who`s favourite to lift the CL trophy?

1. barca (for obvious reasons, you still need luck to beat them)
2. real/bayern (i think they are on par)

i think after those 3 teams, theres a little gap

3. city/chelsea 8 (both well suited for european football)
4. united (they have several weak points, also there gameplan suits not europe)
5. dortmund/psg/juve and plenty of other teams (don`t know how strong juve is, but i think they lack something upfront, but they have a very good midfield, defence and goalkeeper, could be the dark horse)

1. Real Madrid
2. Bayern Munich
3. Barcelona
4. Chelsea

I don't really see anybody else challenging.

1.Barca (need to beat them with 10 man team in Nou Camp)
2. Real
3. Bayern
4. Citeh
5. United (with Kagawa they might have a player who could give them versatility in playign between the lines and central playmaking, for a change)
6. Dortmund (depends on group stages and draws)
7. Benfica
8. Chelsea
9. Juventus
10. PSG/Arsenal

1. Platini
2. Real
3. Barca
4. Bayern
5. City


Forgot Juve, I think they have a very organized team which is a big plus.

bayern(have improved a already great squad wonderfully this summer)
Juve(check the midfield)
Real-jose will go for it this season
Barca- still the most talented team in europe, but no pep

these four teams have by far the best midfields in europe and the midfield is where its at

messiah wrote:bayern(have improved a already great squad wonderfully this summer)
Juve(check the midfield)
Real-jose will go for it this season
Barca- still the most talented team in europe, but no pep

these four teams have by far the best midfields in europe and the midfield is where its at

I agree with this. Except the bit about Barcelona being the most talented team in Europe.

I think City could be in there as well. They've got the players although Mancini has yet to prove he can be a winner in Europe.

Real Madrid. Modric winner in the final
Barcelona. Only because Messi and Xavi can dig even the shittest defnce out of any hole. Speaking pf holes, Arsene's hole wont get past the 2nd round.
Chelsea. Always thereabouts. Squad if kept fit is fearsome
City. So many good players. Mancini is their manager though
Bayern. Too many Teuton Chokers
Spurs. Greatest team to have only ever played once in the CL. Robbed blind by Robben and co's eye watering choke on Drogbas enormous black elephant dick in the final. Should be there. Winners of hearts and minds.

Group A is a bit of a 'Group of Death' since there's no clear favourites or whipping boys. PSG Eindhoven are yet to gel and these nouveau riche sides always tend to underwhelm early doors.

I want to see how Wanger's new Arsenal cope with what should be a straightforward group. If they don't score any goals it'll be tough to qualify.

messiah wrote:
Juve(check the midfield)

Plus argubly the best backline in Europe

Jason Jarrett wrote:Plus argubly the best backline in Europe

mmh not so sure about that.

Fade out wrote:1.Barca (need to beat them with 10 man team in Nou Camp)
2. Real
3. Bayern
4. Citeh
5. United (with Kagawa they might have a player who could give them versatility in playign between the lines and central playmaking, for a change)
6. Dortmund (depends on group stages and draws)
7. Benfica
8. Chelsea
9. Juventus
10. PSG/Arsenal

Without Witsel + Javi Garcia = 0 chance.

Zenit might do well too.

Jason Jarrett wrote:

messiah wrote:
Juve(check the midfield)

Plus argubly the best backline in Europe

And Nicholas Bendtner

I think it is from a group of:

Barcelona
Bayern
Real Madrid
City
Juventus

City on sheer quality of their XI and their bench plus they have now won a league title. However there are worrying signs and they don't seem to be able to control games. They constantly go behind and have to get back in. That sort of attitude will get you killed in Cl. Plus Mancini has something to prove. Juventus has a good midfield and the Pirlo factor who is a real decider and can dictate the tempo but I don't trust their defence plus they have too weak a front striker unless they go with Giovinco+Vucinic upfront in which case they are in a good position.

United for me simply aren't as defensively strong as they used to. Give them a Martinez and let them have a stable defence without too many injuries and they are a favourite without a doubt. PSG are in the building phase but if they manage to establish a solid team and get a big lead in their league where they should win comfortably then they could go far because their squad isn't too bad either and Ancelotti has much experience at this level.

