Ah, it’s that time of year again. The Champions League is back. However, this year’s competition (for us Gooners, anyway) doesn’t hold the same amount of optimism as previous years. It’s a shame, because the Champions League is the best competition in the world, in my mind. I suppose we can say that we are lucky to be there in the first place.
As for the other teams in the tournament, it looks like most of the ‘big’ teams have a straightforward path to the knockout stages; Barcelona probably have the hardest draw with trips to Milan and Eastern Europe. How ironic is it, then, that once it gets down to the nitty-gritty of the last few games, you can’t help but go for Barcelona to win it again?
Sure, they might not win every game, but over two legs they are surely the toughest nut to crack and their home form is immense. No other side in Europe, or indeed the world, can boast a better side than the Catalans. Even without Fabregas, they could still easily have that accolade. I am more than happy to concede that the football they play is second to none; the Gunners still have a long way to go before they can have any kind of comparison to Barcelona any time soon (they just need to win a trophy). Their superiority in the football world begs the question: can anyone beat Barca?
And the answer is… No, probably not. Don’t agree with me? Well, let’s take a look at the possible candidates:
Their main rivals, Manchester United – probably the form team in Europe right now, (Barcelona drew at the weekend), and they do look unbeatable. Despite this, the same can be said for Barcelona, who never seem to look like losing. If the draw allows it, these two should be in the final once again in Munich. But who in their right mind would bet against Barca? It seems unthinkable.
Their native rivals, Real Madrid, also pose a serious threat. Well, more serious than last year, anyway. They look a much more rejuvenated side this year, and played well against Barcelona in the Super Cup, but not well enough, as Barca’s victory proved. In reality, they outclassed them – and not for the first time. A Real-Barca final would certainly be a more entertaining one – simply because they tend to beat the living daylights out of each other – and seeing Jose’s face – whether he wins or not – is sure to bring joy to us neutrals.
There are some other outsiders – AVB’s Chelsea, for instance, who may be going under some sort of revolution under the control of their already successful coach. His albeit short but valuable experience in a successful European campaign could prove vital for Chelsea – after all, it may cost him his job if he fails to bring home the bacon. And that extra (although totally unnecessary) pressure laid onto him by their eccentric owner may cause him to find that special formula to beat the best in the world.
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| AVB: Already won in Europe |
By the way, anyone even thinking that Manchester City pose a threat to Barca can take that idea and flush it down the toilet – they’ll be lucky to make it to the quarters. They have a very testing group and the best case scenario for the Citizens is probably finishing third and winning the Europa League – something much more realistic. Anyway, if they got to play Barcelona they would never win over two legs; Barca would surely prove too powerful, though I would love to watch that match.
I couldn’t go a single post without mentioning the Arsenal, except I really cannot predict what will happen. And you can’t really blame me after watching them scrape a win over lowly Swansea City thanks to a comical error. I’m really not sure where the club is headed still, but we could sure as hell beat Barcelona!
We just have to make sure we make it through the group stage first.
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