Friday, March 29, 2024

Are the English clubs capable of winning the Champions League?

Last night both Chelsea and Manchester United claimed away victories in the Champions League.

Chelsea were in control for much of their clash with Nordsjaelland, but didn’t secure the 4-0 victory until the last 20 minutes.

United defeated Cluj 2-1 in Transylvania, but made hard work of the victory.

The strike partnership of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie showed a lot of promise though, as the pair was involved in both of United’s goals.

Qualification

Arsenal and Manchester City both play tonight. City host German champions Dortmund and Arsenal host Greek champions Olympiakos. I would expect Arsenal and Manchester United to qualify from their groups with ease.

Chelsea and City may find it harder to make it to the knockout stages of the competition. At least Chelsea now has their first victory on the board and City will be hoping to get their first victory this evening.

Difficult

City won’t find it easy against the German champions though. Dortmund are a well drilled-outfit that plays some of the most progressive football in Europe. I really wouldn’t be surprised if they left the Etihad Stadium with the points.

Jurgen Klopp’s team were awful in last year’s competition, but opened this season’s campaign with a defeat of Dutch champions Ajax. They certainly won’t be pushovers.

Easier

I have to say I think the Champions League gods have been kind to Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal team this season. The teams that they face in the group stage aren’t exactly stellar European names.

The Gunners opponents this evening Olympiakos have lots of European experience, but very little experience at actually winning games in European competition. They opened their European campaign this season with a defeat against German side Schalke.

Problems

Manchester United are not enjoying their best start to a season. The Red Devils look vulnerable at the back and there are again question marks over their midfield. United haven’t had the best of teams in recent years, but have still managed to claim trophies.

Last year Sir Alex Ferguson’s club finished without a trophy and they didn’t exactly strengthen in the areas expected last summer. United were expected to bring in a quality central midfielder, but Ferguson seems to have a blind spot for central midfielders.

United have had to rely on the likes of veteran stars Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs this season. Tom Cleverley needs to start proving his worth, while Anderson has never fulfilled his potential at Old Trafford.

Manchester City are not exactly in sparkling form either. However, the return of Sergio Aguero should help give the team more of a threat going forward. As I’ve stated before City boss Roberto Mancini needs to revert to the 4-2-3-1 formation which brought the club so much success last season.

Quality

As an Englishman it’s sad to say but Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid have far more quality in their ranks than the English teams in the Champions League. Chelsea may have beaten Barca in the semi-finals last season, but they had a healthy dose of luck on their side.

Barcelona didn’t get out of first gear in their 2-0 victory over Benfica on Tuesday night. Even without starting the likes of Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta and David Villa they still secured a comfortable victory.

Real’s last Champions League encounter was a 3-2 beating of Manchester City. They may have left it late to defeat the Premier League side, but in truth Los Blancos could have had the game won far earlier.

I would say that Chelsea are a better all-round team this season and Arsenal are probably a more balance outfit than last season, even without Robin Van Persie. The two Manchester clubs just don’t seem to have got going yet.

Unlikely

It’s always nice to a Premier League side do well in the Champions League. Chelsea are very unlikely to enjoy the same amount of luck they had last season.

If any English club does win the Champions League this season then I suggest that they had a huge slice of luck along the way. The quality of the English sides is just not the same as their continent rivals and most fans know it.

Can an English club win the Champions League this season?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Nugent


David is a freelance football writer with nearly a decade of experience writing about the beautiful game. The experienced writer has written for over a dozen websites and also an international soccer magazine offline.
Arguably his best work has come as an editorial writer for Soccernews, sharing his good, bad and ugly opinions on the world’s favourite sport. During David’s writing career he has written editorials, betting previews, match previews, banter, news and opinion pieces.

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  • Jonah

    0 0

    I cnt wait to see chelsea beating bacca again. No worry about CL to have it or not.

  • Andy

    0 0

    top 3 teams this year based off of talent and form:

    1.barca
    2.Bayern
    3. Madrid

    One of those 3 wins it.

