This year's group stage draw for the 2016-17 Champions League was dealt with little enthusiasm. Even I am writing this blog following Match Day 1.
The draw suggests a predictable pattern of most elite clubs plus 1-2 surprise packs making the round of 16. To that extent, Champions League is now flirting with losing its appeal as and becoming a total domain of the super rich.
As far as the predictions for who will top the groups:
Group A: PSG & Arsenal…..PSG have gone strangely cold but will top the group
Group B: Napoli & Benfica
Group C: Barcelona & Man City
Group D: Bayern & Atletico
Group E: Monaco & Leverkusen (This is one of the only unpredictable groups as Spurs will be a force too)
Group F: Dortmund & Real Madrid…in that order! I believe Dortmund will top this group
Group G: Porto & Leicester This is a remarkably weak group due to Leicester being seeded but that can make it unpredictable & exciting
Group H: Juventus & Sevilla
A you can see, the group stage with 1-2 exceptions (Groups E & G) is becoming predictable & boring. (I am getting tired of getting 15-16 predictions right season after season as a result!)
UEFA & the big clubs must address this issue. The news that the big 4 leagues (EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga & Serie A) will all have a permanent guaranteed 4 teams as of 2018 is hardly going to help the predictability which is fast setting in.
Nevertheless, meanwhile, let's we can look forward to a few sumptuous battles in the next few months:
Barcelona vs Pep & Man City
Bayern vs Atletico revenge match up from last season
Dortmund & Real Madrid resuming their exciting rivalry
No comments:
Post a Comment