who will win the CL 2013/14

SO FAR  my opinion, many can change with some key signings

1. bayern (flawless squad, peps improved gameplan HOPEFULLY)
2. Chelsea/Real (new coaches, mou can built a typical mou side, while carlo will play a more organized gameplan, thats good in the CL, and both have great players)
3. Barca (could easily be in the top 2, but i have my doubts, they have become lazy in terms of pressing and organisation, have no world class defender right now, there coach has to prove it if he can do it, he hardly has beaten decent opponents with style)
4. Juve/City/BVB (i rate pellegrini really high, juve and bvb are top sides, who can beat any side on there day)
5. PSG, Milan, United, arsenal (here are teams with some flaws, either  it`s the squad or new unproven coaches)

Probably about right to be fair

bayern to do the double

Kroos wrote:SO FAR  my opinion, many can change with some key signings

1. bayern (flawless squad, peps improved gameplan HOPEFULLY)
2. Chelsea/Real (new coaches, mou can built a typical mou side, while carlo will play a more organized gameplan, thats good in the CL, and both have great players)
3. Barca (could easily be in the top 2, but i have my doubts, they have become lazy in terms of pressing and organisation, have no world class defender right now, there coach has to prove it if he can do it, he hardly has beaten decent opponents with style)
4. Juve/City/BVB (i rate pellegrini really high, juve and bvb are top sides, who can beat any side on there day)
5. PSG, Milan, United, arsenal (here are teams with some flaws, either  it`s the squad or new unproven coaches)

Think you got it right. Bayern's only problems are maintaining their level and avoiding conflicts in a squad which could boil over and especially if Pep isn't willing to rotate enough which has never been his thing. Also Pep has been known to tinker too much which was part of the current decline of Barca. I think he has probably learned from that experience. I do wonder do if he can maintain the squad stability and motivate the likes of Robben+Ribery to do the amount of work they put it for Heynckes. Or if those players are still willing to put in an effot regardless of who the coach is.

A bit early to proclaim Chelsea as a top favourite but with Mourinho and some investments it could happen. So far I still think their defence looks weak and even worse I don't see acknowledgement of that by the club. They have to get the right striker as well. Torres+Ba won't do it for them at the Cl level but they're searching for a striker.

Hard to say anything about Real at the moment. We too need a top striker and that situation isn't settled. On the other hand there is more peace around the club with Ancelotti since the Spanish crowd has performed a coup d'etat.

Barca sounds about right. They seem tired and they have never been able to come up with a response to physical sides like Bayern or Chelsea/Inter in the past. Seems improbable that adding Neymar will strengthen the collective which is important for Cl games.

I think Juve could stepped up another level if they signed Jovetic to sit behind Llorente. Both Llorente and Tevez weren't automatic starters and it isn't clear what form Llorente is in. Assuming they both continue their form I think they have stepped it up another level above both City+BVB and closer to Real,Chelsea, Barcelona.

United without Fergie is hard to imagine and I don't trust Arsenal. Milan don't seem to moving in any direction except perhaps marginal improvements(Poli) but they have a bright coach and they could surprise. PSG seemed like a strong team last Cl so I expect more from them. They seem like a side that can threaten any team on a good day.

If there is one team that will not win it, it is Bayern. Teams just do not repeat in the modern era of football. When was the last time it happened? Not even The Pep Team could manage it. There is too much that has to go right.

I think it's as wide open as I can remember it. I like Juve, I thought they lacked punch up front last year but with Llorente and Tevez I think they will be a lot more dynamic in attack.

I will guess Real Madrid though!

PROGRESS!!!!!