  • ISRAEL

    0 0

    The CL cup is going back to Barca. Take it or leave it. The 2012/13 CL cup is not for the English club. no English club currently have that tough tissue to contend at highest level of the CL.They are already funbling.
    I predict Barca all through.
    thanks

  • Peyton

    0 0

    I agree with pure24. Why are we considering Man City? They have far too less experience to be considered a CL contender.

  • marshal

    0 0

    I like all opinions. @least we have the right to visualise the scenario of things. Who believed Chelsea will win the CL last season. Although, I saw it coming frm afar, that we had a big slice of luck, from God. That’ll give us the trophy. And now U̶̲̥̅̊ are still doubting the re-ïnforcement of CHELSEA. We are out to carry it this $eason. As for other English side, they are though sides to beat this season. Thanks!

  • pure24

    0 0

    Hahahahahahahahaha… OMG Brad, couldn’t stop laughing…
    Thanks

  • Brad

    0 0

    (the name of the game) FOOTBALL! (the name of the game) FOOTBALL!

    ha ha.

    Love your style as well, Pure. Facts as well as opinion. Not a whole lot of people who have the former as well as the latter.

  • pure24

    0 0

    I’m liking cloud’s style… ‘my take on this’ – just classic!
    This is MY take on this: so far, domestically, Chelsea seem to have the edge. Winning the Champions League? Long shot. Especially considering th@ the Champions League is Jinxed! You win it once, then you wait a year to have another, proper shot (even the so-called ‘best team in the world’ – without a single proper trophy last season – failed. And the record holders Los Blancos couldn’t do it)

    Man City? Why are we even considering this team?!

    Arsenal, then? Well, here’s an actually strong Gunners side since the famous ‘unbeaten’ season… Bt if there’s one thing I know about Arsenal, its th@ they are up-and-down. They are so unpredictable it will definitely work against them.

    How about the Red Devils? Hmmm… my favourite team by the way. Bt I just cnt see them doing it. Stil, almost every squad Sir Fergusson has put together has been declared useless – and almost every squad has proven this wrong. 4get Jose Mourinho, Sir Alex is THE ONE. Nobody has even come close to wh@ Fergusson has done (except Mourinho, of course).

    Outside England, its a bit shaky as well… Barcelona are arguably the best team in the world. Bt they have only one style of play, and once this style is blocked, then they are blocked (Chelsea Vs. Barca). Madrid have the potential, and I’ll leave it at that.
    In a nutshell, I doubt anybody from England will win it. Then again, THIS IS FOOTBALL… or soccer

  • sumit sunar

    0 0

    chelsea will be champions again

  • Brad

    0 0

    Just think, cloud, they didn’t get out of the group last year, and it was no group of death! Sadly, I can’t really talk, as United were knocked into the Europa league as well, but you don’t hear us talking crap, really.

    Money won’t buy a Champions League title.

    Man United is the EPL team with the best chance to win the CL. But I still expect my team to only reach the quarter- or semifinals. Big Ears will be returning to Spain this season.

  • Majuwaz

    0 0

    Very gud article, am a Chelsea fan bt EPL sucks, I think Bundesliga rocks amongst all european leagues

  • cloud

    0 0

    .. this is my take on this; only Manchester United is the solid team in England. Solid in the form of Sir Alex’s presence. Even if things don’t go their way financially, Sir Alex still managed to be on the race for EPL’s trophy last year.

    .. Arsenal, they keep losing their good players every year. Wenger’s mentality of MAKING A TEAM FOR FUTURE is not working at all. He’s only developing a player for FUTURE SALE.

    .. Chelsea; Roman the Impatient. that’s all i can say.

    .. City; buying players left and right. And the worst is, the players train of thought is they already are one of the biggest club, City have this illusion, but they are big when it comes to money.

    .. City has been bragging their mouths off, but look at where they are now, in the group of Death. let’s see if they can even get out of their group.

  • cloud

    0 0

    .. this is my take on this; only Manchester United is the solid team in England. Solid in the form of Sir Alex’s presence. Even if things don’t go their way financially, Sir Alex still managed to be on the race for EPL’s trophy last year.

