Almost two months ago, a Kingsley Coman was enough for Bayern Munich to lift their sixth European title over Paris Saint-Germain. Now, in October, the 2020/21 Champions League group stages are beginning. The usual suspects of Bayern, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and Manchester City are all present but there are debuts for Istanbul Basaksehir, Krasnodar, Midtjylland and Rennes.
Below is who I think will make it through to the last 16.
Group A - Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow
Bayern, like they do in the Bundesliga, blew everybody away in the Champions League last season. Their football since Hansi Flick took over has been sensational and they will easily progress. Fatigue could be a concern later down the line. Atleti won't be a challenge to Bayern for top spot but nobody else will challenge them for second, either. Salzburg with Erling Haaland and Takumi Minamino almost made the knockout stages last season but without them, they limped out of the Europa League to Eintracht Frankfurt. It will be between them and Lokomotiv for the Europa spot and I make the Russians the slightly superior side.
Champions League: Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid; Europa League: Lokomotiv Moscow
Group B - Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan and Borussia Monchengladbach
Real looked very weak when up against Manchester City in the last sixteen a few months ago but winning La Liga was an important step for them. They suffered a shock defeat to Cadiz on the weekend in their training ground but that won't be cause for concern as far as the Champions League is concerned. Inter could push Real all the way and despite being seeded third, they will come through this group. Monchengladbach haven't made a good start to their league campaign while Shakhtar remain unbeaten. Shakhtar would be my bet for the Europa League.
Champions League: Real Madrid and Inter Milan; Europa League: Shakhtar Donetsk
Group C - Porto, Manchester City, Olympiacos and Marseille
For once, Manchester City and Shakhtar are separated because City didn't win either title thus aren't first seeds. They are clearly the best team in this group by some distance. It's between Porto and Marseille for the final spot, for me. They meet in the third and fourth matchdays and whoever can come away in a positive position should come second. In my mid, I'd favour Porto. Olympiacos will come bottom.
Champions League: Manchester City and Porto; Europa League: Marseille
Group D - Liverpool, Ajax, Atalanta and Midjtylland
The injury of Virgil van Dijk will massively impact Liverpool but such is their group, you'd suspect them to still come first. Midjtyllan's data-driven approach to football has received plaudits but I don't think they are as strong as the other two. Both Ajax and Atalanta play free-flowing, attacking football and the Italians were so close to making the semi-finals, just as the Dutchmen did two seasons ago. That Ajax side has been ripped up by the elites but Atalanta have only lost Timothy Castagne to Leicester, and have improved their squad with attacker Sam Lammers and scored 14 goals in 4 league games. Atalanta over Ajax.
Champions League: Liverpool and Atalanta; Europa League: Ajax
Group E - Sevilla, Chelsea, Krasnodar and Rennes
You'd normally expect each English club to come top but not here. Sevilla have a better manager in Julien Lopetegui and a much better, rounded squad. They beat Manchester United last year, don't forget. Chelsea's attack is frightening but their defence is frighteningly bad. Edouard Mendy gets to return to Rennes a month after leaving the club for Chelsea and between the French side and Krasnodar, it has to be Rennes. Krasnodar have started their season incredibly poorly for a team that qualified for the Champions League.
Champions League: Sevilla and Chelsea; Europa League: Rennes
Group F - Zenit Saint Petersburg, Borussia Dortmund, Lazio and Club Brugge
I have a mistrust of all Russian sides but I think Zenit could be well placed to progress, just not first. Dortmund would be my favourites to come top as they're a side stacked with attacking talent - Haaland, Sancho, Reyna etc. - but you never feel like they'll be a threat in the latter stages. Club Brugge are the weakest side and I think Lazio will come third.
Champions League: Borussia Dortmund and Zenit Saint Petersburg; Europa League: Lazio
Group G - Juventus, Barcelona, Dynamo Kyiv and Ferencvaros
This group seems fairly simple. It's brilliant that Ferencvaros have qualified and hopefully this is the start of a Hungarian football renaissance. Unluckily, or perhaps luckily, they get to play Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, whose double face-off will be great television. Dynamo Kyiv will come third so it is a straight shootout between Juve and Barcelona. Juventus have a better squad but Pirlo's inexperience is a problem. I'd still favour them over Barcelona, who need more transfer windows (and money) to sort their mess out.
Champions League: Juventus and Barcelona; Europa League: Dynamo Kyiv
Group H - Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, RB Leipzig and Istanbul Basaksehir
This group has all kinds of money involved. Arab money, old money, corporate money and state money! The joys of modern football! PSG seem most likely to top the group and you'd suspect Manchester United to join them but this team is Jekyll and Hyde. Timo Werner is a massive loss for Leipzig but they haven't acted like it - topping the Bundesliga. Big predcition: Manchester United won't qualify. Istanbul Basaksehir - interesting story, not a particularly good one, but a fourth place finish.
Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig; Europa League: Manchester United
There you go. Some interesting matches await. Let's not expand it to 36, shall we.
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