Man U, Real, Bayern in action in Champions league today
Bayer leverkusen play Manchester United in the big-ticket Group A game and whoever wins in Germany on Wednesday will secure a top-two finish and a place in the last 16. For the loser, though, a nervy final group match awaits next month.
MOYES’ WARNING
After looking all set to qualify with something spare, Manchester United’s disappointing goalless draw at Real Sociedad has thrown the group wide open and left the English team looking vulnerable. If they fail to beat leverkusen, who have won their last eight home games in the Champions league and are second in the Bundesliga, United is likely to need at least a point against Shakhtar Donetsk at Old Trafford in their final group game. Manchester United manager David Moyes warned before the first match that pundits had underestimated how tough the group was, and he is proving to be right. United failed to get out of their group two years ago, a nd were knocked out before the quarterfinals by Real Madrid last season.
MIDFIElD PROBlEMS
Central midfield was a problem area for United in the last few seasons of Alex Ferguson’s tenure, and Moyes hasn’t found a solution in his short time in charge at Old Trafford. Marouane Fellaini, who was Moyes’ only big-money signing in the off-season, has struggled to adapt since his move from Everton, Anderson remains out of favor and Tom Cleverley hasn’t kicked on after his breakthrough year last season. Darren Fletcher, meanwhile, has hardly played since being diagnosed with an inflammatory bowel condition in December 2011 and wasn’t included in United’s squad. Michael Carrick is United’s mainstay in midfield but he could be out until January with an Achilles injury. With Fellaini suspended for the leverkusen match, United’s midfield is likely to be held up by Cleverley, Phil Jones — nominally a defender — and Ryan Giggs, who turns 40 on Friday. That will surely give hope to leverkusen, which lost 4-2 at United in September.
OVERlOOKED lEVERKUSEN
leverkusen are usually in the shadow of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund and are often the butt of jokes in Germany, having never won a Bundesliga title. Perceptions may be starting to change, though. leverkusen are Bayern’s closest challenger in the Bundesliga, four points behind in second, and will qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions league by beating United on just as Dortmund toils in the competition. leverkusen have been playing good football for years and, in Stefan Kiessling, has had one of the top scorers in the Bundesliga for several seasons. Kiessling has eight goals already in this campaign. The team lost heavily in Manchester on the first matchday and Kiessling said his team had too much respect for United. “That must not happen again,” Kiessling said. Attacking midfielder Sidney Sam, who has seven goals this season, will miss the United match with a hamstring injury. His place is likely to go to Gonzalo Castro, with Son Heung-min attacking from the left wing.
COMING INTO FORM
After selling three key players — Fernandinho, Willian and Henrikh Mkhitaryan — from last season’s run to the knockout stage, Shakhtar haven’t been the same force this year. However, they are back on top of the Ukrainian league after back-to-back wins and billionaire owner Rinat Akhmetov believes his team is on the verge of something special. “I want to tell you that Shakhtar has never had such strong team as today, such a strong selection of football players,” Akhmetov said. “I’m sure that at present Shakhtar has huge potential. Time is our problem. We need time.” Shakhtar have gone four matches without a win at Donbass Arena but are confident of ending that run against Real Sociedad, which has picked up just one point from their last first four games. Sociedad’s European campaign will be over before December if it fails to beat Shakthar Donetsk on Wednesday.
ZlATAN’S REVENGE
Paris Saint-Germain needing only one point against visiting Olympiakos, the race is on for second place in Group C. Olympiakos have the edge, leading Benfica by three points. But the Portuguese side expects to earn some points at last-place Anderlecht. Eliminated from the World Cup, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be eager to take his frustration out on Olympiakos. Sweden was knocked out of the World Cup playoffs by Portugal last week. The 32-year-old Ibrahimovic may never get to play in the tournament again and coach laurent Blanc thinks that will give him extra motivation to succeed for PSG.
IMPRESSIVE CITY
Plzen coach Pavel Vrba said he was impressed by Manchester City’s formidable form in a 6-0 rout of Tottenham in the Premier league over the weekend. “Manchester (City) plays well in all important matches. It’s an immensely powerful team,” Vrba said.
Although Plzen is out of contention for a slot in the knockout stage, Vrba said his team wants to follow on its improved performance against Bayern Munich at home. “Even though we lost (1-0), our fans appreciated our decent performance,” Vrba said. “I’d like us to repeat such a performance on Wednesday. We know we have nothing to lose.”
To have a chance to advance to the Europa league, Plzen needs to match the result of CSKA against Bayern, but the Plzen players know anything other than a loss would be a huge surprise.