Do you already have the music in your ears? The Champions League, the most coveted cup in Europe, starts again. From this edition there is the novelty of the double time: two games on Tuesday and two on Wednesday start at 18.55, while the other races in the program slip from the traditional timetable of 20.45 to 21. It will be an Italian, the Inter , to take the field in advance against Tottenham.
Napoli also debuts today, away with the Red Star. Wednesday at 21 Real Madrid-Rome and Valencia-Juventus. Italiane aside, here's what awaits us in this first two days of Europe
GROUP A - Tuesday The main course is Monaco-Atletico Madrid. Simeone's team is not in a good moment, after the internal draw in the championship with the Eibar that followed the defeat with Celta. The Cholo must however redeem the elimination in the groups of last season and can not start with the wrong foot. Monaco, deeply revolutionized by the market, is still a team to be deciphered. In Ligue 1 he started badly: after his debut victory, only two points have arrived in the last four outings.
The other game sees Borussia Dortmund busy on the field of Bruges. The Belgians have won seven of their first eight official games this season. They arrive very dear when they return to the group stage of Champions (they were missing from 2005-06), but the Germans retain the favors of the prediction, although in the only crossroads in this event (preliminaries of 2003-04) the Bruges got the better (2- 2 in Germany after the 2-1 in Belgium of the Nerazzurri).
GROUP B - Tuesday It is the grouping of Inter and both races on the calendar are disputed at 18.55. In addition to the comparison between Spalletti's team and Tottenham, which we speak extensively in the rest of the site, here is Barcelona-Psv. The Spaniards are still at full points after four rounds in the Liga, while the Dutch with the new coach Van Bommel on the bench have won six of the first seven official races in the season, scoring the beauty of 27 goals. The problems of the PSV are however behind and the comparison in the house of Messi appears prohibitive.
GROUP C - Tuesday It is the group of Napoli, which debuts in Belgrade with the Red Star, on paper the cinderella of the lot. Liverpool-Psg is the best match of the entire first day of the Champions League. Opposite are the leaders of Premier and Ligue 1. Salah against Mbappé, Firmino (in doubt) against Cavani, Mané against Neymar: just mention the attacks to understand what show we go to meet. There will obviously not be Gigi Buffon, disqualified after the hard words in the post-Real-Juve game last season. Marco Verratti, expelled in Psg-Real Madrid, the last race played by the French in the last Champions League, was also stopped by the sporting judge. Nothing Italians, but the challenge remains of a unique charm.
GROUP D - Tuesday For many it is the least fascinating group of this edition. If we refer to the technical level, it is probably true, but at least there will be no balance, at least on paper. Today we start with Galatasaray-Lokomotiv Moscow and Schalke 04-Porto. Turks and Russians have faced each other in the Champions League since 2002, with a victory each, curiously always away from home. The Schalke is in full crisis (zero points in the first three days of the Bundesliga), while the Port travels to highs and lows after a good sprint in the first two rounds of the championship.
GROUP E - Wednesday Bayern Kovac's visit to Benfica at 21 after winning all six first games of the season. For the Portuguese it will be tough, although the champions of Germany are grappling with some injuries too (Tolisso and Rafinha the last stops of the weekend). In the other group match, there is the welcome return of Ajax, which hosts Aek Athens at 6.55 pm. For the Lancers the wonderful opportunity to start on the right foot and give the right turn to a group where it seems obvious to fight for second place. For the nostalgic will be the opportunity to review Huntelaar in the Champions League.
GROUP F - Wednesday Manchester City is the clear favorite of the group. The debut of the Guardiola band with the unpredictable Lyon hides some insidious, although the City has started with the foot on the accelerator the season. The confrontation between Shakhtar and Hoffenheim (at 18.55) is also interesting, with the Ukrainians who sold some big ones in the summer, but they always remain a loose cannon in the group stage, while the Germans have one of the most innovative young technicians on the planet. the 31-year-old Nagelsmann.
GROUP G - Wednesday It is the group of Rome, immediately committed to the field of European champions Real Madrid. The other challenge between Plzen and CSKA Moscow can immediately decide who can play the role of third uncomfortable in a group with two clear favorites, at least on paper.
GROUP H - Wednesday It is the grouping of Juventus, which will debut in Valencia with the first in bianconero of Cristiano Ronaldo in his favorite cup, the Champions League. In the other game, Manchester United of Mourinho can not miss the home of the Young Boys, Cinderella of the group. The British seem to have recovered after a tremendous start to the season, while the Swiss will try to translate into a positive result the enthusiasm for the first, historic qualification for the group stage of Champions.
Tags:
Uefa Champions Legue