7 Premier League flops who have somehow played in a Champions League final

 

Players who struggled at clubs like Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham have emerged as key stars for Champions League finalists.

Many players couldn’t adapt to the Premier League’s demands, yet their sudden rise to prominence with Europe’s elite teams has been astonishing.

Here are seven players who flopped in the Premier League but unexpectedly excelled for these Champions League finalists.

Jadon Sancho

Sancho’s flair makes him a prime example of unfulfilled potential. Despite his hype, he struggled at Manchester United and Chelsea. Loaned back to Borussia Dortmund in 2024 after clashing with Erik ten Hag, he dazzled in their Champions League semi-final against PSG, sparking renewed praise. However, he faded in the final against Real Madrid. A future Champions League return with a Serie A club wouldn’t surprise.

Joselu

Joselu’s late-career surge is remarkable. After lackluster spells at Stoke and Newcastle, his goal-scoring exploits at Espanyol secured a 2023-24 loan to Real Madrid. There, he clinched La Liga, the Champions League, and the Supercopa de España. His brace against Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals cemented his legacy among Madrid fans, capped by a final appearance against Dortmund.

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Jon Dahl Tomasson

Tomasson’s often overlooked as an Eredivisie flop, but his Newcastle stint fits the mold. Signed after scoring 24 goals for Heerenveen, he struggled, partly due to filling in for the injured Alan Shearer. Things might’ve differed with patience, but he later thrived at Feyenoord and played for AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting

Choupo-Moting’s career defies logic. After flopping at Stoke during their 2018 Premier League relegation, he landed at PSG. Despite an infamous miss and a 2020 Champions League final cameo, he somehow joined Bayern Munich next. His agent deserves a medal for engineering these moves.

Stefan Savic

At 20, Savic joined Manchester City in 2011, soon after his father, a municipal assembly president in Mojkovac, Montenegro, died by suicide.

Uniquely, he’s likely the only Partizan player honored with supportive banners from Red Star Belgrade ultras.

After one year at City, he was swapped for Fiorentina’s Matija Nastasic. Three years in Florence revitalized his career, leading to a nine-year stint anchoring Atletico Madrid’s defense under Diego Simeone.

In 2016, Savic played the full 120 minutes in the Champions League final, where Atletico fell to Real Madrid on penalties at the San Siro.

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Fernando Llorente

Tottenham fans cherish Llorente for his pivotal goal against Manchester City, securing their 2019 Champions League semi-final spot.

However, the towering Spaniard struggled at Spurs, netting just two Premier League goals over two seasons.

Llorente appeared in the 2019 Champions League final loss to Liverpool and had previously played in the 2015 final for Juventus.

Marco Materazzi

A World Cup champion, treble winner, and one of Jose Mourinho’s most trusted players, Materazzi is an iconic sh*thouse.

Few could foresee his legendary career after an unremarkable 1998-99 season at Everton.

His brief appearance in the 2010 Champions League final and illustrious achievements make his Goodison Park stint a curious footnote.