How can the champions improve?

We had very clear winners in four of the five biggest leagues, only in La Liga Barcelona were pushed almost until the end by Real Madrid.

Usually the hardest thing in sports is to maintain your lead once you've got it. So, I have two questions:

How can the champions of these five leagues improve themselves?

Do they need to improve to retain the top spot in their domestic league next season?


Edit. You could also tell which ones you predict to retain their domestic title next season.

Barca will retain. PSG will retain. Juventus will retain. Bayern will retain.

Chelsea is the only I don't think will retain.

And honestly PSG, Juve, and Bayern don't even need any improvements to retain. Barca might need some signings in January given they are losing Xavi and possibly Pedro and Montoya.

Juve and Bayern seem shoo-ins to retains. Rest could be up for grabs.

Refresh the squad and add some additional depth which Juve are already doing.

And Chelsea will retain the title next season.No doubt.

S wrote:And Chelsea will retain the title next season.No doubt.

Sure.

Barca needs another CM and RB.......... maybe winger if pedro leaves.

One can bet his life-time savings on Bayern to win the title for the next 5 seasons

Theoretically, PSG, Bayern and Juventus should all be certain to keep their top spots. They are just in a tier of their own in their domestic leagues when it comes to being attractive to players right now. If there's a player coming to their domestic league, they will be able to sign them if they just want to.

However, motivation is a curious thing. All these teams have some key players who are in the later stages of their careers. Zlatan, Silva, Tevez, Chiellini, Buffon, Lichsteiner, Lahm, Ribery, Robben, Dante, off the top of my head. Domestically, they've won everything for a while now. Can they keep their motivation and therefore their performance levels the same still?

These three clubs will be big favorites to retain their titles, but if they're smart, they'll inject some new hunger in the squads. If they can keep their players as motivated as ever, they'll win their leagues next season, too, but I've a feeling - especially in Bayern's case, actually - that that is easier said than done.


Barcelona are under a transfer ban and MSN is such a great forward trio, so I don't know what they could do.


Chelsea are an interesting case. They comfily won the title this year.


In red the players I'm not sure will be title-winning material next season. Yet can we expect any of them to be replaced from Chelsea's first-choice XI? By whom? It will be very interesting to see what Chelsea do in this window. Are they going to look at their XI and decide that "no one who we could sign is better than what we have" or splash the cash on a couple of expensive signings just to be on the safe side?

MaraVilla wrote:Barca needs another CM and RB.......... maybe winger if pedro leaves.

But for the 13th time, isn't the transfer ban going to keep them from signing anyone?

If Alves leaves we ain't retaining chit. Just look how involved Alves is in Barca's play, like an additional midfielder.





His combinational play with Messi is crucial. Not sure Montoya has played a single one-two in his entire life. Messi will get pissed off after 2 games on the right side.

Motivation will be an issue as would age.Thats why i said Juve will refresh the squad with a combination of youth as well as experienced players.

Dybala,Rugani,Khedira is a start,with more to come.

Also forgot to add Juve are in a CL final.If we go on to win it,then i could see some ageing stars in the team completely drop.off.Maybe thats probably when we'd need a bigger mercato than initially sought out if not for an overhaul.

Valkyrja wrote:One can bet his life-time savings on Bayern to win the title for the next 5 seasons

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Bayern have some aging players that need to be replaced and VfL Wolfsburg have the backing of the Volkswagen company and will likely continue investing as VW know it is better for marketing when the BL has not only one big club.

S wrote:

Also forgot to add Juve are in a CL final.If we go on to win it,then i could see some ageing stars in the team completely drop.off.

Well. We can help you out in that matter if you wish.

Valkyrja wrote:One can bet his life-time savings on Bayern to win the title for the next 5 seasons

One would lose his life-time savings, so I'd advise against doing that.

