With the majority of European leagues already underway, and the recent Champions League draw revealed, it wont be long before the start of club football’s biggest competition.
Understandably, there will be the usual hyperbole surrounding the big two this year. Barcelona and Real Madrid have dominated the Champions League in recent years. The Spanish giants have wrestled the trophy from one another over the past three years. According to the listings by Total Sportek, prior to their three-year dominance in the competition, both clubs have also had sustained periods of dominance – the most notable was Barcelona’s reign under new Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola when they won the trophy on two separate occasions (2009, 2011).
The two Spanish behemoths will be favourites to once again reach the pinnacle of footballing greatness. However, there have been some interesting shifts in momentum this summer, most notably in the Premier League. The English top flight has welcomed Pep Guardiola to Manchester from Munich, and the ‘Chosen One’ has swapped unemployment for the Old Trafford hotseat. Also, the calibre of players brought by Premier League clubs has been widely noticed by the media, fans, players and casual spectators.
So has the Premier League begun its climb back to the summit of European football after some rather disappointing years? Let’s have a look at the four English clubs in this year’s CL group stages as well as Manchester United who will be competing in the Europa League.
Leicester City
Everyone enjoyed watching how Leicester’s crazy season went from relegation contenders to champions of England. Under the guidance of Claudio Ranieri they managed to do the impossible amid an underperforming cast list of Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United last campaign.
This season, they have been blessed with a relatively easy group to get out of in the CL group stages but Ranieri won’t be taking anything for granted. Can they make it to the latter stages of the tournament? Anything is possible. They haven’t got the biggest squad, but they do have a ton of heart, whether that will be enough against some of the wily Italian and Spanish sides is up for debate, but it’ll certainly be an interesting ride.
Prediction: First Round Knockout Stage
Arsenal
It’s one of the most frustrating tales in football. The weaknesses are there to see but manager Arsene Wenger sticks by his guns every year and refuses to bend on his philosophy of not spending money and bringing in the combative-natured players the Gunners yearn for that will transfer them into perennial underachievers to European juggernauts.
Prediction: Quarter Finals
Manchester City
Luring Pep Guardiola to Manchester was a feat in its own, but his magnetism in turn, has been able to attract some interesting personnel this summer. Signings include Leroy Sane (Schalke), John Stones (Everton), Gabriel Jesus (Palmieras), Ilkay Gundogan (Dortmund), Claudio Bravo (Barcelona) and Nolito (Celta Vigo) according to leading football news portal Transfer Markt.
In their qualifying group they have been drawn against Guardiola’s old club Barcelona, thus the tussle to finish top of the group will be interesting to say the least. Also, they will be accompanied by Scottish team Celtic and German side Borussia Monchengladback. Sports betting website Betfair, who cover the CL extensively documented that the German side are no strangers to City having drawn them in the group stages of the 2015/16 competition, reports journalist Martin Lintorn.
Prediction: Semi Finals
Tottenham
This will certainly be a learning curve for Mauricio Pochettino’s young Spurs side. The Argentine continues to entrust in the White Hart Lane youth system as he looks to build success on a core group of talented individuals.
Although their experience in Europe’s biggest club tournament will be thin on the ground in North London. They’ve also been handed a tough group, drawn against Bayer Leverkusen, Monaco and CSKA Moscow. Early results in the group will be vital as the club look to adapt to the elite level of club football for the first time since Harry Redknapp’s reign.
Prediction: First Round Knockout Stage
Manchester United
If any club has been a catalyst to change the fortunes of English clubs in Europe it is United. Having first acquired Mourinho as their new manager, they then gave him the resources to bring in marque signings Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovich. For the first time in a while, English clubs have beaten the likes of Barca and the Madrid clubs to world superstars and this could ignite a shift in dominance in the coming years. If Mourinho takes the Europa League seriously, there’s a great chance they’ll be lifting the trophy in May.
Prediction: Europa League Winners
For the full draw for the group section of the Champions League, you can view it her on UEFA’s official website.