Super Mourinho wrote:

Kroos wrote:SO FAR  my opinion, many can change with some key signings

1. bayern (flawless squad, peps improved gameplan HOPEFULLY)
2. Chelsea/Real (new coaches, mou can built a typical mou side, while carlo will play a more organized gameplan, thats good in the CL, and both have great players)
3. Barca (could easily be in the top 2, but i have my doubts, they have become lazy in terms of pressing and organisation, have no world class defender right now, there coach has to prove it if he can do it, he hardly has beaten decent opponents with style)
4. Juve/City/BVB (i rate pellegrini really high, juve and bvb are top sides, who can beat any side on there day)
5. PSG, Milan, United, arsenal (here are teams with some flaws, either  it`s the squad or new unproven coaches)

Think you got it right. Bayern's only problems are maintaining their level and avoiding conflicts in a squad which could boil over and especially if Pep isn't willing to rotate enough which has never been his thing. Also Pep has been known to tinker too much which was part of the current decline of Barca. I think he has probably learned from that experience. I do wonder do if he can maintain the squad stability and motivate the likes of Robben+Ribery to do the amount of work they put it for Heynckes. Or if those players are still willing to put in an effot regardless of who the coach is.

A bit early to proclaim Chelsea as a top favourite but with Mourinho and some investments it could happen. So far I still think their defence looks weak and even worse I don't see acknowledgement of that by the club. They have to get the right striker as well. Torres+Ba won't do it for them at the Cl level but they're searching for a striker.

Hard to say anything about Real at the moment. We too need a top striker and that situation isn't settled. On the other hand there is more peace around the club with Ancelotti since the Spanish crowd has performed a coup d'etat.

Barca sounds about right. They seem tired and they have never been able to come up with a response to physical sides like Bayern or Chelsea/Inter in the past. Seems improbable that adding Neymar will strengthen the collective which is important for Cl games.

I think Juve could stepped up another level if they signed Jovetic to sit behind Llorente. Both Llorente and Tevez weren't automatic starters and it isn't clear what form Llorente is in. Assuming they both continue their form I think they have stepped it up another level above both City+BVB and closer to Real,Chelsea, Barcelona.

United without Fergie is hard to imagine and I don't trust Arsenal. Milan don't seem to moving in any direction except perhaps marginal improvements(Poli) but they have a bright coach and they could surprise. PSG seemed like a strong team last Cl so I expect more from them. They seem like a side that can threaten any team on a good day.

agree, maybe i was a bit to fast with chelsea, they have serious weak points in most areas, and Mou also says he is playing attractive football, because thats what roman wants, and we all know, his attacking football is a bit limited, because it has no balance, we will see

real madrid has a wonderful starting 11, i rate them pretty high, and benzema will flourish and carlo did a very good in the cl with psg

juve has hardly better players then dortmund, we have to see how the 2 new guys settle, but as package i rate dortmund higher (high quality fast paced aggressive football, in combination with flair and skill), also juves buffon and pirlo can hardly become better, while every dortmund player has potential to progress

Jaime wrote:If there is one team that will not win it, it is Bayern. Teams just do not repeat in the modern era of football.

PROGRESS!!!!!

While you are most likely correct, I thought the same about Spain...Yes CL is different but still.


This year...mmmh, could see City/Paris/Chelsea going far and Real. But City haven't improved that much and Paris is French.
Never write off Barca too.

Jaime wrote:If there is one team that will not win it, it is Bayern.

barca was pretty close in 2010 and 2012, and they would have won the final if they would have reached it

Kroos wrote:

Jaime wrote:If there is one team that will not win it, it is Bayern.

barca was pretty close in 2010 and 2012, and they would have won the final if they would have reached it

Barca all depends on messi. If he plays every game trying to break records all season then he'll be knackered come the end of it. He should have a few games games off now they have neymar, then who knows. On the other hand the pressing will be funny with both messi and neymar playing, so if they get far I expect neymar to be dropped against an opponent like bayern.

Kroos wrote:

Jaime wrote:If there is one team that will not win it, it is Bayern.

barca was pretty close in 2010 and 2012, and they would have won the final if they would have reached it

But they didn't.