Arsenal I can't see doing it because I need to see more of their defence against good teams but it is promising and it is about time they adressed this area. If their defensive improvement is for real and Diaby maintains his current level then they are a good outsider.

Super Laudrup wrote:I think it is from a group of:

Barcelona
Bayern
Real Madrid
City
Juventus

City on sheer quality of their XI and their bench plus they have now won a league title. However there are worrying signs and they don't seem to be able to control games. They constantly go behind and have to get back in. That sort of attitude will get you killed in Cl. Plus Mancini has something to prove. Juventus has a good midfield and the Pirlo factor who is a real decider and can dictate the tempo but I don't trust their defence plus they have too weak a front striker unless they go with Giovinco+Vucinic upfront in which case they are in a good position.

United for me simply aren't as defensively strong as they used to. Give them a Martinez and let them have a stable defence without too many injuries and they are a favourite without a doubt. PSG are in the building phase but if they manage to establish a solid team and get a big lead in their league where they should win comfortably then they could go far because their squad isn't too bad either and Ancelotti has much experience at this level.

Arsenal I can't see doing it because I need to see more of their defence against good teams but it is promising and it is about time they adressed this area. If their defensive improvement is for real and Diaby maintains his current level then they are a good outsider.

What about Chelsea? No Drogba any more but a lot of talented midfielders, apparently midfield is where it's at for some (the ones who are blind)

Can't see past Barca or Madrid.

Chelsea could do it but have the no team wins it back to back curse.

No one else stands a chance.

Luis wrote:Can't see past Barca or Madrid.

Chelsea could do it but have the no team wins it back to back curse.

No one else stands a chance.

Just like last season huh?

110% wrote:

Super Laudrup wrote:I think it is from a group of:

Barcelona
Bayern
Real Madrid
City
Juventus

City on sheer quality of their XI and their bench plus they have now won a league title. However there are worrying signs and they don't seem to be able to control games. They constantly go behind and have to get back in. That sort of attitude will get you killed in Cl. Plus Mancini has something to prove. Juventus has a good midfield and the Pirlo factor who is a real decider and can dictate the tempo but I don't trust their defence plus they have too weak a front striker unless they go with Giovinco+Vucinic upfront in which case they are in a good position.

United for me simply aren't as defensively strong as they used to. Give them a Martinez and let them have a stable defence without too many injuries and they are a favourite without a doubt. PSG are in the building phase but if they manage to establish a solid team and get a big lead in their league where they should win comfortably then they could go far because their squad isn't too bad either and Ancelotti has much experience at this level.

Arsenal I can't see doing it because I need to see more of their defence against good teams but it is promising and it is about time they adressed this area. If their defensive improvement is for real and Diaby maintains his current level then they are a good outsider.

What about Chelsea? No Drogba any more but a lot of talented midfielders, apparently midfield is where it's at for some (the ones who are blind)

Their defence doesn't seem to hold together. Their run up to the Cl title seems to be an aberation in terms of the collective not to mention that Di Matteo is conciously going away from the old Mourinho foundation. I'm not convinced from what I have seen so far. Torres still doesn't like returning to any level that is good enough for a top club. They haven't solved their creative problems in central midfield and now they have added imbalance with all their offensive players. I'm hardly a fan of their change of style but it doesn't seem cohesive at all but they are getting results but I don't think they are sustainable yet not to mention that no team has won the Cl 2 years in a row and I highly doubt it will be Chelsea.

110% wrote:

Super Laudrup wrote:I think it is from a group of:

Barcelona
Bayern
Real Madrid
City
Juventus

City on sheer quality of their XI and their bench plus they have now won a league title. However there are worrying signs and they don't seem to be able to control games. They constantly go behind and have to get back in. That sort of attitude will get you killed in Cl. Plus Mancini has something to prove. Juventus has a good midfield and the Pirlo factor who is a real decider and can dictate the tempo but I don't trust their defence plus they have too weak a front striker unless they go with Giovinco+Vucinic upfront in which case they are in a good position.

United for me simply aren't as defensively strong as they used to. Give them a Martinez and let them have a stable defence without too many injuries and they are a favourite without a doubt. PSG are in the building phase but if they manage to establish a solid team and get a big lead in their league where they should win comfortably then they could go far because their squad isn't too bad either and Ancelotti has much experience at this level.

