The Champions League is Back

The Champions League is Back

There are some interesting tie ups, especially in Group C where Pep Guardiola's Manchester City meets his former team FC Barcelona.

Group A

It should be a fight between PSG & Arsenal for the Top 2 Spots.


Group B

This is a Group of Death for me. Benifica & Napoli are favorites for me but count out Dyanamo Kyiv & Besiktas at your own Peril

Group C

Interesting  tie between Barcelona & Man City. Pep's earlier return to Barcelona with Bayern Munich was not a success. It will be the same again as Barcelona is expected to top the group followed by Man City

Group D

Expect Bayern Munich to top the group followed by Atletico, though Deigo Simeone's men can pull an upset like they did in last season's semi finals

Group E

Thanks to change in UEFA's seeding policy where in they seed the League winner as Top 8 seeds we find CSKA Moskva as Top seeds in this group, another tight group were all 4 teams can go thru as the balance teams are Leverkesun, Tottenham  & Monaco

Group F

Defending Champions Real Madrid expected to top the group. A fight for second position between Dortmund & Sporting Lisbon.

Group G

If a year ago someone had predicted that Leicester City will be top seeded in UCL group as English Champions people would have told him to check a psychiatrist. But they are the Top seeds.

Expect Porto to qualify for the next round. For the second place a fight between The Foxes & the Belgian team Club Brugge.

And finally Group H

Expect the Italian Champions Juventus & Europa Cup winners Sevilla to go thru.

Contenders in the Top Leagues

With the Major Leagues of Europe starting this month lets have a look at the Potential Contenders in France, Italy, Germany, Spain & England - The Top 5 Leagues of Europe.

French Ligue 1


It should be a One Horse Race.

Paris Saint-Germain

It is for PSG's to loose, But to whom is the question. With no proper challenger, even the loss of talisman Zaltan Ibrahimovic should not affect the Parisan's title defence.

And in the new Manager Unai Emery, they have an experienced campaigner who has taken Sevilla to 3 consecutive Europa Cup titles.


Italian Serie A

Juventus is the favourite to defend their title once again with Napoli a weak challenger.

Juventus

The Old Lady from Turin is expected to defend their title successfully & win the Serie A for the sixth consecutive time.

The World record transfer of Paul Pogba to Manchester United will not have a negative effect on the Turin club's title defense. In fact they have already invested part of the money astutely in the form of the Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain whom they bought from direct title rivals Napoli.

Add to it Juve has the meanest back 5 in Italy in the form of Goal Keeper Buffon & defender Chiellini, Barzagli, Bonucci & Lichtsteiner.

Napoli

The closest challengers to Juve should be Napoli as they were in last few seasons, but the sale of Higuain to Juve will certainly dampen their title challange.

 
German Bundesliga

As usual it will be a two horse race between Bayern Munich  & Borussia Dortmund


Bayern Munich

With the deadliest Number 9 in Europe in form the Pole Robert Lewandowski & the signing of defender Mats Hummels from rivals Dortmund the Munich team is the favourite to  win the league title for the 5th time.

And in Carlo Ancelotti they have an experienced campaigner who has won titles in Italy, England & France. Though the main target of the German Giants will be the Champions League.

Borussia Dortmund

The transfer of Hummels to Bayern has weakened the Ruhr clubs title challenge. But Die Borussen has proved in the past that such sales do not affect them much as they play with a high pressing tactics & the return of Mario Gotze will certainly help them to mount a challange.

Spainish La Liga

It will be a 3 horse race between the Catalan Giants & the 2 Madrid Clubs

Barcelona

With the most potent attacking Trio in the world in the form of MNS attack has never been Barcelona's problem. The trouble for the Catalans has been the defence which they are yet to strengthen.

Also the predictability of the passing game is an issue which manager Luiz Enrique will have to address, which was very evident in the later half the domestic season & the Champions League Quarter Finals where they got knocked out by Atletico Madrid & the demise of Spain the Round of 16 in the Euros.

Real Madrid

The Domestic title will certainly be the top priority for the Galacticos which they last won Four seasons ago in 2012.

The return of Morata from Juventus will certainly boost Zinadine Zidane's challange in his First full season as the manager of Los Blancos

Atletico Madrid

In the last few seasons the other Madrid Club has made La Liga a 3 horse race.

Diego Simeone's team has managed to challenge for the title & indeed win it 2 seasons ago in spite of them being a selling club.

But this time around they have held on to their priced asset Antoine Griezmann & with Torres having a new lease of life count Atletico out at your own peril

English Premier League


EPL is the toughest & most challenging League in the World, One look at the defending champions will prove it.

Leicester City, yes Leicester City.

The top contenders are

Manchester City

City are the favourites to win the title along with neighbours United, if not for anything than for the manager Pep Guardiola.

Also the addition of Leroy Sane, Nolito & Gundogan will certainly help the title challange.

Manchester United

Like neighbours City the manager of United will certainly make them title favourites as Jose Mourinho is back in the EPL.

After a disappointing 3 season after the stepping down of Sir ALex Ferguson, the United fans can hope & dream for the title this season with the "Special One" at helm.

By signing of Paul Pogba in a World Record transfer fees, United have made their intentions clear.

While the 2 Manchester Clubs are the favourites to win the title Chelsea & Liverpool have to be counted in as they do not have any European Competitions to think off.

Defending Champions Leicester City will certainly not defend their titles - Miracles happen once in a life time though they can finish in the top half.

Arsenal will find it difficult to finish in Top 4 thanks to Wenger's stubbornness in signing  a Striker, while Spurs may find it hard to be consistent.