The UEFA Champions League group stage is set, which means the start of the proper competition is upon us.
As usual, there were some enticing groups drawn on Thursday, leading to some potentially salivating ties.
The official result of the #UCLdraw!
Toughest group? pic.twitter.com/G6rPKtQuU8
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 30, 2018
Since there are so many great matchups, we’ve kept the following list to a maximum of one game per group.
With that in mind, here are the six games to watch in the Champions League group stage.
Juventus vs. Manchester United
The returns of Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford and Paul Pogba to Turin will be the major storylines entering the match. However, this could be a game that determines the fate of both sides.
PSV Eindhoven and Young Boys are going to be underdogs in Group H, so the games involving Juve and Man United are going to be massive six-pointers. They’ll likely determine who wins the group, which could lead to a more favourable matchup in the knockout stage.
Manchester City vs. Shakhtar Donetsk
These were some of the most intriguing matches in the group stage last year. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted that Shakhtar Donetsk was “one of the best teams in terms of playing football.”
Shakhtar backed up that claim by defeating Man City and Napoli to progress to the Round of 16. Paulo Fonseca is one of the most tactically astute managers in Europe and he proved that last year.
Group F also contains a young and exciting Lyon side, as well as Hoffenheim, who have a tactical wizard of their own in Julian Nagelsmann. However, these matchups between Shakhtar and Man City will be fantastic entertainment.
Bayern Munich vs. Ajax
Ajax boasts yet another exciting crop of talent, including 19-year-old captain Matthijs de Ligt, plus 21-year-old midfielders Frenkie de Jong and Donny van de Beek. At least five U-23 players started for Ajax in their final qualifier versus Dynamo Kyiv.
De Ligt and de Jong were linked to Barcelona earlier this summer, but ended up staying in Amsterdam. Now the team’s young core will have a chance to impress against one of Europe’s marquee sides in Bayern Munich.
Ajax are a free-flowing side, which makes for fantastic entertainment. Most of the team’s matches will be appointment viewing, but the Bayern matchup will be a fantastic occasion for the young crop of players.
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool
It was difficult choosing the best tie in Group C. Reluctantly, we went with Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool as the matchup to watch.
PSG has a new manager in Thomas Tuchel, who was Jurgen Klopp’s successor at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund. They’re both very similar coaches, so this will be a fun tactical battle.
On the pitch, these matches should be played at a frantic pace and could hopefully lead to loads of goals. Plus, with Napoli in the same group, neither of these sides can afford a slip-up.
Barcelona vs. Tottenham
Tottenham made significant strides in the Champions League last year under Mauricio Pochettino. Spurs topped a group with Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, with an unbeaten record, plus they had Juventus on the ropes in the Round of 16.
Now Tottenham has another litmus test in Barcelona. However, this could pose problems for the Spanish champions as well.
Barca struggled against high-pressing sides, which was seen in the second-leg defeat versus Roma. These games against Tottenham could be a great challenge for the La Liga outfit.
Atletico Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund
With Monaco’s squad still finding its footing, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund might be the ideal matchup to watch in Group A.
Atletico have made a number of astute signings, including former Monaco forward Thomas Lemar, and will be expected to right the wrong of last season’s disappointment.
Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, will still be an energetic side, but with a little more control under new coach Lucien Favre. Regardless, these should be scintillating matches between the two teams given the talent and the tactical flexibility from both sides.
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