The 2014-15 UEFA Champions League kicks off this week with Matchday 1 of the group stage.
Sportsnet’s panel of soccer writers and broadcasters preview the major matches and offer their predictions.
Borussia Dortmund vs. Arsenal
James Sharman: These teams are familiar foes, having met at this stage in three of the past four years. Sadly injuries threaten to derail this juicy matchup. Dortmund have lost Marco Reus, and will also likely be without Ilkay Gundogan and Mats Hummels, whereas the Gunners have lost full back Mathieu Debuchy for several weeks. Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey are both questionable and could add to the headache Arsene Wenger already has with some big name long term absentees.
After both clubs managed to beat out Napoli last season in a Group of Death, this season they have been rewarded with an easier group featuring Galatasaray and Anderlecht. Dortmund and Arsenal have started their domestic seasons somewhat inconsistently, as new players bed in, although Alexis Sanchez continues to show why he was worth the huge expenditure at the Emirates. Ciro Immobile has the unenviable task of replacing Robert Lewandowski in Dortmund, and may have earned the start this week, as might the returning Shinji Kagawa, which surely brings a smile to the face of all neutrals out there.
Prediction: Borussia Dortmund wins 2-1.
Real Madrid vs. FC Basel
Gerry Dobson: Fresh off winning La Decima, Real Madrid look as strong as ever–maybe stronger. The additions of World Cup starlets James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos, and the early season performances of Gareth Bale seem to indicate the title holders should be able to stroll through the early stages of this year’s competition. And yet, there are niggling little questions. The weekend league loss to Atletico Madrid helped to raise one or two, as Bale and Rodriguez did very little. And despite scoring from the penalty spot, Cristiano Ronaldo is clearly not yet fully fit. Perhaps the loss of Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria in the off-season will have a larger negative impact than expected. I’m not saying there is trouble in paradise, but its unclear that this team will be able to accomplish what it did a year ago.
Meanwhile, the Swiss champions were beaten in the league as well on the weekend so both clubs will be feeling ornery. Basel can be a surprising club, however. You might recall they beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last season, although they failed to qualify to the knockout round. This one should be a romp for Real Madrid, though.
Prediction: Real Madrid wins 3-0.
Tuesday programming alert: Watch Borussia Dortmund vs. Arsenal on all four main Sportsnet channels, Real Madrid vs. FC Basel on Sporsnet World, and Liverpool vs. PFC Ludogorets on Sportsnet ONE. Also, watch these games exclusively online at Sportsnet World NOW: Galatasaray vs. Anderlecht, Benfica vs. Zenit St. Petersburg, AS Monaco vs. Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus vs. Malmo and Olympiacos vs. Atletico Madrid. Coverage begins at 2:30 pm ET/11:30 am PT. || TV schedule
Benfica vs. Zenit St. Petersburg
Brendan Dunlop: The Portuguese newspapers will no doubt describe Zenit’s visit to the Estadio da Luz as just another scouting trip for Andre Villas Boas. Having bought star centre-back Ezequiel Garay (though doubtful for Tuesday) for a bargain basement price, and reuniting former Eagles Javi Garcia and Axel Witsel, AVB has a talent-rich side that is much better on paper than their hosts. Jorge Jesus lost nine players this summer and Benfica did a poor job of replacing them. Fighting on multiple fronts will be difficult for the Portuguese giants this season and anyone who doubts that will be convinced by a flat opening performance in the group stage.
Prediction: Benfica wins 3-1.
AS Monaco vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Dan Riccio: It’s a tale of two clubs going in different directions. Monaco has struggled through five Ligue Un matches, while Leverkusen sits atop the Bundesliga with seven points through three games. For Monaco the loss of Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez may be too much to overcome to get past the Champions League group stage. Leverkusen is scoring at a pace of three goals per game in Germany, and it seems as though the only thing going for the French side is that they are playing on home turf in this one.
Prediction: Bayer Leverkusen wins 2-1.
Wednesday programming alert: Watch Bayern Munich vs. Manchester City on all four main Sportsnet channels, Chelsea vs. Schalke on Sporsnet World, and Barcelona vs. APOEL on Sportsnet ONE. Also, watch these games exclusively online at Sportsnet World NOW: NK Maribor vs. Sporting Lisbon, Athletic Bilbao vs. Shakhtar Donetsk, Porto vs. BATE Borisov, Ajax vs. Paris Saint-Germain and AS Roma vs. CSKA Moscow. Coverage begins at 2:30 pm ET/11:30 am PT. || TV schedule
