatively lighter domestic schedule rather than Luis Enrique's four years in charge. Barcelona, Arsenal, and Bayern Munich round out the top four in the odds, and all three of their managers rank among the 13 longest-serving in the competition. The next tier of contenders, by contrast, is entirely made up of clubs whose managers only took over this year.
Yet a new appointment doesn't necessarily mean inexperience in Europe's premier competition. Real Madrid's incoming manager, José Mourinho, has overseen 160 Champions League matches—the fifth-highest total in the competition's history. Only Ancelotti (218), Alex Ferguson (206), Guardiola, and Arsène Wenger (both 191) have managed more games. Mourinho and Jürgen Klopp (102 matches, seventh overall) complete the list of English football's most decorated managerial figures of the modern era, though Mourinho is the only one of that group still active in this season's competition.
Mourinho will enter the tournament as something of a paradox—simultaneously the newest face at his club and one of the most seasoned campaigners in the competition's history. Given the quality of his squad, he will be hopeful of guiding Real Madrid past the last-16 stage for the first time since 2014.
Remarkably, the collective Champions League experience of the eight managers Mourinho will face in the league phase falls short of his own total. In fact, the combined experience of the 24 least experienced managers in this year's competition still doesn't surpass what Mourinho alone brings to Madrid. Notably, some of these less experienced coaches are not managing minor clubs—Inter's Cristian Chivu, with 10 Champions League matches to his name, has more experience in the competition than the current managers of Manchester City (six), Manchester United (one), and Liverpool (zero).
As the tournament begins, one number looms large: 16. That points tally in the league phase has historically guaranteed automatic qualification for the last 16. Regardless of a manager's pedigree, securing a top spot and avoiding the playoff rounds will be the immediate priority. Beyond that threshold, the value of Champions League know-how may well come into play.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.