Predicting dark horses to win Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A (2021-22)

#2 AC Milan (Serie A)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been key to Milan's recent success

AC Milan have experienced arguably the most devastating fall from grace in modern-day football. Having won the Champions League as recently as 2007, the Rossoneri have been on a seven-year-long hiatus from the competition since 2014. During this period, the 18-time Serie A champions finished as low as 10th in the 2014-15 season. Indeed, it's a far cry from their title-winning days.

After a string of failed managerial appointments, the Milan hierarchy settled on Stefano Pioli in 2019. The 55-year-old Italian has worked wonders with the former giants by putting them on a path to recovery. Under Pioli, the resurgent Milan side have recouped 48 wins in 88 games, giving him a decent win percentage of 54.55.

Milan led Serie A for much of last season, only to fall away as Inter surged to the Scudetto. Still, a UCL berth was secured.For @footballitalia, I wrote a bit about what we can maybe expect from the Rossoneri in 2021-22. https://t.co/STJhOJKrbb

— Matt Santangelo 🤌🏼 (@Matt_Santangelo) August 17, 2021

Following a fifth-place finish in his first season, Pioli guided the Italian giants to their first top-four finish in eight years. Furthermore, Milan found themselves in pole position to win the league title, as latest as the 21st match week.

A mid-season collapse in form saw them slip to second place as their cross-town rivals, Inter, went on to secure their 19th Scudetto. However, considering Milan's recent track record in Serie A, a second-place finish will be taken as a boon at the San Siro.

The most reassuring part about this AC Milan side is that they are currently pursuing a structured plan, with the former Fiorentina boss as the architect. If Pioli can avoid the occasional slump his side suffers during one part of the season, the fallen giants could have a fair shot at winning their first league title since the 2010-11 season.

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#1 Chelsea (Premier League)

Chelsea started their 2021-22 campaign with an emphatic 3-0 win

In the Roman Abramovich era, Chelsea have been transformed from mid-table strugglers to continental mainstays. However, the Blues have been one of the most inconsistent sides in all of Europe. They followed their fabled 2012 Champions League win by failing to even qualify for the knockout stage next season.

In a similar state of affairs, the league-winning 2014-15 season was succeeded by one of the worst title defenses since the inception of the Premier League.

Following Jose Mourinho's sacking in 2015, every manager appointed by the Blues proved to be nothing but a temporary fix. Even though Antonio Conte brought the Premier League title back to Stamford Bridge in 2017, the Italian manager has never been known for initiating a long-term project.

His successor, Maurizio Sarri, also turned out to be nothing but a stopgap. Chelsea's constant failure to appoint someone with a lasting plan has resulted in them enjoying legendary individual seasons, with no guarantee of the future.

Chelsea have now won more Premier League games than any club in London 👏🔵 pic.twitter.com/aNvrj4430t

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 16, 2021

However, in Thomas Tuchel, the Blues finally have a stable manager at their helm after a long while. He immediately established his authority on his arrival, issuing a mid-season alteration to the squad's formation. Tuchel deployed a three-man defense, switching from Frank Lampard's 4-3-3 to his personalized 3-4-3 system. This change allowed the team to retain the ball magnificently, all the while thwarting his opponent's attacks.

Tuchel's possession-based approach revolutionized Chelsea, who were sitting in ninth place at the time of his appointment. In just four and a half months, the German guided his team to their second Champions League title, simultaneously securing a top-four finish on the side.

The 2021-22 season will be Tuchel's first full season in charge. With Manchester City and Liverpool looking to continue their dominance at the top and United rejuvenated after a brilliant transfer window, Chelsea could prove to be the perfect dark horse.

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