Every time UEFA goes to Monaco, it’s a special time. The draw for the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League are certainly occasions for celebration, so lets dish over who will be hoisting the big trophy’s on June 1st and May 29th in Madrid and Baku, respectively.
With the new format, more of the big pie is in the hands of the top four league. The Bundesliga, La Liga, Premier League, and Serie A each get four entries into the competition. But that doesn’t mean there is no magic in regards to inclusion into the competition. There’s 13 former winners in this edition, so plenty of names with glorious histories to accomodate.
OPEN GROUPS
Can go to both A & D as each contains four clubs who can all qualify for the knockout phase of the Champions League.
In Group A, there are the favorites in Atletico Madrid. Favorites for a reason as the final will be hosted in their new stadium so plenty of motivation for the three-time runners-ups. Included are Monaco who are never to be underestimated as Leonardo Jardim is one of the best young coaches that can be found.
Borussia Dortmund and their American Christian Pulisic have a new manager in Lucian Favre who’s never had such resources at his disposal and looks to have the 1997 title winners looking like a real threat. But dont sleep on Belgian champions Club Brugge, they’ve proven themselves to be a difficult test before and could be like Gent two years before and shock everyone in qualifying to the knockout phase.
Group D is downright open. More like a level playing field akin to a Battle Royale. No favorites here, but some interesting subjects. Starting with the seeded team of Lokomotiv Moscow, seeded due to the leagues coefficient being high enough, they shocked Russia to win their first title in ages coached by the living legend of Yuri Semin. This old fox at 71 has done it all in the Soviet Top League and in Post-Soviet Ukraine and Russia.
Portugal is again represented by Porto and never sleep on them. Their financial transformation is nearly complete and has some Mexican flair with captain Hector Herrera and Jesus Corona. Schalke returns to Europe after a few years outside the big show. This German giant, led by 32-year old coach Domenico Tedesco, is back and looks to make waves into Europe in the knockout phase. Galatasaray has reorganized with old coach Fatih Terim. This is his fourth term with the club and has seven titles to his name domestically.
GROUPS OF DEATH
Group C has this distinction with B as a runner up. Two title-winning sides in five-time champion Liverpool, last years runners-up and the return after 27 years of 1991 title winner Red Star Belgrade. There’s PSG and Napoli included and that makes things tense, yet exciting.
PSG spends like no one else and their meeting with Napoli is exciting. Napoli manager Carlo Ancelloti had great success with PSG while Uruguayan striker Edison Cavani left Napoli for the French Capital. Liverpool added considerably in the summer and seem the only club able of competing on two fronts from England beyond Manchester. However, each match at the Marakana in Belgrade will be akin to a religious experience for any away fan who wants to go.
Group B is an equally difficult group with a higher level of weaker teams. PSV Eindhoven won their fourth title in five seasons and three years ago took finalist Atletico Madrid to penalties in the knockout phase. They’ve also still got Chucky Lozano, worth the price of admission. There’s also the return of a Milanese club to the big table. Inter Milan with Luciano Spaletti is having issues with his returning World Cup stars, but is not one to be underestimated.
Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona are the favorites, but have been shown to drop points and none more susceptible than the London club. Presently, they have no set location for their matches and that unfamiliarity could be bad. Messi is still in Catalonia and should they find a way to get a collective balance, their squad is so loaded for attackers that they’ll be tough to beat.
INTERESTING GROUPS
E is for one reason. After Bayern, you have Ajax, AEK Athens, and Benfica. Talk about open for anyone to finish second. Just none have a chance to take points off Bayern until probably Match Day Six in Amsterdam.
F is also in the same situation. Manchester City will not drop almost any points but Lyon, Hoffenheim, and Shakhtar all could finish second in the group.
EUROPA LEAGUE
Sure its 48 teams but tell me that there are not a lot of teams everyone knows. The Old Firm are both in it. So are Marseille, Milan, both Seville clubs, the other two Istanbul clubs. And yet, there are teams that some have never heard of. There’s even a team from Luxembourg in this year’s group stage!
Groups to watch? How about B with Celtic, Salzburg, Rosenborg, and RB Leipzig. How funny is it that both of the Red Bull owned clubs, don’t let anyone fool you, face each other?
Group C is interesting as Bordeaux is a sizable club despite no coach currently. Zenit St. Petersburg is one that’s always in either European competition along with FC Copenhagen. Add in Chineese-funded Slavia Prague, and you have a group of four traditional clubs from their country dueling it out.
Group F is interesting if only because it has the Luxembourg club Dudelange. Add in Seville club Real Betis, Greek side Olympiacos, and AC Milan, that’s one group that you can sit back and enjoy.
Group G is one of top sides from their respective countries with Villarreal from Spain, Spartak from Russia, Rangers from Scotland, and Rapid from Austria.
Finally, Group H has a club from the Bundesliga in Eintracht Frankfurt, Ligue 1 in Marseille, and Serie A in Lazio. Lazio was pipped by Inter Milan from the Champions League on the final day. Marseille lost last season’s final to Atletico Madrid. Frankfurt, a team who took 9,000 fans to Porto and 12,000 to Bordeaux six seasons ago last time out, beat Bayern Munich in the DFB Pokal final to reach Europe. Three big fish to say the least.
The trips to Madrid and Baku always provide plenty of drama. Question is who will be the two clubs who hoist the trophies above their vanquish opposition.
