The dark horses: Teams that stole the spotlight in the 2024/25 Champions League group stage

Several clubs have exceeded expectations to rank among the "surprise teams" of the UEFA Champions League group stage this 24/25 season. To stand out in this very arduous new format, these teams have either relied on tactical innovations or the breakthrough performances of key individuals.

From the rankings and match specifics to offensive and defensive stats, their success is not fortuitous but rather underpinned by a set of measurable advantages. 

Atalanta

Surely Atalanta are one of the most sublime dark horses of the 24/25 Champions League. Although they finished the group stage with 15 points in 9th position, just outside automatic qualification spots, their goal difference was as high as +14, second only to the very attacking elite Barcelona (+15). 

Two main characteristics of these numbers are the harmonisation of strong defence and effective offence. Losing to Real Madrid in the Super Cup might have allowed room for trepidation ahead of the European campaign, but La Dea swiftly adjusted and stabilised the situation with an unbeaten start of five matches, with the 0-0 draw against Arsenal being especially pivotal.

Atalanta have grown to be a pride of Serie A, as exemplified by their attacking strength (20 goals) roughly matching their expected goals value (20.9), indicating the steadiness of their scoring efficiency. 

The Italians have Ademola Lookman to thank, who has scored 4 goals and an assist and showed his outstanding finishing ability with a stunning solo goal in the 2-3 loss to Real Madrid. 

Even with their talisman injured and absent in the final game of the round when they came against a steamrolling Barcelona in Spain, they valiantly fought for a well-deserved point. Thus, despite enduring one of the most tasking round of fixtures, the Italians suffered only one defeat in the group stage.

On the defensive end as well, Atalanta shows comparable productivity as they came third in the "clean sheets" category with five. The club has a strong backbone thanks in great part to keeper Carnesecchi's five clean sheets, which is second only to David Raya's seven. 

Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen finishing sixth in the group with 16 points might appear ordinary due to their well-documented exploits last season, but their performance well exceeds their strength on paper. With outstanding tactical performances, the Bundesliga team upset the two Milan bigwigs in Inter and AC Milan by the same 1-0 scoreline.

At the soul of this team is midfield prodigy Florian Wirtz who tallied six goals and an assist, scoring the deciding goal in the game against Milan.

Bayer Leverkusen's passing accuracy, third in the group stage, is remarkable—90.4%—with an average of 582.4 passes per game. This possession-based approach to play made it challenging for opponents to cope.

Having really only scored 7 goals, the team's efficient defence makes up for the lack of squad depth, thanks to a total expected goal value that is the fifth lowest of the group stage.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa are definitely the most striking underdogs in this season's group phase. With a record of 5 victories, 1 draw, and 2 losses—including a 1-0 triumph from a direct confrontation with Bayern Munich—the English squad placed seventh, securing automatic qualification. 

Their campaign was marked by super-sub Jhon Durán's legendary long-range lob in the 79th minute to sink the stunned Bavarians at Villa Park. 

Balancing the team are the intermittent runs of midfielders Morgan Rodgers and Jacob Ramsey, which have given the forwards plenty of room, while Emiliano Martínez's four clean sheets have maintained the club's perfection in pivotal games. 

Behind only Inter, Arsenal, and Liverpool, the Claret and Blue are among the teams with the fewest goals conceded thanks to a defensive system as strong as rock. 

In attack, Tielemans, Ramsey, and Onana's evenly dispersed goals from the away match when Villa defeated Young Boys highlight a multifarious offensive power. Their foothold in the very tough Champions League has stemmed from this synergy.

Brest

Stade Brestois, a mid-table team in Ligue 1, are already extraordinary for qualifying for the Champions League, but their 18th place finish with 13 points is far more remarkable. With midfielder Hugo Magnetti's poke-in and Abdallah Sima's winning goal highlighting the team's fortitude amid challenges, they recovered from behind to beat Sturm Graz 2-1 in the first round.

The most classic battle was the 4-0 away triumph against Salzburg in the second round, where striker Sima scored twice, and Romain Del Castillo's mazy runs totally obfuscated the opponent's defence. 

Veteran striker Ludovic Ajorque created 4 big chances all campaign, the fifth-highest in the group stage, indicating the underdog's tactical focus is on offensive bombardment. 

Though their "expected goals conceded" (xG conceded) is as high as 16.9, Les Pirates have only let in 11 goals, mostly due to goalkeeper Marco Bizot's exceptional showings.

Lille

Representing Ligue 1, Les Dogues topped established powerhouses like Real Madrid and Juventus with 18 points, therefore adding yet another highlight to the group stage. 

In the home game where they turned out shock 1-0 victors over Real Madrid, Jonathan David, with 6 goals (including 2 penalties), and among the top scorers, gently converted a penalty to end Los Blancos’ flawless run. 

Lille's success results from their fast midfield transitions: Remy Cabella and Osame Sahraoui both have passing success rates surpassing 85%, while winger Edon Zhegrova's dribbles have generated multiple "touches in the box" opportunities for the team (a total of 270, ranking fifth).

Although Lille failed to rank among the group stage's best defences, goalie Lucas Chevalier has registered several vital one-on-one saves on the defensive end, especially in the 3-1 and 1-0 triumphs against both Madrid teams, where he made a combined 9 saves, thereby becoming the essential player for their advancement.

With an average of 9.4 shots per game with 4.3 on target, Lille's tactical approach is mostly orientated on rapid counterattacks, producing a goal conversion rate of 23%, a figure that even exceeds several big teams. 

Conclusion

Each of these teams have posted success that is hardly adventitious. Through a mix of possession and efficiency, Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen have broken the monopoly of conventional powerhouses, while Aston Villa and Lille have written a grassroots comeback story with counterattacks and the breakout of key players.

Beneath the statistics are the tactical knowledge of the coaching team, players' on-field performance, and the club's exact transfer market investments. 

The Champions League stage has never lacked miracles, but these "surprise teams" are demonstrating with their performance that those courageous enough to challenge the status quo always shape the football scene.