|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Handicapping the Champions League
Predictions are a risky business, unless you happen to be wearing a suit spangled with stars and crescents or are gazing into a crystal ball. One thing I've learned (after correctly predicting just four out of eight quarterfinalists at Euro 2000) is that it's the best way to expose yourself to ridicule. Still, duty calls and the Champions League is just getting into full swing, so I'm taking a crack at it. Feel free to humiliate me when I get everything wrong. GROUP A: Defending champion Real Madrid will have a rougher ride than expected without injured striker Fernando Morientes . There is enough talent here to win all the home games, but away trips, especially to Leverkusen and Moscow, won't be much fun. Bayer Leverkusen, having lost its opener in Moscow, can't really afford any more slip-ups. If it does fall flat, Sporting Lisbon and Spartak are in with a shot, provided the former learn to be more direct and the latter find a way to bring home points on the road. GROUP B: Lazio is a cut above the rest and the strike force of Hernan Crespo and Claudio Lopez , on paper at least, is as good as they come. Sven Goran Eriksson's team is not as deep as it was last season, but, for the time being, that shouldn't really be a problem. The only real question with Arsenal was how it would fare away to Sparta Prague and Shakhtar Donetsk. Well, it won in the Czech Republic and, by the time it goes to Donetsk, it could well have clinched qualification to the second round. It's hard to see either Sparta or Shaktyor getting through. GROUP C: This is a well-balanced group. On paper, Lyon and Valencia get the nod, but the French club is still too reliant on Sonny Anderson, while Hector Cuper's boys still may need some time to find the right balance following the departures of Claudio Lopez, Gerard and Farinos . Olympiakos could spring a few surprises, despite its slow start. Last year, it was very unlucky not to do better and this season, it could well ruffle a few feathers. Heerenveen is a notch below the others, and it will take a combination of favorable results to give it a decent shot at the second round. GROUP D: Galatasaray is no longer on the fringes: last season it proved it deserved to be included among the continent's traditional powers. Still, it will be in for a rough ride, especially now that Gheorghe Hagi has been hit with a five-match ban. Mario Jardel may not be enough to overcome Monaco and Rangers. The French club, despite losing Fabien Barthez and David Trezeguet , is a real handful and will only get better if Shabhani Nonda lives up to his potential. As for Rangers, it picked up another big gun in Ronald De Boer , bringing the number of Dutch internationals at Ibrox to five. Throw in the fact that manager Dick Advocaat is one of the finest tactical minds in Europe, and this club could well go far. Sturm Graz on the other hand only appears to be here to make up the numbers. GROUP E: A lot is expected from Juventus after last season's disappointments. Carlo Ancelotti's club knows there can be no excuses this year. Even if Alex Del Piero doesn't sort himself out until the second round, it should have little trouble progressing. Deportivo La Coruna is the other obvious choice. The Spanish champions may lack a little bit of European experience, but Javier Irureta's squad has plenty of depth and talent. They should shade it over Hamburg and Panathinaikos, both of whom appear overmatched. GROUP F: No sweat for Bayern Munich here. The Germans still have a few lingering question marks, but Ottmar Hitzfeld's team is simply too strong. Rosenberg may well prove that last year was anything but a fluke, as Paris St. Germain found out on the opening day. Look for the Norwegians to sneak through again, as PSG still appears rather unsettled. Helsingborgs had its day in the sun knocking out Inter Milan in the preliminary around and its Champions League journey should end here. GROUP G: Manchester United is the clear favorite, though Sir Alex Ferguson will have to resolve a number of issues (mainly shoring up a backline which looks increasingly suspect) if this team is going to get far. Second place is a toss up between PSV Eindhoven and Dynamo Kyiv. The Dutch club will get a big boost if Ruud Van Nistelrooy returns to his best, while Shatskich and Demetradze are doing their best Serhii Rebrov-Andriy Shevchenko imitation for the Ukrainians. It's very close, but Dynamo's superior organization should clinch it. As for Anderlecht, it looks destined for the basement. GROUP H: Barcelona and AC Milan look untouchable at least in the first stage. Serra Ferrer has overhauled the club and, while it will take time to settle, in the meantime Rivaldo and co. are more than enough to secure a spot in the second round. Milan hasn't rung too many changes (apart from Fernando Redondo , who is currently injured anyway), but the team looks solid top to bottom. A number of players ( Tomas Helveg, Jose Mari, Serginho, Jose Chamot, Oliver Bierhoff ) are looking to come back after lackluster campaigns and if manager Alberto Zaccheroni can get them on the right track, Milan will go far. Injury-riddled Leeds is in serious trouble, made only worse by the injury to Harry Kewell and the wrangling with Mark Viduka over the Olympics. Even if everybody had been fit, knocking out Milan and Barcelona would have been a monumental task. Besiktas is making its first appearance in the Champions League and, despite having some talented players (Umit, Nouma), looks out of its depth.
| ||||||||||||||||
