The 2025/26 Champions League campaign has reached the semifinal stage, and anticipation is heating up as the May 31st final in Budapest begins to loom on the horizon. Spain’s two biggest teams were dumped out in the quarterfinals, with Real Madrid falling to Bayern Munich and Barcelona falling to compatriots Atletico, with the latter now the last remaining team flying the Spanish flag. English giants Liverpool also fell in the last eight, losing home and away to defending champions Paris Saint-Germain leaving Arsenal as the final remaining Premier League team in the competition after their nervy win against Sporting CP.
But it is the Bavarians that online betting sites make the team to beat. The latest odds from the popular Lucky Rebel Sportsbook currently position Bayern as the clear 7/4 frontrunner for the famous trophy, with Arsenal just behind at 9/4. But if either of these two, or PSG and Atleti for that matter, are to claim the title in the Hungarian capital in a few weeks’ time, which players do they need to be firing on all cylinders in their bid for glory? Here is each semifinalist’s most important player as the final begins to loom large.
Bayern Munich – Harry Kane
Harry Kane has been in absolutely scintillating form for Bayern Munich this season. The England captain has netted a whopping 52 goals in just 44 games so far this term, with 12 of those coming in just 11 Champions League games. His exploits have already helped secure the Bavarians a 13th Bundesliga title in 14 seasons, as well as positioning the former Spurs hitman as a frontrunner for the Ballon d’Or, potentially becoming the first Englishman to claim the award since a certain Michael Owen back in 2001.
If Bayern are to have any hope of claiming the Champions League for the first time since 2020, then they will need Kane to continue firing on all cylinders. Luckily, if the quarterfinals are anything to go by, he shows no signs of slowing down. The prolific number nine scored home and away in the 6-4 aggregate victory against Real Madrid, proving that he most certainly is the man for the big occasion.
The German giants will face off against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals, a team that Vincent Kompany’s men have already beaten once this term. Bayern ran out 2-1 victors when the two teams clashed at the Parc Des Princes in the League Phase, with Luis Diaz netting both goals. With the Colombian sensation on one side of him and the devastating Michael Olise on the other, Kane has plenty of weapons alongside him in Bayern’s menacing attacking arsenal.
PSG – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Paris Saint-Germain have sometimes flattered to deceive this season. One moment, they look like world-beaters – see their 2-0 wins home and away against Liverpool in the quarterfinals. A moment later, however, they find themselves losing 2-1 at home to Lyon in Ligue 1. Still, if they are to have any hope of knocking off Bayern in the semifinals before going on to lift the trophy in Budapest, they will need Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to be at the top of his game.
The 25-year-old has saved his very best efforts for Europe this season. While he hasn’t really made too much of an impression on PSG’s bid to retain the French title, he certainly has in Europe, netting eight goals in 13 games from the left wing. He was on target three times in the thumping 8-2 aggregate win against Chelsea in the Round of 16, before netting the second in the 2-0 win in the first leg of the quarterfinal against Liverpool.
Last season, the Parisians romped to the trophy for the first time, with Kvara netting in the 5-0 win against Inter in the final. That contest took place in Bayern’s Allianz Arena, and he will be hoping to make a similar impact when his side returns to Bavaria to face the newly minted German champions in the semis.
Arsenal – Declan Rice
Arsenal’s season is in the midst of an almighty collapse. Just a few weeks ago, the Gunners were 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League, through to a League Cup final, as well as the quarterfinals of both the FA Cup and the Champions League. Now, they are second in the league, they lost that Wembley final to Manchester City, and they were dumped out of England’s other Cup competition by second-tier Southampton.
They did, however, manage to squeeze through to the UCL semifinals with a 1-0 win against Sporting CP, and if they are to grind out a win against Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid in the semis, central midfielder Declan Rice will likely be front and center. The former West Ham captain has arguably been the only player in the Gunners squad to have managed to escape a ruthless April with his lofty reputation still intact, as he continually attempts to drive his team forward from midfield.
Rice will have to do that and more against Atleti, while his devilish set-piece ability will also likely have a part to play. Rice famously scored two blockbuster free kicks in the same game against Atleti’s rivals Real Madrid at the quarterfinal stage last season. What both he and manager Mikel Arteta would do for similar heroics against Atletico one year on!
Atletico Madrid – Julian Alvarez
Atletico are without question the outsiders for glory this season, with manager Simeone building a squad that doesn’t have too many true superstars. The one they do have, however, is striker Julian Alvarez. The Argentinian has struggled for goals since the turn of the year, but he remains capable of the spectacular. He scored a blockbuster 30-yard free kick in the first leg of their quarterfinal against Barcelona, a goal which set the Rojiblancos on course for an upset 3-2 aggregate win. If his side is to now upset Arsenal, then the former Manchester City man will have to rediscover his goal-scoring touch.
Luckily for Atleti, it looks as though he is currently in the midst of doing exactly that. Alvarez blasted home a stunning late equalizer in the recent Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad, a goal that kept afhis side’s hopes of claiming the Spanish cup for the first time in 13 years alive. Unfortunately, he would then go on to miss a penalty in the shootout as Simeone’s side suffered a shock defeat. No such mistakes are allowed if his side is to find its way past a wounded Arsenal.