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Sport EuroLeague UEFA Champions League Preview I - Group A to D
Sport EuroLeague UEFA Champions League Preview I - Group A to D | UEFA Champions League Preview I - Group A to D |
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| Written by Adeleke Afolayan | ||||||
| Tuesday, 16 September 2008 | ||||||
     With defending champions Manchester United opening its title defence tomorrow against Villarreal, today sees last season's runner-up Chelsea take on France's Bordeaux in one of the top picks of Matchday 1. Chelsea, currently leading the English Premier League after our games, will however be without midfielder Michael Essien, allowing Nigeria's John Obi Mikel to make the starting line-up. German midfielder Michael Ballack and Ivorian striker Didier Drogba could both make an appearance tonight for the Blues; Drogba made an brief appearance from the sidelines in the 3-1 win over Manchester City. Bordeaux meanwhile mark a return to Europe's elite club competition and coach Laurent Blanc has at his disposal a few talents that could trouble the Stamford Bridge fortress where Chelsea have not lost in four seasons. The man to watch for the French side would be Yoann Gourcuff, on loan from AC Milan, and Brazilian striker Wendell while Chelsea's main threat is expected to come from Portuguese international Deco. The other Group A match will see Italians AS Roma play host to competition debutantes CFR Cluj with Daniele de Rossi set to miss the tie for Roma while talisman Francesco Totti could make a return from a long injury lay-off. Group B sees Italian league champions Inter Milan travel to Athens to face Greek side Panathinaikos in Jose Mourinho's first European match with the Nezaruzzis while Anorthosis Famagusta makes its Chmapions League debut away at Werder Bremen of Germany. Inter, which has defender Ivan Cordoba back from injury, will be aiming for a much better campaign this season in a competition the club has failed to replicate its success on the local scene where it has won the league title in the last three seasons. 2006 winners Barcelona open its campaign in Group C at home to Sporting Lisbon of Portugal without the injured Alexander Hleb and on the back of the club's worst league start in 35 years. It would be a shock if the Catalan side managed by club legend Josep Guardiola does not make it out of the group which also consists of Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk and FC Basel of Switzerland. All eyes however would be on Group D where five time champions, Liverpool travel to France to face Marseille at the venue it completed a remarkable comeback from the brink of a first round exit last season with a 4-0 win, Marseille's heaviest home defeat in Europe. Liverpool will be bouyed by last weekend's 2-1 win over archrivals Manchester United in the Premier League as well as the return of captain Steven Gerrard from injury while top striker Fernando Torres is could also make a return from injuru as well. Marseille meanwhile have also had a good start to the season in the French Ligue 1 and a reinforced squad that has seen Hatem Ben Arfa amongst others join the ranks at the Velodrome. Finally at the Philips Stadium, Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven face a tricky contest at home to Atletico Madrid that is making its debut in the Champions League, perhaps surprising but true. This seasons Champions League final will hold at the Olimpico Stadium in Rome, home of AS Roma in Group A and it would see the return of Bayern Munich and Juventus to the competition as well as a host of debutantes including UEFA Cup champions and Super Cup winners FC Zenit St Petersbug of Russia.  Quote this article on your site | Views: 245 | Print | E-mail
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 16 September 2008 ) | ||||||
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