A look back at the history of the UEFA Champions League shows that new managers can and have won the competition in their first season at a club, but experience also plays a role. This is particularly interesting in the 2026–27 season, where the group of head coaches includes both newly appointed managers and those with nearly 15 years in charge. Some have managed over 100 Champions League matches, while others have none. This season, 14 of the 36 clubs are led by managers who have been in their roles for less than a year. Although the turnover of managers is not as high as in the Premier League, where 11 of 20 managers were appointed in 2026, the current crop of coaches can be neatly divided into different experience levels. Fourteen have been in charge for at least two years, and eight have qualified for the Champions League in their first full season at their club, giving them a chance to prove themselves. History shows that being new to a team is not a barrier to success. Many managers have led their clubs to Champions League glory in their first season. For example, both of Chelsea’s Champions League wins were achieved by managers who took the job the same year. Carlo Ancelotti, who has managed Real Madrid twice, won the competition in his first season with the club on both occasions. Zinedine Zidane also won three consecutive titles with Real Madrid during his first managerial stint. Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique both won the Champions League with Barcelona in their early years as managers. Barcelona’s current coach, Hansi Flick, won a treble with Bayern Munich in his first season. Liverpool fans are hoping Andoni Iraola can follow in the footsteps of Rafael Benítez, who won the Champions League in his first season at Anfield. Despite these success stories, betting markets are currently favoring more experienced managers. Paris Saint-Germain are the top favorites, but this is more due to their strong squad and less to do with their manager, Luis Enrique, who is in his fourth season. Barcelona, Arsenal, and Bayern Munich also rank highly in the betting, and their managers are among the 13 longest-serving coaches in the competition. This contrasts with the next group of potential champions, all of whom have new managers. However, experience in the role does not always equate to inexperience. Real Madrid’s new coach, José Mourinho, has managed 160 Champions League games, fifth most in history. Ancelotti has the most with 218 matches, ahead of legends like Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, and Arsène Wenger. Mourinho, who is the only member of the so-called "big five" Premier League managers still in the Champions League this season, will be confident of reaching the last 16 for the first time since 2014. The eight managers he faces in the league phase have collectively managed fewer Champions League games than he has. Even the least experienced managers in the competition have a combined total of fewer Champions League games than Mourinho. This suggests that while some of the newer managers may be less experienced, they are not necessarily managing weaker teams. As the competition begins, the key target for all managers is to secure at least 16 points in the league phase, which guarantees a spot in the last 16. After that, experience and knowledge of the Champions League may become crucial.