By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
With the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League group stage kicking off on Tuesday, excitement is building as fans await thrilling clashes and the battle for knockout stage qualification.
Last season’s final saw Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) make history by lifting their first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy, cruising to a stunning 5-0 victory over Inter Milan at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
This article highlights the absence of some former champions who failed to secure a spot in this year’s edition.
Among the biggest casualties is AC Milan, the seven-time winners who missed out after finishing outside the Serie A top four. Manchester United, three-time champions, will also not feature this season following a disappointing Premier League campaign.
FULL LIST:
AC Milan – Seven-time UCL winner, won in 1963, 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, and 2007
Manchester United: Three-time UCL winner, won in 1968, 1999, and 2008
FC Porto: Two-time UCL winner, won in 1987 and 2004
Nottingham Forest: Two-time UCL winner, won in 1979 and 1980
Red Star: One-time UCL winner, won in 1991
FC Steaua București: One-time UCL winner, won in 1986
Hamburg: One-time UCL winner, won in 1983
Aston Villa: One-time UCL winner, won in 1982
Feyenoord: One-time UCL winner, won in 1970
Celtic Glasgow: One-time UCL winner, won in 1967
JOIN OUR NEWS UPDATE GROUP: CLICK HERE