The 2013-2014 European season is back and in full swing. This week, the UEFA Champions League will kick off the group stages with 16 mouth-watering matches with the best 32 teams in Europe having been divided into eight groups of four in what will surely be an exciting competition.
Last year, the tournament was a roller-coaster of unpredictability starting with defending champions Chelsea failing to make it out of the group stages. Then we saw an epic round of 16 two-legged tie between Real Madrid and Manchester, with the Spanish outfit winning despite coach Jose Mourinho admitting, “the best team lost.”
We then saw German giants Bayern Munich thrash Barcelona in the semifinals while Borussia Dortmund defeated powerhouse Real Madrid. The all-German final was an instant classic with Ajern Robben scoring in the 89th minute to give Bayern its second of three trophys in 2013.
After the official group stage draw on August 29, fans across the globe have patiently waited for the competition to get back underway. Here’s my breakdown for what I expect to see over the next three months.
Group A: Manchester United, Shakhtar Donetsk, Bayer Leverkusen, Real Sociedad
Manchester has had easy draws the past two years, but this will be no easy group. Manager David Moyes has never coached in the Champion’s League group stages, and this is not the way he would have wanted to get his feet wet in Europe. Shakhtar play an exciting brand of soccer with a squad full of Brazilian talent. Despite losing Fernandinho and Henrikh Mkhitaran to tranfers, the Ukrainian side is a regular in the competition. Trips across the continent to play in the hostile Donbass Arena has proved difficult for even the biggest clubs in Europe. Leverkusen come into the tournament as a darkhorse, as they are often looked over in favor of German giants Bayern Munich and Dortmud .But this side is full of talented players including the Bundesliga’s top scorer last year Stefan Kiesbling. Real Sociedad shocked many in Spain by finishing fourth and qualifying for the Champion’s League. Sociedad lost its best player Asier Illarramendi to Real Madid, and the squad lacks major experience in Europe.
Prediction: Manchester United, Bayer Leverkusen, Shakhtar Donetsk, Real Sociedad
Group B: Real Madrid, Juventus, Galatasaray, Copenhagen
Real Madrid and Juventus are the two clear favorites of the group. Madrid’s dynamic duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale should propel the rest of the team to first place in the group. Juventus has shown their dominance domestically, and the additions of strikers Carlos Teves and Fernando Llorente should help in the attack on a team that is already solid in the back with Giorgio Chiellini and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
Galatasary are led by stars Didier Drogba and Wesley Snijder, but their real difference maker is goal-scoring machine Burak Yilmaz. Yilmaz was top scorer in the completion just year. Copenhagen are heavy underdogs and captured headlines for canceling ticket packages for fans with non-Danish sounding names because they did not want traveling fans to sit with the home supporters.
Prediction: Real Madrid, Juventus, Galatasaray, Copenhagen
Group C: Benfica, Paris Saint- Germain (PSG), Olympiacos, Anderlecht
Backed by millions in foreign investment, PSG have been able to capture some of the best talents in the world. They have two world-class strikers in Zlatan Imbrahimovic and Edison Cavaini and the best defender in the world, Thiago Silva. The Parisian side should role through this group. Benfica are no strangers to the Champion’s League and came off a very successful season a year ago losing in the Europa League final to Chelsea and finishing second in their domestic league. Olympiacos and Anderlecht will be fight at the bottom in hopes of a third place finish that guarantees a spot in the Europa League round of 32.
Prediction: PSG, Benfica, Anderlecht, Olympiacos
Group D: Bayern Munich, CSKA Moscow, Manchester City, Viktria Plzen
Defending champions Bayern Munich have only gotten better with the signings of midfielders Tiago and Mario Gotze, but their biggest addition has been coach Pep Guardiola, who returns to coaching after a one-year sabbatical where he was living in New York City. Pep has shown he is not rusty and impressed everyone when he came out speaking fluent German in his first press conference.
