#4 Bayern Munich
The last time Bayern Munich won the UEFA Champions League trophy was in 2013 when they overcame local rivals, Borussia Dortmund, to triumph for the fifth time in the tournament. Given the club's stature and history, it is normal that they have grown desperate to return to the summit of European football.
The Bundesliga giants entered the competition with a tremendous force this season. They defeated Crvena Zvezda 3-0 in their opening fixture before sending a huge message across with the 7-2 humiliation of Tottenham Hotspur.
Bayern currently top the Group B with 9 points from 3 games so far. They are firing on all cylinders at the moment. The likes of Robert Lewandowski, Serge Gnabry and Philippe Coutinho are all performing at a brilliant level right now and giving the Bavarians reasons to believe they can go all the way. However, domestic struggles have meant they are without a manager at the moment, with Niko Kovac having been shown the door in dramatic fashion. It remains to be seen who takes over the reins at Bavaria.
#3 Manchester City
It's been a great ride for former Barcelona manager, Pep Guardiola, in the Premier League. The Spaniard has been on a successful run since he departed from Bayern Munich to join Manchester City in the summer of 2016.
Pep has won all that there is to win in England. He led the Cityzens to claim a historic Premier League title and the Carabao Cup two seasons ago. Last term, his team bagged an exclusive feat in history when they claimed all the four honors in the English top flight, namely the EPL crown, the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup and the Community shield.
The only stain on their reputation is their failure to triumph on Europe's biggest stage. Guardiola will be more determined than ever to put naysayers in their place. Having won all their three games in the Champions League so far this season and sitting on top of the Group C, the Cityzens will fancy their chances of going all the way to claim Europe's top prize.