The Champions League is right up there with March Madness in terms of excitement. You never know whats gonna happen (depending on who's reffing). One thing I definitely can say about this year is that it won't touch last years winners
As a Chelsea fan its tough writing this blog. Should be getting ready to defend their title but RDM wanted to play with 9 wing players at Juventus (yeah I know thats just one of the reasons but I'll never forgive him for that lineup). Alas, I felt like writing out my thoughts on the last 16 teams' title chances now that the unstoppable European force that is Chelsea Football Club is no longer around
YOU HAVIN A LAUGH?!?!:
Arsenal- Yeah I'm biased and I hate the scum gunners, but all that aside, if there was a team that has absolutely no chance at winning the cup this year, its Arsenal. I don't care if they draw Porto then Malaga, then a team forfeits in the semi's. There's no chance/way Arsenal can win. My reasoning? Its all mental. Name me ONE player on Arsenals regulars that you can see taking over a game or has the championship pedigree to rise to the occasion in such high stakes competition. Theo? Giroud? Laughable.
THAT ONE NIGHT WAS FUN:
Celtic- The expression "they shot their wad too soon", applies to Celtic in this tourney. I don't know a ton of Celtic fans, but my feeling is that if you were to ask 10 fans "would you take not getting out of the first round as long as it meant you'll beat Barca at home on the clubs birthday", 9 would say "fuckin aye". Inconsistent play domestically and on the road isn't giving me much confidence seeing them get out of the round of 16, no matter who they play
THE SOCCER GODS DON'T FORGET:
Shakhtar- Think you can just score a cheap goal against a much lower club and think everything is gonna be hunky dory? Getting knocked out in the first round no matter who they play
PUNCHING BAGS:
Valencia, Porto, Schalke- Seems like these clubs are always around during Euro competitions every year but never make much noise except Porto. Valencia is Valencia, I feel like they are just there like the weird kid in class. Everyones all like "what're you doing here?" but no one complains cause they aren't in the way. Schalke has been just a nightmare the last two months. One win in eight weeks and the other seven weeks consisted of three draws and four losses.
THANKS FOR PLAYING:
Malaga- The new kids on the block. Won their group, weak as it was, but for a debut Champions League season, winning your group is gonna give them some serious momentum going forward.
Galatasaray- Didn't really know how to catagorize them cause they definitely aren't punching bags, but I don't see how I could justifty sticking them with any of the other clubs left over. One thing that makes me believe they could make a run is their ridiculous home field advantage. Right matchups and good form could see them find their way to the semi's
ON THE EDGE:
AC Milan, PSG- Obviously both teams are two of the better teams in the world (or at least two of the most well known) and they got the talent to compete with any team in the tournament. Both have played well domestically and handled the competition in their groups fairly well. Just a matter of showing up to play when it counts since its inevitable that they run into the big clubs left in the tournament.
DON'T SLEEP ON EM
Borussia Dortmund- In this years "group of death" and they didn't even blink really. Came within a great Ozil free kick in the 89th minute from sweeping Madrid and recently came from behind to tie Bayern on the road and then put Man City out of their misery. They got the talent and the skill, just a matter of having enough experience to make a deep run
THE FAVORITES
Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona- Ask anyone who they are picking to win and their answer likely comes from this group. Boring but very accurate. Put a gun to my head and I'd say Madrid and Bayern are the two clear best teams in the tournament, so those two are the heavy favorites,
Barca: Soft; can have serious problems defending and I just don't see them over powering any of the top teams
Bayern: No chance they are over last years final, don't care what anyone says. Prime to choke again
United: Pains me to say it, but they are obviously solid from top to bottom and that includes, most importantly, coaching. But this isn't the EPL where they get their asses kissed 24/7 and even though they are dominating the league, I think their lead in the table has more to do with their competition faultering, rather than them dominating. Definitely not overrated, but I don't think they've really been tested
Madrid: Like United, not much wrong with them. Their faults domestically aside, I think they're the best team in the tournament. On paper at least
THE CHAMPS
Juventus- I could be a pussy and pick one of the favorites, but I like Juventus. Of course the match up draws play a huge role in the tournament and if they were to have to play every big club, I'd have been more wary of picking them, but they are very tough to beat and have the mentallity to go far in a tournament like this. Undefeated last year, top of the league this year, have studs at every level of the field from striker all the way to Buffon..Juventus are primed to win it all
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