Daunting task for Blues

No team has successfully retained Europe’s top prize for 22 years since AC Milan and the last English team to complete this feat was Nottingham Forest way back in 1980. 

This is the task facing Chelsea as they began their title defence, in which they are not even among the top five contenders.

The Chelsea team has undergone an overhaul this summer that gives them a new style. While the familiar faces of Lampard and Terry, Cech and Torres are still around, the addition of Hazard and Oscar coinciding with the loss of the talismanic Didier Drogba, has ensured that Chelsea are more committed to attack.

This was evident in their opening match against Juventus. Oscar’s second was an early contender for goal of the season as he spectacularly curled the ball into the top corner from outside the box. However, their soft under-belly was exposed with England’s Euro 2012 nemesis, Andrea Pirlo, pulling the strings as Juve pulled back a two-goal deficit.

In a bizarre twist of fate the two sides that have historically dominated the former European Cup, Real Madrid who were the top team for five successive years from 1956, and Ajax (1971-73) have been drawn in the same group.

Also in this group is another English team to throw away a lead (twice), the new side on the top of the European ‘rich list’ (based on money spent on transfers and wages), Manchester City. 

United’s ‘noisy neighbours’ will hope that they do not have to wait as long as Chelsea to lift the trophy, the Stamford Bridge outfit having endured the agony of four semi-final exits in the eight seasons prior to their triumph last season against Bayern Munich.

Mancini’s team appear to be suffering from his squad rotation and looked unsettled defensively. The Premier League success last season was built on a solid defence, conceding just 29 goals in 38 games. Following Sunday’s home draw with Arsenal, City have now leaked 12 goals in just seven games.

Their avenger on this occasion was former Red Devil, Christiano Ronaldo.  His last-minute dipping strike settled a pulsating tie at the Bernabeu. With Hart and Kompany losing their aura, one more starting statistic is that Real managed a phenomenal 29 shots on goal. Rather than bemoaning the manner of their defeat, perhaps they should marvel at how they kept Real at bay for as long as they did!

In a stuttering start to the season, Real appear to only put the effort in when they absolutely have to – in this game against City and in the second leg of the Spanish Cup final against Barcelona, over-turning a first leg deficit to lift the trophy.

Ronaldo’s rivals for individual European honours all appear to reside with Barcelona who needed two late Lionel Messi goals to overcome a spirited Spartak Moscow. He has now managed 109 goals in his last 100 games and 10 in his last seven!

While Manchester United secured a clean sheet they can count themselves fortunate as visitors, Galatasary, hit the woodwork twice and had two viable penalty appeals declined. 

The two main talking points after the game, however, centred around why Nani took, and subsequently missed, United’s penalty, and a heart-warming moment when substitute, Darren Fletcher, received a standing ovation in recognition of his return to action after a long-standing illness.

The two remaining British teams demonstrated the most resolute defences. Celtic secured a goalless draw against Benfica. However, the passionate crowd failed to inspire those further forward, with only Kris Commons posing any real threat. 

The Hoops will expect to face a sterner test against Barcelona although I’m sure the fans will enjoy the experience, irrespective of the result.

Arsenal appear to be the form team of the moment, combining a defence reorganised and revitalised by former stalwart, Steve Bould. 

Up front the loss of Robin Van Persie has allowed Wenger to experiment with a more fluid formation that poses more varied questions of opposition defences. 

While Giroud failed to score against former club, Montpellier, Podolski showed, with his third goal in as many games, that he can be relied upon to make up some of the shortfall.

If the Champions League Final were to be played tomorrow I would be looking at Barcelona and Bayern Munich to be contesting it. 

However, despite their undoubted excellence, I have a nagging doubt about Barcelona and believe that Real will go further this year. 

Manchester United famously aim to hit form in January before peaking in April and May and will have learned their lesson from fielding weakened sides in the group stages. 

It’s also difficult to see Manchester City continuing to play like strangers as they still boast a squad of players that is the envy of the majority in the competition. 

With a little luck, Arsenal and Juventus could be the surprise packages, although, for me, Real Madrid and Bayern are my top two selections.

*The Editor predicts an all-English affair with Manchester City pipping Arsenal to the crown.