Tag: stage

UEFA Champions League Group Stage

Post by Marc Carinci

Summer is about. That only implies 1 point: the Champions League is back. This year’s joint favourites, Barcelona and Chelsea, have fast become bitter rivals in this levels of competition. That rivalry is selected to intensify since they have been drawn into the exact same group at this early stage of the tournament. The format is as follows: 32 groups contest the group stage, divided into eight teams of four. The group winners and runners-up advance to the knockout stages, the eight 3rd-put teams move into the UEFA Cup third round, and the 8 fourth-placed groups are eradicated. Right here is an overview of all the groups with predictions on who we count on to win every single group.

Group A: Barcelona (-118), Chelsea (+125), Werder Bremen (fifteen/one), Levski Sofia (250/1)

Perhaps the Chelsea-Barcelona rivalry won’t be quite as powerful at this early stage. Equally teams will advance from this group and there is a excellent opportunity they will meet yet again at a later stage of this competitors. Chelsea appear noticeably shakier this 12 months. Their previously impenetrable defence looks somewhat a lot more lax. That will bode ill for the Blues. But as opposed to the past number of decades, with two Premiership titles below their belt, this season Jose Mourinho’s explicit target is to win the Champions League. Nevertheless, we have to facet with Barcelona right here. They are target scoring devices and need to demolish Bremen and Levski, and they are far more than capable of scoring towards Chelsea. At close to even cash, they are really worth backing to win this group.

Group B: Bayern Munich (+125), Inter Milan (+163), Sporting Lisbon (6/one), Spartak Moscow (40/1)

Inter is a big price tag here and are value backing. They have extra strength, quality and depth to their squad and right after the Calciopoli scandal were belated awarded final year’s Scudetto in Serie A. Sporting Lisbon are no pushovers, but Inter can and should get previous them. There is 1 slight worry although. Bayern Munich is the type of group that can operate up the score in opposition to weak opponents like Spartak Moscow. If Bayern and Inter are degree on factors, Bayern could properly win this group on goal difference.

Group C: Liverpool (-161), PSV Eindhoven (+450), Bordeaux (five/one), Galatasaray (ten/1)

Despite the fact that they are odds-on, it’s challenging to look previous Liverpool in this group. They are a well-organized aspect and lifted the CL trophy two years ago. Manger Rafa Benitez is seasoned at European competitors and really should navigate his group by way of this group with ease. PSV are a shadow of the team they ended up previous time. There is a excellent opportunity they will not finish in the prime two of the Dutch league, let alone replicate their previously mentioned common Champions League kind of modern a long time. Bordeaux and Galatasaray are second-price clubs in this competitors.

Group D: Valencia (-125), Roma (+one hundred fifty), Shakhtar Donetsk (twenty/1), Olympiakos (29/one)

It really is hard to recognize why Roma are underdogs in this group. They are favoured to win this year’s diluted Italian league. Their squad is a good deal more powerful this season equally on paper and judging by their Serie A results so far. But the Romans face tough Spanish levels of competition in this group. Valencia have a disciplined and skilled Champions League side. They are deadly on the counterattack and stifle the offence of their opponents. This appears like a coin flip amongst Roma and Valencia, so we’ll consider the Italians at odds-versus. Keep and eye on Olympiakos. They won’t win this group, but, like numerous Greek groups, they can be unsafe in their home video games.

Group E: Lyon (-125), Genuine Madrid (+163), Steaua Bucharest (10/one), Dynamo Kiev (fifty/one)

The collapse of Juventus has benefited no crew more than True Madrid. The Spanish giants picked up a handful far more Galacticos and 1 of the world’s leading managers, Fabio Capello. They are severe contenders for each the La Liga and Champions League titles this yr. But they will have to get past their nemesis in this tournament: Lyon. The French facet are perennially underestimated by the bookmakers even with excelling in European opposition. We’ll happily back them once more to win this group and perhaps the complete thing.

Group F: Manchester United (-275), Benfica (+650), Celtic (13/one), FC Copenhagen (50/one)

Gentleman Utd couldn’t have asked for a a lot more favourable draw. But luck is what they’ll need to get any additional than this stage. At this short cost, it is not worth betting on the Red Devils to win the group. Copenhagen are a unsafe team, having knocked Ajax out of this competition. They are a huge price to win the group and are really worth a modest punt. Benfica are solid as at any time in Portugal and experienced in the Champions League. They ought to declare second spot.

Group G: Arsenal (-161), Hamburg (nine/1), Porto (9/1), CSKA Moscow (10/one)

Arsenal had been the surprise group of the Champions League previous 12 months, heading all the way to the last and defying expectations with each and every match. This year, they seem to be overestimated. The Gunners have not yet settled into their new Emirates Stadium. The squad search noticeably unpleasant and will get more time to jell. In light of the over, it really is worth searching at the others. CSKA are a massive price tag at ten/one and the 2005 UEFA Cup champions must be backed to win this group. Russia is an daunting location for traveling to teams and the Muscovites are more than capable of claiming final results from their travels.