Kroos wrote:

Super Mourinho wrote:

Kroos wrote:SO FAR  my opinion, many can change with some key signings

1. bayern (flawless squad, peps improved gameplan HOPEFULLY)
2. Chelsea/Real (new coaches, mou can built a typical mou side, while carlo will play a more organized gameplan, thats good in the CL, and both have great players)
3. Barca (could easily be in the top 2, but i have my doubts, they have become lazy in terms of pressing and organisation, have no world class defender right now, there coach has to prove it if he can do it, he hardly has beaten decent opponents with style)
4. Juve/City/BVB (i rate pellegrini really high, juve and bvb are top sides, who can beat any side on there day)
5. PSG, Milan, United, arsenal (here are teams with some flaws, either  it`s the squad or new unproven coaches)

Think you got it right. Bayern's only problems are maintaining their level and avoiding conflicts in a squad which could boil over and especially if Pep isn't willing to rotate enough which has never been his thing. Also Pep has been known to tinker too much which was part of the current decline of Barca. I think he has probably learned from that experience. I do wonder do if he can maintain the squad stability and motivate the likes of Robben+Ribery to do the amount of work they put it for Heynckes. Or if those players are still willing to put in an effot regardless of who the coach is.

A bit early to proclaim Chelsea as a top favourite but with Mourinho and some investments it could happen. So far I still think their defence looks weak and even worse I don't see acknowledgement of that by the club. They have to get the right striker as well. Torres+Ba won't do it for them at the Cl level but they're searching for a striker.

Hard to say anything about Real at the moment. We too need a top striker and that situation isn't settled. On the other hand there is more peace around the club with Ancelotti since the Spanish crowd has performed a coup d'etat.

Barca sounds about right. They seem tired and they have never been able to come up with a response to physical sides like Bayern or Chelsea/Inter in the past. Seems improbable that adding Neymar will strengthen the collective which is important for Cl games.

I think Juve could stepped up another level if they signed Jovetic to sit behind Llorente. Both Llorente and Tevez weren't automatic starters and it isn't clear what form Llorente is in. Assuming they both continue their form I think they have stepped it up another level above both City+BVB and closer to Real,Chelsea, Barcelona.

United without Fergie is hard to imagine and I don't trust Arsenal. Milan don't seem to moving in any direction except perhaps marginal improvements(Poli) but they have a bright coach and they could surprise. PSG seemed like a strong team last Cl so I expect more from them. They seem like a side that can threaten any team on a good day.

agree, maybe i was a bit to fast with chelsea, they have serious weak points in most areas, and Mou also says he is playing attractive football, because thats what roman wants, and we all know, his attacking football is a bit limited, because it has no balance, we will see

real madrid has a wonderful starting 11, i rate them pretty high, and benzema will flourish ;)and carlo did a very good in the cl with psg

juve has hardly better players then dortmund, we have to see how the 2 new guys settle, but as package i rate dortmund higher (high quality fast paced aggressive football, in combination with flair and skill), also juves buffon and pirlo can hardly become better, while every dortmund player has potential to progress

Mourinho won't have the pressure to play "attractive" football at Chelsea imo. I don't think this Chelsea will be as solid as the first one because these players simply aren't capable of it. No great Cb's and no great Dm to protect(Makelele) the defence and the Am is Mata who is less defensively minded than Lampard was. I will be very impressed if Mourinho turns this side around because it seems rather flawed. He might just copy the style of his Real Madrid side and focus on counter attacking primarily. I hope not though.


The closest was Man Utd who were the first team to reach the final after a win in a long time. If Bayern had kept Heynckes then I would said they had the best chance of doing it but you never know with a new coach regardless of how good that coach is.

Its very tough to call this time, as almost every top side has seen a major change - so many coaching changes, and its rare for a new coach to deliver a CL in his first season. For that reason, I think Juve have an edge. My picks:

Juve, Bayern, Barca & Chelsea as the main teams from the top 4 leagues.

I'm reserved when it comes to Chelsea. I think Mourinho is a great coach but in my opinion he has to do more with the squad. As it currently stands I have a hard time seeing this side turn into world beaters. Especially with that defence and no great Dm.