Champions League Preview Tuesday
Roll out the Amstel cos it's Champions League night! Well, that's what the sponsors would have you do, personally, I can't abide the stuff, so I'll fly in the face of commercial sponsorship and roll out the Becks. After last years 'surprising' victory for Liverpool FC, my opinion that this is now a straight forward cup competition, and absolutely anybody who qualifies from the group stage can win it, has been reinforced further. Therefore it is essential to give yourself as much advantage going into the knockout stage by qualifying as group winner to avoid playing another group winner in the 'banana skin' first knockout round. You don't believe me? Ask Sir Alex Ferguson and be sure to mention AC Milan.
As always the first bout of group sparrings take place over Tuesdays and Wednesdays to facilitate TV coverage, and who's complaining? Only the millions of Champions League widows accross the Globe between now and May. Let's look at tonights fixtures.
First up is Rangers of Scotland versus the 2004 winners FC Porto. Porto are ageing fast. Rangers have the ascendency in Scotland as Celtic, their only rivals, slip further into the doldrums. This can however be construed as a bad thing for Rangers. The lack of competition in Scotland traditionally transfers into weaker performances by Scottish teams in Europe. Look at Celtics dismal run in recent years. Porto have never looked the same since the talismanic 'Special One', Jose Mourinho departed for Russian billions in London, and this game has draw written all over it.
PSV should despatch Schalke easily enough, but with the loss of their best player JS Park, to Manchester United in the summer, it's debatable how much of a threat they'll pose in a group that contains AC Milan and Fenerbahce who face each other in the San Siro. Milan, who have always been acclaimed for their superb defensive prowess will want a good start to the campaign after giving up a 3 goal lead to a very average Liverpool in last years disastrous final. However, their back line is ageing fast with only Alessandro Nesta coming in at under 30 (barely!). Their grandfather defense is made up of , Jaap stam 33, Cafu 35, Nesta 29, and the eternal Maldini 37! They do however offer the best all round striker in the world up front in the shape of Mister Schevchenko, who has also been courted by his countrymans millions in Chelsea who indeed recalled his strike partner Crespo from loan during the summer. In saying this I can't see Fenerbahce causing an upset.
In Group F Beware Olympiacos. I was impressed with their Greek resilience last time around and they might sneak into the qualifying rounds ahead of Lyon. I fully expect them to beat Rosenborg who will be lucky to get a point from this campaign. In the same group I expect Madrid to turn over Lyon in France. Robinho is a joy to watch, and his transformation to a Galacticos with Madrid may make for the most compulsive viewing of this campaign. Lyon have lost Michael Essien to, yes you guessed it, Chelsea, during the close season. Essien was far and away their best player over the past two seasons, and with the bumbling Gerrard Houllier now in charge as manager, I can see disaster with a capital D looming for the French club on the horizon. However, it could be worse for Lyon fans and Houllier could have succeeded in prising Djibril Cisse away from Liverpool.
Talking of the champions (still hurts to say that), they did end up in the toughest group, and I think a wake up call awaits them tonight in Betis. The wizardly wing play of the Spanish side may however be curtailed should Fernandez and Edu fail to pass fitness tests. Thankfully it looks like their star player Joaquin will shrug off a slight meniscus problem to antagonise the scouse defense. Liverpool's big problem this year is going to be scoring. Peter Crouch (all 7 foot of him) is expected to start up front and for the life of me I still don't know why Benitez bought him. I'm going for a home win here with a lot of scouse tears.
In the same group, and by far the most difficult, lie Chelsea. They have the relatively easy task of the visit of Belgian side Anderlecht. Chelsea haven't been firing on all cylinders this season, their inspirational midfielder Frank Lampard, seems to be preoccupied with fatherhood, whilst the mainstay of their success last year, wingers Duff and Robben, seem to be chugging a bit, unable to find that 5th gear. They will be too strong for Anderlecht though and this will probably play out as a drab 1-0 affair.
I've purposely left the most enchanting encounter till last and this is the game I'll be watching. The minnowest of the minnows Artmedia Bratislava entertain the legends of Italian Serie A, Inter Milan.
Adriano, Veron, Figo and co. take on the team that every neutral lover of the beautiful game has their hopes pinned on. It's the fairytale that we all want to happen. The little team from Slovakia against the Italian might. 23 years ago they beat them. Yes, 23 years ago they beat Inter Milan in a shock 2-1 win in the first round of the UEFA cup. Can History repeat itself? I really really hope so, but if I'm being honest, I don't think they have a prayer.
