UEFA Champions League 2015 - Group stage predictions
Merely a few fixtures into the domestic footballing calendar and already we’ve been treated to a feast of surprises from the best divisions across the continent. Some teams have ignited their respective campaigns with blockbuster starts, while others have stalled in their attempts to burst out of the blocks.The EPL especially has captured our imagination with an interesting start to the script, but football fans everywhere still no doubt yearn for the resumption of the greatest club competition on Earth – the UEFA Champions League.Nothing can match the brutal hostility of a night in Eastern Europe, the shivers that rattle through players’ spines at the sound of the competition’s anthem or the enigmatic unpredictability the tournament throws up on a weekly basis. These factors and much more only heighten the anticipation ahead of this season’s edition and, following this Thursday’s group stage draw, it seems impossible to keep European football off the mind. The 32 competing sides were divided into four separate pots ahead of the draw, with Pot One containing the holders Barcelona, as well as the league champions of the seven highest ranked divisions across the continent.As Barcelona were also winners of La Liga, this opened the door for Eredivisie winners PSV to join the other seven sides in the top pot. In the other three pots, teams were organised based on their UEFA coefficient score.Predicting how things will finish up come December 9th is about as difficult as comprehending the technical procedure for the draw but, much like Melanie Winiger’s attempt to speak Spanish, I’ve given it my best shot nonetheless.
#1 Group A
In the opening group, making their twentieth appearance in UEFA’s elite competition, are Real Madrid. The Spaniards are joined by French champions PSG, Ukrainian runners-up Shakhtar Donetsk and, the most successful side in Sweden, Malmö FF.
The first two names to be drawn into this group promise a tasty affair and, make no mistake, Real Madrid and PSG will be hot favourites to advance. The former hold the record for the most consecutive qualifications from the group stage (18) and, following their 2013/14 title, made it to the final four in last year’s competition, before being dispatched by Juventus in the semi-finals.
Rafael Benítez has arguably the strongest squad to work with from the 32 teams and while brushing Shakhtar and Malmo aside is expected, they should edge the big clashes with PSG as well.
Boasting one of the fattest wallets on the European stage, PSG would be outright favourites to top pretty much any other group but Real will most likely pip them to the post and second should suffice.
Meanwhile, a side working on less than a quarter of the French outfit’s income in 2014, Shakhtar, have lost the likes of prominent striker Luiz Adriano, talismanic midfielder Douglas Costa and young prodigy Fernando this window, and so are unlikely to replicate their second place finish last season.
Minnows Malmo may have secured a routine Swedish title at the end of last season but, despite seeing off Celtic in the qualifiers, are expected to be the whipping boys of Group A.
1. Real Madrid
2. PSG
3. Shakhtar Donetsk
4. Mälmo FF