Yesterday, UEFA held the draw to determine the group stages of the Champions League this season. Eighteen different countries were represented in the field, with Spain and England sending four teams each to the world’s largest club football competition. Now let’s take a look at the groups that were assembled in Monaco on Thursday.
Group A:
Bayern Munich
Villarreal
Manchester City
Napoli
Favourite: Manchester City
City have by far the most talented squad of Group A, in arguably a group that may well be the “Group of Death.” Manchester United’s noisy neighbours must be considered the front-runners to top the group, especially since they have brought in Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero this summer.
Group B
Internazionale
CSKA Moscow
Lille
Trabzonspor
Favourite: Internazionale
After losing star forward to Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala, Inter Milan have drawn Russian giants CSKA Moscow. The 2009-10 European Champions are no doubt the favourites to top the group, but second place will surely be a battle between Lille and CSKA Moscow, meaning Turkish side Trabzonspor will just be making a cameo appearance.
Group C
Manchester United
Benfica
Basel
Otelul
Favourite: Otelul…just kidding, Manchester United of course
Barring any huge surprise United will top this group without a sweat. Expect Portuguese side Benfica to take second place after fighting off FC Basel. Talented Swiss winger Xherdan Shaquiri is the player to watch in the group.
Group D
Real Madrid
Lyon
Ajax
Dynamo Zagreb
Favourite: Real Madrid
Los Blancos have drawn French side Lyon yet again in the Champions League, but this time they will face them much earlier in the competition. Lyon, Ajax, and Dynamo Zagreb will battle it out for second place. Don’t be surprised if there is Dutch Delite in the final 16. Oranje!
Group E
Chelsea
Valencia
Bayer Leverkusen
Genk
Favourite: Chelsea FC
Chelsea are by far the class of Group E. Valencia and Bayer Leverkusen will do their best to challenge the Blues, with one of them surely snatching up second place in the group. That leaves Genk with an early exit, which is not a surprise.
Group F
Arsenal
Marseille
Olympiakos
Dortmund
Favourite: Arsenal/Borussia Dortmund
If Arsenal can add a centre-defender and a midfielder before the end of the transfer deadline, they will be thought of as the favourites to top the group. However, if not, Borussia Dortmund will surely be in the mix. 19-year-old German starlet Mario Goetze is the player to watch in Group F.
Group G
Porto
Shakhtar Donetsk
Zenit St. Petersburg
APOEL
Favourite: Shakhtar Donetsk
Yes, I chose Shakhtar over last year’s Europa Cup winners FC Porto. Why? Firstly, the Ukrainian giants reached the semi-finals of the Champions League last season. Also, Porto must quell with big losses this summer, including manager Andre Villas-Boas and Colombian striker Radamel Falcao.
Group H
Barcelona
Milan
BATE
Plzen
Favourite: Catalan Conquerors
I am willing to bet my entire life savings that Barcelona and AC Milan will advance to the round of 16. If that doesn’t convince you to jump on the bandwagon, nothing will. The Catalan’s are not just the favourites to win Group H, but they are also the favourites to take down back to back Champions League titles in May 2012.