So that's Tuesdays match up. For my treble bet, I'm gonna go with Chelsea to win, Rangers to draw and Betis to win. You should get 8/1 for this. Tomorrow, I'll be back to eat my words, as always..
As always the first bout of group sparrings take place over Tuesdays and Wednesdays to facilitate TV coverage, and who's complaining? Only the millions of Champions League widows accross the Globe between now and May. Let's look at tonights fixtures.
First up is Rangers of Scotland versus the 2004 winners FC Porto. Porto are ageing fast. Rangers have the ascendency in Scotland as Celtic, their only rivals, slip further into the doldrums. This can however be construed as a bad thing for Rangers. The lack of competition in Scotland traditionally transfers into weaker performances by Scottish teams in Europe. Look at Celtics dismal run in recent years. Porto have never looked the same since the talismanic 'Special One', Jose Mourinho departed for Russian billions in London, and this game has draw written all over it.
PSV should despatch Schalke easily enough, but with the loss of their best player JS Park, to Manchester United in the summer, it's debatable how much of a threat they'll pose in a group that contains AC Milan and Fenerbahce who face each other in the San Siro. Milan, who have always been acclaimed for their superb defensive prowess will want a good start to the campaign after giving up a 3 goal lead to a very average Liverpool in last years disastrous final. However, their back line is ageing fast with only Alessandro Nesta coming in at under 30 (barely!). Their grandfather defense is made up of , Jaap stam 33, Cafu 35, Nesta 29, and the eternal Maldini 37! They do however offer the best all round striker in the world up front in the shape of Mister Schevchenko, who has also been courted by his countrymans millions in Chelsea who indeed recalled his strike partner Crespo from loan during the summer. In saying this I can't see Fenerbahce causing an upset.
In Group F Beware Olympiacos. I was impressed with their Greek resilience last time around and they might sneak into the qualifying rounds ahead of Lyon. I fully expect them to beat Rosenborg who will be lucky to get a point from this campaign. In the same group I expect Madrid to turn over Lyon in France. Robinho is a joy to watch, and his transformation to a Galacticos with Madrid may make for the most compulsive viewing of this campaign. Lyon have lost Michael Essien to, yes you guessed it, Chelsea, during the close season. Essien was far and away their best player over the past two seasons, and with the bumbling Gerrard Houllier now in charge as manager, I can see disaster with a capital D looming for the French club on the horizon. However, it could be worse for Lyon fans and Houllier could have succeeded in prising Djibril Cisse away from Liverpool.
Talking of the champions (still hurts to say that), they did end up in the toughest group, and I think a wake up call awaits them tonight in Betis. The wizardly wing play of the Spanish side may however be curtailed should Fernandez and Edu fail to pass fitness tests. Thankfully it looks like their star player Joaquin will shrug off a slight meniscus problem to antagonise the scouse defense. Liverpool's big problem this year is going to be scoring. Peter Crouch (all 7 foot of him) is expected to start up front and for the life of me I still don't know why Benitez bought him. I'm going for a home win here with a lot of scouse tears.
In the same group, and by far the most difficult, lie Chelsea. They have the relatively easy task of the visit of Belgian side Anderlecht. Chelsea haven't been firing on all cylinders this season, their inspirational midfielder Frank Lampard, seems to be preoccupied with fatherhood, whilst the mainstay of their success last year, wingers Duff and Robben, seem to be chugging a bit, unable to find that 5th gear. They will be too strong for Anderlecht though and this will probably play out as a drab 1-0 affair.
I've purposely left the most enchanting encounter till last and this is the game I'll be watching. The minnowest of the minnows Artmedia Bratislava entertain the legends of Italian Serie A, Inter Milan.
Adriano, Veron, Figo and co. take on the team that every neutral lover of the beautiful game has their hopes pinned on. It's the fairytale that we all want to happen. The little team from Slovakia against the Italian might. 23 years ago they beat them. Yes, 23 years ago they beat Inter Milan in a shock 2-1 win in the first round of the UEFA cup. Can History repeat itself? I really really hope so, but if I'm being honest, I don't think they have a prayer.
So that's Tuesdays match up. For my treble bet, I'm gonna go with Chelsea to win, Rangers to draw and Betis to win. You should get 8/1 for this. Tomorrow, I'll be back to eat my words, as always..
posted by Derek Keogh | 4:13 PM
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