Group A of the 2013-14 Champions League is one of the more underrated assortments of teams. One squad is everyone's favorite front-runner, but the other three sides should not be overlooked for any reasons. Here is a breakdown of the four squads and how they could potentially finish.
Manchester United (England)
How they got here: Manchester United qualified for the tournament by being the winner of the 2012-13 Premier League.
How they did in last year's competition: Manchester United competed in a group that included Braga, Galatasaray and CFR Cluj. The team started its campaign with a 1-0 win over Galatasaray and then managed a 2-1 victory over Cluj. In the third game, United took down Braga 3-2 and clinched a spot in the knockout rounds with a 3-1 win in its fourth game. In the final two group games, Sir Alex Ferguson deployed a B-squad and wound up losing. In the round of 16, United faced off against Real Madrid. Despite drawing 1-1 in the opening leg at the Santiago Bernabeau, United lost 2-1 at home thanks to a controversial red card on Nani.
This Year's Expectations: United has most of the same personnel from last year's run but has a new manager in David Moyes. Moyes has no Champions League experience, but his players do and should help him to a rather easy group stage campaign. United is the aforementioned favorite in this group and is expected to put up a performance similar to last year's squad in the first round.
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)
How they got here: Shakhtar Donetsk won the Ukrainian Premier League in 2012-13.
How they did in last year's competition: A year ago, Shakhtar was seeded into a group with the likes of Juventus, Chelsea, and Nordsjaelland. Few knew how the Ukrainians would do in such a tough group, but they proved instantly that they were up to the challenge. The team took down Nordsjaelland 2-0 in the opening game before drawing 1-1 against Juventus. Then came the defining matchup with Chelsea. In the first game at home Shakhtar won 2-1. However, the follow-up with Chelsea proved decisive as the team managed a 3-2 loss (the away goals were the difference between qualifying for the knockout stages and heading to the Europa League). In the team's fifth game, Shakhtar destroyed Nordsjaelland 5-2, before losing the group in 1-0 defeat against Juventus.
In the round of 16, the Ukrainians were drawn against Borussia Dortmund. The two teams battled to a 2-2 draw in the first leg, but Dortmund managed a 3-0 win in the second and Shakhtar's tournament dreams came to a swift end.
This Year's Expectations: This is the team's fourth straight Champions League berth. They have made it out of the group stage in two of the previous three attempts and will look to make a deep run in the tournament. Expect them to put up a convincing performance as one of the veterans of the group stage.
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
How they got here: Bayer Leverkusen finished third in the German Bundesliga in 2012-13.
How they did in last year's competition: Bayer Leverkusen did not participate in last year's competition. Instead they participated in the Europa League where they made it to the round of 32 against Lazio. In that matchup, Bayer Leverkusen wound up losing 6-2 on aggregate. The team last competed in the Champions League during the 2011-12 season and finished second in the group stage behind Chelsea. In the knockout rounds, Bayer Leverkusen was destroyed 10-2 on aggregate by Barcelona.
This Year's Expectations: German sides are always looking to win and this team is no different. Leverkusen could compete for second place but will need to take care of business at home and steal some points on the road.
Real Sociedad (Spain)
How they got here: The Spanish side finished fourth in La Liga and was forced to qualify through a two-legged playoff. The team was drawn against Olympique Lyonnais. In the first leg of the matchup the Spaniards won 2-0. They replicated the effort in the second leg with a brace from Carlos Vela.
How they did in last year's competition: The team did not qualify for the Champions League or Europa League last season.
This Year's Expectations: Many think that Real Sociedad may be the punching bag for the other three teams in this group but the reality is that this Spanish side is on the rise and will make it very difficult for the other three teams. Do not be surprised to see them battle for a top spot in the group.
Final Predictions: While many may see this group as Manchester United and everyone else, it is actually a lot closer than meets the eye. Shakhtar Donetsk is a Champions League mainstay and could potentially steal the group spotlight from United as it did from Chelsea a year ago. Bayer Leverkusen is also a strong side that could also raise a few eyebrows throughout the group stage and even shock the English champs. If last year taught us anything, then German sides must never be ignored. And the Spaniards are no pushovers and could certainly pull off a number of surprises along the way. However, United has the team to make the magic happen and there is no reason to believe they don't finish atop group A.
Here is how it will play out.
1. Manchester United: 4 wins, 2 draws, 14 points
2. Shakhtar Donetsk: 3 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses, 10 points
3. Bayer Leverkusen: 1 win, 3 draws, 1 loss, 6 points
4. Real Sociedad: 2 draws, 4 losses, 2 points
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