So far Juvi has done a great job but more can be done if they are to become a European superpower fot years to come. Dyabala is great, but Tevez is leaving next year. Juvi might wanna buy his replacement this year if someone on his level is available this summer (Cavani?) One of Zaza and Berrardi should replace Lorente.

Khdera is also a good signing but he is not a direct replacement for Pirlo. Vidal out Oscar in? That might be just paper talk but it
makes a lot of sense with Khdera taking up Vidals spot in the middle.

New full backs are needed, but who's on the market anyway? Cuardado maybe?

Art Morte wrote:

MaraVilla wrote:Barca needs another CM and RB.......... maybe winger if pedro leaves.

But for the 13th time, isn't the transfer ban going to keep them from signing anyone?

Only till January though.

We need a CB, a CM and probably another ST to be fully complete.

Abramovich wrote:We need a CB, a CM and probably another ST to be fully complete.

But are they going to be in the starting XI or not?

If yes, then which players would be better than what you have in your XI?

If no, are these new players going to make you that much better, especially considering how little Mou rotates?

One thing to consider.

Mourinho has never won the league in his third full season anywhere in his career, EVER.

Art Morte wrote:

Abramovich wrote:We need a CB, a CM and probably another ST to be fully complete.

But are they going to be in the starting XI or not?

If yes, then which players would be better than what you have in your XI?

If no, are these new players going to make you that much better, especially considering how little Mou rotates?

Well if this was a pipe dream, I would have Varane and Pogba for obvious reasons.

Not sure why you think Cahill is better than JT, that being said I think next season will be JT's last full season as an undisputed starter.

ST wise I'd take an established 3rd choice someone like I don't know maybe Austin who can come off the bench and play league cup ties who know's where the goal is, with our injury record it's better safe than sorry. Bamford should get a PL loan this season and Drogba did okay but it was far from ideal.

We need depth more than anything.

Back up GK, back up defender, back up CM, back up AM, back up CF.

Green, Stones, Schneiderlin, Greeseman, Bamford




And I think we can certainly retain our title.

For PSG, they need a more clutch player than Ibra in CL. They have nothing to do for domestic competitions. Cavani has picked up massive form over the past 2 months (he's ended up with 32 goals all comps) and Verratti keeps getting better. Lucas Moura was also fantastic until a serious thigh injury took him out from Ferbruary until May basically.

If they can get Pogba and put Verratti in the deep playing role, that's the best option. If not, i'd go out there and get Kondogbia for the same role.

After that, you need to upgrade Maxwell. With who? I'd go after Coentrao. Digne has been a massive disappointment.

Finally, i'd get Di Maria and drop Lavezzi.

From a FFP standpoint, Kondogbia, Coentrao and Di Maria is doable given you have 60 mil + sales. If you sell Motta, Lavezzi, Cabaye, Digne and Van Der Wiel, that should be enough. Marquinhos is going to start either at RB or LB and then Aurier and Coentrao can fight it out.

I also get the sense that they're going to go after Lloris since Sirigu was poor in CL.

Lloris
Marquinhos-Silva-Luiz-Ceontrao
Kondogbia-Verratti-Matuidi
Lucas Moura-Cavani-Di Maria

This is assuming the Ibra goes to MLS as is rumored too.

I think someone else will win the EPL next season, but I'm not sure who.

Wolfsburg will push Bayern but I'm not sure they're quite ready to challenge them yet.

Juventus will walk Serie A.

PSG will walk Ligue 1.

Real Madrid will win the league next season while Barca recover from their treble hangover.

S wrote:And Chelsea will retain the title next season.No doubt.

Agreed, personally i don't even think we were that good this season, and we walked to the title.

We will get better next season. Hopefully add someone like Griezmann/Bale/Sterling and Oscar plays the whole season like he did the first half of the season.

I think Barca are the only team that wont repeat next season. I expect a better league campaign by Madrid.

Most likely to repeat next season:

1. Bayern
2. Juve
3. Chelsea
4. Barca