Translate

Thursday 12 December 2013

Champions League draw: Arsenal and Manchester City face anxious wait


Arsenal and Manchester City will be nervously awaiting Monday's UEFA Champions League draw after qualifying for the knockout phase as runners-up.

Defeat for the Gunners against Napoli on Wednesday and City's slender win over Bayern Munich has left both sides facing a daunting array of potential opponents.
Fellow Premier League clubs Manchester United and Chelsea will go into the hat as group winners and can expect an easier ride.
Group winners will be drawn against runners-up, and clubs will not be paired against others from the same country, or against those they have already faced in the group stages.
ARSENAL AND MANCHESTER CITY
Arsene Wenger said Arsenal are left hoping for a good draw after finishing second in their Champions League group.
Potential opponents: Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich (Arsenal only), Borussia Dortmund (Man City only), Real Madrid, Paris St Germain.
It is hard to suggest there is a favourable draw to be had from this selection, although Spanish superpowers Barcelona and Real Madrid perhaps stand out as the ones to avoid thanks to their dazzling array of star names.
Manuel Pellegrini believes Man City¿s 3-2 win at Bayern Munich shows that there isn't a difference in quality between the two teams.
The same might also go for the German sides, but the fact City beat Bayern and Arsenal toppled Dortmund on their travels during the group stages would at least offer hope.
Atletico do not hold the same fear factor as the other La Liga sides, but cannot be taken lightly as they sit joint-top of the table alongside Barca, three points clear of neighbours Real, and also came through Group G unbeaten.
The prospect of facing PSG front pair Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani hardly appeals either.
CHELSEA AND MANCHESTER UNITED
Jose Mourinho admits that his Chelsea side needed to score more goals against Steaua Bucharest but claims he is happy with the dominant performance.
Potential opponents: AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen (Chelsea only), Galatasaray, Olympiakos, Schalke (Man Utd only), Zenit St Petersburg.
To see why Arsenal's loss in Napoli and City's failure to snatch a fourth goal in Munich could prove so costly, you need only compare this second group to the the first.
While Chelsea and United will not want to underestimate the likes of AC Milan and Schalke, indifferent domestic form does little to cause trepidation and both showed their vulnerabilities in the group stages. Schalke were comprehensively beaten by Chelsea home and away while Milan played out several draws.
David Moyes feels that Manchester United need to improve their performances if they are going to progress in the Champions League.
Galatasaray have improved under former City boss Roberto Mancini, but Jose Mourinho and David Moyes would no doubt have been happy to see them secure progression ahead of Juventus.

No comments:

Post a Comment