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The UEFA Champions League is hurtling towards the knockout stages, with the usual suspects jockeying for position as they get set for the cut-and-thrust of knockout football to begin. Manchester City can be seen as the current betting favourites in the Champions League winner odds to win the competition, with Barcelona and Juventus in close pursuit. Real Madrid are on their way back up under new management after a catastrophic start to their season, and Premier League side Liverpool are bidding to go one step better than their final appearance last season.

However pushing them hard is a group of fringe contenders who sometimes bloody the noses of the perceived big guns of the competition. Here we've picked out a quartet of big sides who are living in the shadow of their domestic rivals, but could usurp them and win big in the Champions League this season.
Atletico Madrid

Atletico are one of those there or thereabouts sides, and that tag may well apply as they're hot on the heels of Barcelona at the top of La Liga. With only one defeat in domestic competition, they're looking dangerous in Europe again this season. With firepower up top in the form of Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa and with Diego Godin marshalling things defensively, Atletico has all the grunt they need to cause the best sides problems once again this season.

Napoli

Leading the chasing pack looking to hunt down Juventus in Serie A, Napoli are the best of the rest in Italy's top flight, and they're doing the business in the Champions League group stages, too. They're proving to be hard to beat in Europe this year, with PSG, Liverpool and Red Star Belgrade all unable to defeat Napoli in the group stages so far, and they'll prove a tough nut to crack in the knockout stages.

Manchester United

United may have one of the most famous names in football, but they are in the middle of a transitional period that is going far from well under Jose Mourinho. Languishing in the Premier League, some 18 points behind cross-town rivals Manchester City after just 15 games played, all is not well at Old Trafford. But the Champions League is where Mourinho so often excels, and the competition could prove to be a relief from the travails of the Premier League.

Borussia Dortmund

Bundesliga leaders Dortmund are in prime position to make it through to the last 16, where they will provide a tough test for anyone who makes it through to the knockout stages. Dortmund have lost just once in all competitions so far this season to Group A rivals Atletico Madrid, but they hammered the La Liga outfit 4-0 at their Westfalenstadion, demonstrating that their form demands respect.
There could actually be three or four English teams in the final stages if you include Tottenham, but there lack of recruitment due to the ever spiralling costs of refurbishing White Hart Lane and fears of losing their manager to Manchester United will probably prevent there further progress. - Ed

Never one to be short of an opinion or a story, Zlatan Ibramimovic took time out from criticising Cristiano Ronaldo for suggesting Lionel Messi should move to Italy for a new challenge, by suggesting that 'Zlatan', as he likes to call himself in the 3rd person, might well make a surprise return to the Premier League in a short term loan capacity with a 'big club' in London.

We of course thought this information was a bit of 'click bait' even though it came from an Italian Radio media outlet, but unbelievably the story does have legs! Currently resting with his family, the 'top notch' one is well aware of Manuel Pellegrini and West Ham United, indeed he was nearly signed a few years ago before Hammers bid was blown out the water by a far more lucrative offer from Manchester United.

Ibrahimovic was quoted as saying "I've played in England, Spain, Italy, Portugal and for my national team, for me life is a challenge that I like and I like to make people happy. There has been talk of a Cameo role at a 'big club' in London on a short term basis but negotiations are at an early stage".

Since moving to LA Galaxy in the MLS, Ibrahimovic has scored 22 goals in 27 appearances, David Sullivan is a known admirer of Ibrahimovic and although he was unable to put a deal together before, it is thought that with the added gravitas of having Manuel Pellegrini a short term loan deal could be negotiated.

Of course all of this is assuming Marko Arnoutovic will be off to China as looks increasingly likely, not everyone has the longevity of Zlatan who is a bit of a generic freak from the same gene pool that Pablo Zabaleta must have come from! We'll have more on this later, time zones prevailing. - Ed