Champions League focus
Posted Friday, August 31, 2012 by The Sun
GROUP D
MANCHESTER CITY
THE eventual Premier League champs didn’t make much impact in their first Champions League foray.
LAST SEASON: Group stage.
PREDICTION: Semi-finals
REAL MADRID — PIPPED in a penalty shootout last term, you can be sure Jose Mourinho has been plotting ways to glory ever since. LAST SEASON: Semi-final. PREDICTION: Winners
AJAX — THE Dutch champions and four-time European Cup winners struggled last time out in Real Madrid’s group. LAST SEASON: Third in group. PREDICTION: Group stage
BORUSSIA DORTMUND — FINISHED eight points ahead of Bayern last term to take the German title in style. LAST SEASON: Out in group stage. PREDICTION: Group stage
GROUP H
MANCHESTER UNITED
YOU can bet Fergie won’t want a group stage exit to happen twice in a row.
STAR MAN: Robin van Persie
PREDICTION: Last eight
GALATASARAY — MADE ambitious but failed bid to lure Kaka. PREVIOUS BEST: Semi-finals 1989. STAR MAN: Burak Yilmaz spearheads attack. PREDICTION: L16
BRAGA — THE 2011 Europa League runners-up. PREVIOUS BEST: Group stage 2011. STAR MAN: Brazilian striker Lima. PREDICTION: Group stage
CLUJ — THE new force in Romanian football. STAR MAN: Pantelis Kapetanos. PREDICTION: Group stage
GROUP E
CHELSEA
THE holders have splashed plenty of cash over the summer.
STAR MAN: Eden Hazard.
PREDICTION: L8.
JUVENTUS — WENT season unbeaten but was rocked by match-fixing ban for boss Antonio Conte. STAR MAN: Andrea Pirlo. PREDICTION: Semi-finals.
SHAKHTAR DONETSK — MIDFIELD ace Willian was a top target for Spurs. PREVIOUS BEST: Last eight 2011. STAR MAN: Willian. PREDICTION: L16.
NORDSJAELLAND — NEVER previously qualified. STAR MAN: Joshua John. PREDICTION: Group stage
GROUP B
ARSENAL
GUNNERS may not win anything these days, but they usually get through their group.
STAR MAN: Defensive rock Thomas Vermaelen.
PREDICTION: Last eight
SCHALKE — SURPRISE semi-finalists two competitions ago, when they were beaten by Manchester United. STAR MAN: Prolific Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. PREDICTION: Last 16
OLYMPIAKOS — WON Greek title by seven points. STAR MAN: Keeper Roy Carroll. PREDICTION: Group stage
MONTPELLIER — WON first French title last term. STAR MAN: Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa. PREDICTION: Group stage
GROUP A
PORTO — PORTUGUESE champs won trophy in 1987 and 2004.
DYNAMO KIEV — UKRAINIANS made it to the group stage in 2009-10.
PSG — MILLIONS from Qatar have made Carlo Ancelotti’s French giants instant contenders.
DINAMO ZAGREB — The best side in Croatia but unlikely to pose any danger.
GROUP C
AC MILAN — Serie A’s runners-up were KO’d by Barca last term.
ZENIT — BIG-SPENDING Russians feel they are getting closer to cracking Europe.
ANDERLECHT — BELGIAN champs squeezed past Cypriots AEL Limassol in final qualifier.
MALAGA — SAW off Panathinaikos in the qualifiers to make this stage for the first time.
GROUP F
BAYERN MUNICH — STILL smarting from final defeat last term.
VALENCIA - STRIKER Nelson Valdez is their big threat.
LYON — BEAT FC Copenhagen to qualify.
BATE — BELARUS champs’ third crack at this level.
GROUP G
BARCELONA — MESSI and Co won it in ’06, ’09 and ’11.
BENFICA — BEATEN twice by Chelsea last term.
SPARTAK MOSCOW — KO’D Fenerbahce to make it here.
CELTIC — BACK after a four-year absence.
Photos
More»
Meet Eva Murati, the glamorous UCL presenter
Friday April 26 2024
[PICTURE SPECIAL] Brighton 0 - 4 Manchester City
Friday April 26 2024
Meet Jude Bellingham's stunning girlfriend Laura
Thursday April 25 2024
Your Say