The new European football season is already well on the way & the draw for the 2013-14 Champions League has also taken place.
Unlike previous years, I am running late with my pre season predictions of the major league & will be combining all my predictions in this post.
Amongst the glamour clubs of the ivy leagues in Europe, there are as usual mouth watering & puzzling transfers which will be finalised by 1st September:
Amongst the winners so far in the transfer market are:
In Germany, the record breaking defending European & Bundesliga Champions Bayern Munchen have signed the hugely talented Mario Goetze & Thiago Alcantra & of course Pep Guardiola & should win the Bundesliga again, whilst Dortmund will once again challenge both in Germany & Europe. Bundesliga will however struggle to challenge EPL & La Liga for supremacy unless other German teams manage to do well in the Champions & Europa League too. Therefore much is expected of Leverkusen & Schalke this season.
In Spain, Barcelona have captured Neymar but it is yet to be seen how the new coach will deal with Neymar & Messi whilst Real Madrid have allowed Mourinho & Higuain & a few others to leave whilst the hugely talented Isco, Carvajel & Illaramendi & Ancelotti have arrived. La Liga is once again the domain of these two & I tip Barcelona to prevail. Atletico Madrid have lost Falcao to Monaco but in David Villa as his replacement to give the big two a run for their money & alleviate the predictability of the two horse race aspect of La Liga.
In France, PSG & Monaco have taken the French League to another dimension by capturing Cavani & Falcao respectively but PSG will win Ligue 1.
Whilst I also tip Tevez to do well at Juventus, Napoli are the dark horses in Serie A & also in Champions League. Despite losing Cavani to PSG, Rafa Benitez has signed a few tactically superior players for Napoli & they may even pip Juventus to the post in Italy.
In the Premier League, Manchester City have signed the highly sought after trio of Negrado, Navas & Jovetic & in Pellegrini they have a more tempered & skilful coach than Mancini. Tottenham on the otehr hand, are a winner for buying many valued stars such as Poulinho & Eriksen & will be a winner just for selling Gareth Bale to Real Madrid at a price which is simply stupid!
I just watched Mourinho's Chelsea losing the European Super Cup to Bayern. Mourinho has already begun to transform Chelsea to a force to be reckoned with albeit with his usual defensive & dirty play. The new Manchester United coach David Moyes, & Arsen Wenger at Arsenal are on the other hand seemingly having trouble attracting top talent to their teams & will struggle to challenge.
My prediction for EPL: 1. Manchester City 2. Chelsea 3. Manchester United 4. Tottenham