    .. Arsenal, they keep losing their good players every year. Wenger’s mentality of MAKING A TEAM FOR FUTURE is not working at all. He’s only developing a player for FUTURE SALE.

    .. Chelsea; Roman the Impatient. that’s all i can say.

    .. City; buying players left and right. And the worst is, the players train of thought is they already are one of the biggest club, City have this illusion, but they are big when it comes to money.

    .. City has been bragging their mouths off, but look at where they are now, in the group of Death. let’s see if they can even get out of their group.

  • Majuwaz

    0 0

    Very gud article, am a Chelsea fan bt EPL sucks, I think Bundesliga rocks amongst all european leagues

  • Brad

    0 0

    Just think, cloud, they didn’t get out of the group last year, and it was no group of death! Sadly, I can’t really talk, as United were knocked into the Europa league as well, but you don’t hear us talking crap, really.

    Money won’t buy a Champions League title.

    Man United is the EPL team with the best chance to win the CL. But I still expect my team to only reach the quarter- or semifinals. Big Ears will be returning to Spain this season.

  • sumit sunar

    0 0

    chelsea will be champions again

  • pure24

    0 0

    I’m liking cloud’s style… ‘my take on this’ – just classic!
    This is MY take on this: so far, domestically, Chelsea seem to have the edge. Winning the Champions League? Long shot. Especially considering th@ the Champions League is Jinxed! You win it once, then you wait a year to have another, proper shot (even the so-called ‘best team in the world’ – without a single proper trophy last season – failed. And the record holders Los Blancos couldn’t do it)

    Man City? Why are we even considering this team?!

    Arsenal, then? Well, here’s an actually strong Gunners side since the famous ‘unbeaten’ season… Bt if there’s one thing I know about Arsenal, its th@ they are up-and-down. They are so unpredictable it will definitely work against them.

    How about the Red Devils? Hmmm… my favourite team by the way. Bt I just cnt see them doing it. Stil, almost every squad Sir Fergusson has put together has been declared useless – and almost every squad has proven this wrong. 4get Jose Mourinho, Sir Alex is THE ONE. Nobody has even come close to wh@ Fergusson has done (except Mourinho, of course).

    Outside England, its a bit shaky as well… Barcelona are arguably the best team in the world. Bt they have only one style of play, and once this style is blocked, then they are blocked (Chelsea Vs. Barca). Madrid have the potential, and I’ll leave it at that.
    In a nutshell, I doubt anybody from England will win it. Then again, THIS IS FOOTBALL… or soccer

  • Brad

    0 0

    (the name of the game) FOOTBALL! (the name of the game) FOOTBALL!

    ha ha.

    Love your style as well, Pure. Facts as well as opinion. Not a whole lot of people who have the former as well as the latter.

  • pure24

    0 0

    Hahahahahahahahaha… OMG Brad, couldn’t stop laughing…
    Thanks

  • marshal

    0 0

    I like all opinions. @least we have the right to visualise the scenario of things. Who believed Chelsea will win the CL last season. Although, I saw it coming frm afar, that we had a big slice of luck, from God. That’ll give us the trophy. And now U̶̲̥̅̊ are still doubting the re-ïnforcement of CHELSEA. We are out to carry it this $eason. As for other English side, they are though sides to beat this season. Thanks!

  • Peyton

    0 0

    I agree with pure24. Why are we considering Man City? They have far too less experience to be considered a CL contender.

  • ISRAEL

    0 0

    The CL cup is going back to Barca. Take it or leave it. The 2012/13 CL cup is not for the English club. no English club currently have that tough tissue to contend at highest level of the CL.They are already funbling.
    I predict Barca all through.
    thanks

  • Andy

    0 0

    top 3 teams this year based off of talent and form:

    1.barca
    2.Bayern
    3. Madrid

    One of those 3 wins it.

  • Jonah

    0 0

    I cnt wait to see chelsea beating bacca again. No worry about CL to have it or not.

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