Manchester City have a new coach of their own Manuel Pellegrini, who made a name for himself in last year’s Champion’s League taking his Malaga side all the way to the quarterfinals. City have failed to qualify out of the groups the last two years and have responded by a hiring a manager who knows how to coach in European competitions. Spending over 100 million pounds on new players should help the club’s chances as well.
CKSA Moscow won the Russian league and cup last year and has once again returned to Europe’s top competition. CSKA have top players, including one of the best goalkeepers in the world Igor Akinfeev and Japanese midfielder Keisuke Honda. As for Viktria Plezn, they’ll consider qualifying for the group as a victory, and their moral victory will most likely not be joined with actual victories in any of their six games.
Prediction: Bayern Munich, Manchester City, CSKA Moscow, Viktria Plzen
Group E: Chelsea, Schalke, Basel, Steaua Buceresti
Chelsea has spent big this summer with eyes on its second Champion’s League crown in three years. Jose Mourinho is back for his second spell as Chelsea manager and has brought in an array of stars to bolster an already top squad including Samuel Eto’o (who won this competition with Mourinho with Inter Milan), Willaim, and Andre Shurrle. Schalke reached the knockout round last year behind Jefferson Farfan and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. The German side looks keen to continue its success in Europe. Basel are very young and are still only known for knocking out Manchester United two years ago in the group stages. Steau Buceresti will be heavy underdogs in every match they play and will struggle for positive results.
Prediction: Chelsea, Schalke, Basel, Steaua Buceresti
Group F: Arsenal, Marseille, Borrussia Dortmund, Napoli
Group F has turned out to be the group of death. Each team has a history of success in Europe. Arsenal looks like a new team after signing Mesut Ozil on transfer deadline day. Dortmund is off to a flying start in the Bundesliga, winning each of their first five games. Dortmund also was the only team to go undefeated in the group stages in last year’s competition. Marseille are seeking to get back into prominence, but have a young, inexperienced side. Napoli is under new manager Rafa Benitez and have spent most of the funds they received from selling Edison Cavani. The Naples club captured a trio of Real Madrid players in defender Raul Albiol, winger Jose Callejon and striker Gonzalo Higuain. Napoli has struggled in years past in Europe but the new faces could be exactly what the club needs.
Prediction: Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, Napoli, Marseille
Group G: Porto, Atletico Madrid, Zenit St. Petersburg, Austria Wien
Despite selling its best players almost every year (including Hulk to Zenit St. Petersburg), Porto always find itself in the Champion’s League. The Portuguese giants came off a very successful year which saw them win another domestic league title. After being a trendy team, Zenit have taken a step back and have had very little on the field success. Atletico Madrid will have to carry on without Colombian striker Radamel Falcao. They have attempted to replace him by signing out of favor Barcelona Striker David Villa. Madrid will have to rely on the veteran who has won the Champion’s League and a World Cup. Austria Wien are one of the minnows of the entire competition and will struggle in their group.
Prediction: Porto, Zenit St. Petersburg, Atletico Madrid, Austria Wien
Group H: Barcelona, AC Milan, Ajax, Celtic
Barcelona was embarrassed when they were knocked out of last year’s Champion’s League. However, they have responded by signing Brazilian sensation Neymar. The Catalan side will be one of the favorites to win the whole thing. Milan will be led by the Italian strike force of Mario Balotelli and Stephan El Shaarawy as well as the veteran Kaka, who has returned to the San Siro. Ajax once again qualified as the champions of Holland, but have failed to return to carry out their long history of success in European competitions in recent years. Celtic beat Barcelona in last year’s group stage and qualified for the knockout stage. This year will prove to be more difficult for the Scottish side.
Prediction: Barcelona, AC Milan, Celtic, Ajax
Group Winners: Manchester United, Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Porto, Barcelona
Runners-Up: Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, Benfica, Manchester City, Schalke, Arsenal, Zenit St. Petersburg, AC Milan