The real Super Franck
The group stage of the Champions League starts tomorrow, you probably know some of the big names involved obviously, but who else is involved and do they even have a chance at advancing? Over then next couple of days we’ll find all that out.
Bayern Munich
From: Germany
Last Season: 16-6-6, 54 points. 2nd in the Bundesliga
How They Got Here: Automatic Qualification
Last Season’s Champions League: 1st place in Group F, Lost in the quarterfinals to Barcelona
Bayern is always a perennial challenger for the Bundesliga and consistently a threat to go deep in the Champions league, but they always seem to fall short when they come up against another European powerhouse. Bayern are a solid team who can certainly score goals and the addition of Arjen Robben to the midfield makes them an even scarier threat. I’d expect Bayern to come out of the group, but this is a fairly tough group, so I’d put them in second.
Juventus
From: Italy
Last Season: 19-7-6, 64 pts. 3rd place in Serie A
How They Got Here: Automatic Qualification
Last Season’s Champions League: 1st place in Group H, Lost to Chelsea in 1st Knockout Round
The Italian powerhouse is finally coming on full force after being forced to essentially rebuild because of the scandal a few years back. Adding Brazilians Diego and Felipe Melo this offseason has helped the Italians to a perfect record thus far in Serie A and they should go far this season in the Champions League. The last couple years Italian teams have come up short in the knockout rounds, but I think this team can go far in the later rounds, as well as a first place group finish.
Bordeaux
From: France
Last Season: 24-8-6, 80 pts. French Champions
How They Got Here: Automatic Qualification
Last Season’s Champions League: 3rd place in Group A
Last years French Champions have again started off their domestic campaign strong, but are facing an uphill battle in the Champions League. They’ve certainly got some talent, but French teams haven’t ever really been a threat in the Champions League unless their name was Lyon. Bordeaux could certainly change that though with the dynamic duo of Yoann Gourcuff and Marouane Chamakh, who’ve already combined for 7 goals in Ligue 1. If Bordeaux have any hopes of advancing they’re really going to need the full 6 points from Maccabi Haifa and they’re going to need to nick some points from the other two as well. certainly not an easy task by any means, but they could do it. Ulitmately I think they fall just short and finish in 3rd in the group.
Maccabi Haifa
From: Israel
Last Season: 19-10-4, 67 points. Israeli Premier League Champions
How They Got Here: 2nd qualifying round: Maccabi Haifa 10–0 Glentoran 3rd qualifying round: Aktobe 3–4 Maccabi Haifa, Playoff round: Red Bull Salzburg 1–5 Maccabi Haifa
Last Season’s Champions League: 3rd place in Group A
Maccabi Haifa are Israel’s most dominant team this decade, winning 6 titles since 2000, this however hasn’t translated into European success, never having made it past the group stage of the Champions League, or the round of 16 in the UEFA Cup. Their Champions League claim to fame though is a 3-0 defeat of Manchester United back in 2002, which I’m sure most of us can take some joy out of. Vladimir Dvalishvili and Shlomi Arbeitman are this teams young stars up front scoring a combined 14 goals already this season (though 8 of them were in the early CL stages). Sadly I don’t think any of this translates to much group stage success. Like many of the pot 4 teams in this season’s Champions League, Haifa just seem to have a large gulf between their quality and the rest of the group. If anything I’d expect them to play spoiler and steal a couple of points here and there, but not much more.
What do you think about this group? Any surprises? Any players you like to make a big splash?
I’m keeping it safe and going with Bayern and Juventus to get through, but at the same time I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bordeaux play spoiler and sneak in.
It’s kind of sad that tomorrow’s Juventus-Bordeux match isn’t easily watchable, while Real Madrid’s inevitable rape-and-pillage of Zurich will be.
Seriously? ugh. I haven’t checked the TV schedule. I can’t wait to see how Direct TV and fox work together now that we have legit CL matches that people want to watch that aren’t nationally televised.
Up here in Northern NY State the only game available on basic cable will be Man U @ whoever they are playing (on MSG, no FSC for this college student). I wish Juve-Bordeaux was on, that’s for sure.
And it appears that directtv will have EVERY match on, most in HD! of course you need Setanta or FSE to be able to see those matches, but Setanta has a free preview this week
I know the immediate assumption is to go for English teams, but how the fuck can the single best game (Juve-Bordeaux) tomorrow NOT be available on Dish? 3 channels, and no coverage at all???? Not even on delay (and, no, I wouldn’t have a problem with that, as every game will be delayed for me)???
Wow, I just looked at the schedule for all 3, why is Chelsea v Porto on Setanta and then FSC immediately after? I know not a lot of people have Setanta, but why right after when there are people in the same situation as you who have Setanta.
Then FSRM has the Tottenham v. Manchester United match right after the United v Besiktas match. I guess I understand what they’re trying to do in luring people who tuned in to see United in the first game, but it’s still dumb.
THEN the night replay on FSC is Besiktas v. United again. Thats 2 United games that could have easily been replaced by others. That’s pretty bad. It almost looks like they were so wrapped up in the whole DirectTV champions league channels deal that they forgot about everyone else.
then again, I recorded nearly EVERY possible game last time, and what did I get? A truck-load of games I ultimately deleted. If Juve-Bordeaux turns into a 4-5 barn-burner, I’m going to fricking sue. All odds point to a 0-0 waste of time, though…
found it this morning – I just have to wait until 1 AM Wed. for the telecast…
I did that, too. I ended up watching Arsenal-Celtic; my eyes are always bigger than my proverbial stomach when it comes to watching games.
Bayern-Haifa is just an unfortunate pairing, no?
It really, really is. I’m just glad Poland’s not involved.