Champions League preview: Manchester and London’s finest prepare fresh assault on Europe’s most prestigious trophy

The UEFA Champions League group stages kick off in earnest this week, just 107 days after last season’s finale was played out at Wembley.

The Champions League kick-off is always a stand-out date in the football calendar and this season is no different. As ever, the Premier League is strongly represented with four clubs in the mix. Arsenal earned their place with an impressive aggregate victory against Udinese in qualifying, whilst Manchester City will make their debut in the competition. Perennial qualifiers Manchester United and Chelsea make up the English contingent, and all will be hoping to emulate holders Barcelona, who are once again likely to prove the biggest obstacle. Here, we preview each of the Premier League side’s groups and predict who will go through.

Group A

Bayern Munich
Villarreal
MANCHESTER CITY
Napoli

Group B is undoubtedly this season’s ‘Group of Death’. German giants Bayern Munich, experienced Spanish outfit Villarreal, big-spending Manchester City, and improving Napoli, will all feel they have a chance of progressing. Despite being seeded third, competition debutants Manchester City are among the favourites to win the whole competition having added Sergio Aguero and Samir Nasri to an already star-studded squad. Although inexperienced as a club at the highest level, the Champions League experience of many of their players should ensure they take to the competition like a duck to water, starting at home to Napoli on Wednesday. The semi-finalists from 2006, Villarreal, cannot dip into the talent pools like they once could, but still play an attractive style of football and Napoli boast one of Serie A’s stand-out players in Edinson Cavani. As for Bayern, they will be desperate to reach the final having been chosen to host the event, but will be aware of the pressure this brings and will have watched how Real Madrid struggled in the same situation two years ago when the Santiago Bernabeu was the final’s setting. Supporters from the Etihad Stadium will be dreaming of two trips to the Allianz Arena this season.

Players to watch:
Bayern Munich: Mario Gomez
Villarreal: Guiseppe Rossi
Napoli: Edinson Cavani

Prediction:
1st MAN CITY
2nd Bayern Munich

Group C

MANCHESTER UNITED
Benfica
Basel
Otelul Galati

Manchester United were gifted perhaps the easiest draw of the English teams, and will be expected to make comfortable progress into the last 16. The matches against Benfica will be sure to evoke memories of United’s maiden European Cup win in 1968, when they ran out 4-1 winners at Wembley on a famous night. Matchday one in Lisbon will be a tough test, but should Sir Alex Ferguson’s men avoid defeat, it is hard to imagine them suffering any major wobbles. Swiss champions FC Basel boast prodigious talent Xherdan Shaqiri in their squad, and he will be looking to the games against United as a springboard to a big-money move to the Premier League. Nobody knows quite what to expect of debutants Otelul Galati of Romania, but you get the feeling that even if Fergie rotates his squad, his summer transfer dealings should ensure that even his fringe players will be good enough to get the job done on some nights.

Players to watch:
Benfica: Oscar Cardozo
Basel: Xerdan Shaqiri
Otelul Galati: Gabriel Paraschiv

Prediction:
1st – MANCHESTER UNITED
2nd – Benfica

Group E

CHELSEA
Valencia
Bayer Leverkusen
Genk

The return of Chelsea’s Juan Mata to Valencia is the biggest talking point in Group C. As with Villarreal, Valencia have seen better days, having lost David Villa and David Silva in recent years. The Mestalla is always a tough place to visit however, and Mata’s old club should still be the Blues’ biggest challengers. 2002 runners-up Bayer Leverkusen may also have a say, though. They were Dortmund’s closest challengers in the Bundesliga last term, but have lost playmaker Arturo Vidal. Belgian champions Genk should be swatted away without too much difficulty. Roman Abramovich hopes this can finally be the year the European Cup is delivered to Stamford Bridge. Andre Vilas-Boas is charged with the task, and has already tasted European success with Porto last season. The “New Special One” has just one full season of club management under his belt though, and much will depend on whether Fernando Torres can rediscover his best form. They begin their campaign at home to Leverkusen.

Players to watch:
Valencia: Roberto Soldado
Bayer Leverkusen: Michael Ballack
Genk: Elyaniv Barda

Prediction:
1st – CHELSEA
2nd – Valencia

Group F

ARSENAL
Marseille
Olympiakos
Borussia Dortmund

On the face of it, Group A will represent an awkward challenge for Arsenal. German Champions Borussia Dortmund were perceived as perhaps the toughest team in pot four, and with no obvious minnows in the group, qualification will not be easy. Marseille were only narrowly eliminated by Manchester United last season, whilst Olympiakos managed to beat Arsenal in this stage back in 2009, albeit the North Londoners were already qualified. The Gunners’ opening fixture in Western Germany could set the tone for the rest of their campaign. The crux of the Germans’ title-winning team has been maintained, and the Rhine-based outfit could be the tournament’s dark horse. A positive result may well set Arsenal on route to qualification, although with their current troubles, as well as the hostile crowd likely to greet them at all three away games, don’t be surprised to see Arsenal still needing a result on match day six when they go to Athens.

Players to watch:
Marseille: Loic Remy
Borussia Dortmund : Mario Gotze
Olympiakos: Marko Pantelic

Prediction:
1st – Borussia Dortmund
2nd – ARSENAL

Jamie Jubon