As the 2026-27 Champions League begins, an analysis of the competition's managerial landscape shows tenures ranging widely, with 14 of the 36 clubs led by managers appointed within the past year and another 14 in charge for at least two years or more. History suggests newcomers are far from disadvantaged, since numerous managers, including Zinedine Zidane, Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and Hansi Flick, won the trophy in their first season at a club, yet bookmakers this year still favour more established figures such as Luis Enrique at Paris Saint-Germain, alongside the managers of Barcelona, Arsenal and Bayern Munich.

The article highlights that being new to a job does not necessarily mean lacking experience: Real Madrid's incoming manager, José Mourinho, has already taken charge of 160 Champions League matches, the fifth-highest total in history, behind Ancelotti's 218 and ahead of Alex Ferguson, Guardiola and Arsène Wenger. By contrast, some rivals have managed far fewer games in the competition, with Manchester United's manager on just one and Liverpool's on none, while Inter's Cristian Chivu, with ten, already surpasses several counterparts at bigger clubs.