Group H: AC Milan (-333), Lille (6/1), AEK Athens (25/1), Anderlecht (33/1)

Milan should cruise through this group with relative ease. They are able of dismantling nearly any crew in the world and opponents like Lille, AEK and Anderlecht are hardly unsafe challengers. Lille are strong in France and might maintain Milan to a draw in their residence leg. As typical, Greek side AEK will be tough at property also, but they are hopeless on their travels. Anderlecht don’t deserve to be in this opposition. Even at this brief price tag, consider Milan.

About the Writer

Marc Carinci is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of his posts at www.procappers.com/Marc_Carinci.htm

The day the “Dutch trio” really arrived on the World Soccer stage

Write-up by Giorgio Pirelli

One of the greatest club teams to grace the European soccer stage was the Milan staff of the 1988-89 time, with the most outstanding factor about that European Cup winning team becoming that its backbone was shaped by 3 players hailing from the yet another nation, who a lot more by accident than style had been amongst the greatest gamers at any time to come out of Holland.The three gamers in question have been Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rikaard. Rikaard and Gullit had something in widespread as they have been each 50 percent Dutch and 50 percent Surinamese, offering them a striking dark skinned physical appearance with darkish curly locks. Strangely enough before arriving at Milan, the Dutch trio almost never played jointly, despite the fact that Rijkaard and Van Basten have been on Ajax Amsterdam’s publications at the very same time. Ruud Gullit manufactured his way to Milan from PSV Eindhoven, right after obtaining played beforehand for a few of small Dutch clubs.It was Milan chairman Sylvia Berlusconi who saw the likely in the Dutch trio and brought them to Milan for the 1987-88 seasons, raising a handful of eyebrows in the procedure. But the 3 players made an immediate impact. Rikaard could either play in defense or defensive midfield, Gullit was a gifted and flight of foot attacking midfielder and Van Basten was a classic aim scorer, who could strike equally nicely with both feet as nicely as getting extremely strong in the air. Milan won the Milan won their initial Italian Championship (Scudetto) for 8 years, with Rikaard and Gullit each creating important contributions, Even so van Basten only donned the red and black soccer uniform of AC Milan for just eleven games, getting continually troubled by an ankle injury. An injury that would later return and end his job prematurely.As the 1988/89 period began there was an air of optimism around Milan that this team was about to do fantastic things, and the beautiful football and performances in domestic tournaments surely proved that. However the staff had been stuttering badly in Europe and in spite of some really weak performances created it to the semi- ultimate against a quite sturdy Actual Madrid It was anticipated that the free of charge scoring Hugo Sanchez and his team mates would swiftly stop Milan’s interest in the tournament for that time. It undoubtedly appeared that way in the very first leg at the Bernabeu when Sanchez put the True into the lead in the 1st half. Nonetheless Rijkaard and Carlo Ancelotti managed and marshaled the Milan defence as true mounted wave after wave of attacks. The giant stadium was hushed into silence as Milan scored a fluke equalizer in opposition to the run of the play, as a header from Van Basten hit the bar and rebounded off the back again of goalkeeper Buoy into the internet. The skeptics mentioned that real would nevertheless get the 2nd leg in San Siro. They have been pressured to eat their words as Milan’s domestic sort at some point arrived together on the European stage and the Spanish champions fell to 1 of their heaviest defeats in Europe. It was Carlo Ancelotti of all folks who gave Milan the lead with a potent drive from 30 yards. Not lengthy right after Frank Rijkaard headed property the 2nd, and one more headed goal from Gullit sent Milan in at 50 percent time foremost three-. A few minutes into the second fifty percent indicators of the virtually telepathic comprehending that had created up among the Dutch trio in the much less than two seasons they had played collectively was stamped in background, as Gullit and Rijkaard combined to lay the ball on plate to Van Basten who clinically rammed the ball into the Actual internet. The stadium rose as one to celebrate this impressive group of footballers. Nearby Donadoni set the icing on the cake of a remarkable victory, and as the news broke that Milan have been to meet relative underdogs Steaua Bucharest in the last to be played in Barcelona, the feeling was that the trophy was theirs for the taking.Estimates are that more than eighty thousand Milan supporters created their way to the Camp Nou to see their beloved group play in the final. Though Steaua were the underdogs, they had won the European cup 3 a long time previously and superbly marshaled by the superbly gifted Gheorghe Hagi they have been still worth taking seriouslyHowever as the sport obtained beneath way, it quickly grew to become apparent that this was a great football staff, and a victory earned by actively playing in fashion was inevitable. The 1st target was not extended in coming as a strong shot from Van Basten cross shot was only parried the Steaua goalkeeper and Gullit was on the spot to prod residence the rebound. Half way via the initial 50 percent a Milan corner was cleared headed residence by Van Basten and with seven minutes to go until half time, Gullit scored his second of the night time as he crashed a volley into the roof of the net to make it three- and nearly closing the match as a contest. Within a moment of the second half kicking off, objective range four was currently becoming recorded, this time with Van Basten strolling onto nevertheless yet another Rijkaard inch perfect pass to steer the ball residence. Milan without doubt took their foot off the gas to prevent the game Steaua group unneeded punishment, with the remaining highlight getting Ruud Gullit’s substitution with 50 percent an hour nevertheless on the clock, a indication of Milan’s total supremacy on the park. As legendary captain Franco Baresi lifted the European it marked the most thorough win in a European Cup final because 1974, and the day that 3 soccer legends were born.

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