Arsenal I can't see doing it because I need to see more of their defence against good teams but it is promising and it is about time they adressed this area. If their defensive improvement is for real and Diaby maintains his current level then they are a good outsider.

What about Chelsea? No Drogba any more but a lot of talented midfielders, apparently midfield is where it's at for some (the ones who are blind)

Well it is common knowledge that midfield is the most important area of the pitch.If you dominate the midfield you generally dominate the game.....

Not disputing you on this...being a club fan myself I agree that there are some problem areas. But who do you think are the better backlines out there?

abundance wrote:

Jason Jarrett wrote:Plus argubly the best backline in Europe

mmh not so sure about that.

when we talk about the complete defensive organistaion as team + individual talent of the back 4

BAYERN

I would put them into 3 categories:

1-2 - The Favourites: Real, Barca
3-5 - The Challengers: City, Bayern, Juve
6-8 - The Dark Horses: Man Utd, Chelsea, PSG

I don't think anyone else could win it.

The favourites would have to be Real, Barcelona, and Bayern... every other team you mentioned is a dark horse.

bluenine wrote:I would put them into 3 categories:

1-2 - The Favourites: Real, Barca
3-5 - The Challengers: City, Bayern, Juve
6-8 - The Dark Horses: Man Utd, Chelsea, PSG

I don't think anyone else could win it.

Xavier wrote:The favourites would have to be Real, Barcelona, and Bayern... every other team you mentioned is a dark horse.

So the team that won it last year and the team that have been in 3 of the last 5 finals are 'dark horses'? Neither are outright favourites but they'd hardly be shock winners, esp Man Utd.

People on here have a weird blindspot about English teams in CL. 7 of the last 8 seasons there's been an English club in the final so really the odds are pretty strong there'll at least be a finalist again this year..

final is in Wembley again for extra incentive.

Yes, there is a clear divide between the favourites in Europe and the teams that require an extraordinary quantity of good fortune (or sheer WILLE) to succeed... Chelsea had an insane amount of luck in their winning run, and M. United's midfield is vastly inferior to each of the three favourites mentioned above... I can see there being an English finalist with favourable draws; I cannot, however, see an English winner this season.

Chelsea winning again would most certainly be shocking... especially if Mikel keeps playing the way he did on Wednesday.

debaser wrote:

bluenine wrote:I would put them into 3 categories:

1-2 - The Favourites: Real, Barca
3-5 - The Challengers: City, Bayern, Juve
6-8 - The Dark Horses: Man Utd, Chelsea, PSG

I don't think anyone else could win it.

Xavier wrote:The favourites would have to be Real, Barcelona, and Bayern... every other team you mentioned is a dark horse.

So the team that won it last year and the team that have been in 3 of the last 5 finals are 'dark horses'? Neither are outright favourites but they'd hardly be shock winners, esp Man Utd.

People on here have a weird blindspot about English teams in CL. 7 of the last 8 seasons there's been an English club in the final so really the odds are pretty strong there'll at least be a finalist again this year..

final is in Wembley again for extra incentive.

i call it decline

from 2006-2009 the english teams were good enough to win it with there own abilitys, strength and talent, now they need luck to win it, because the continental teams have progressed

united can hardly dominate an EPL side (they always look like the 2nd best side on the field), and they are defensively not good enough to win it on the easy way

city showed against madrid what they can do, there biggest weak point is the coach, for me they have the biggest chance to win it, because they have the player material, do they a chelsea and only play on counter, then yeah, why not, but they won`t win it with proactive football

chelsea has no chance, neither re- or proacitve (1. you can´t defend the CL 2. they are the worst cl winner ever 3. they have a shit movement off the ball 4. they can`t defend even when they park the bus)

arseanl is a tough call, will probably fail with there first big test, but could also be a surprise package

debaser wrote:

bluenine wrote:I would put them into 3 categories:

1-2 - The Favourites: Real, Barca
3-5 - The Challengers: City, Bayern, Juve
6-8 - The Dark Horses: Man Utd, Chelsea, PSG

I don't think anyone else could win it.

So the team that won it last year and the team that have been in 3 of the last 5 finals are 'dark horses'? Neither are outright favourites but they'd hardly be shock winners, esp Man Utd.

People on here have a weird blindspot about English teams in CL. 7 of the last 8 seasons there's been an English club in the final so really the odds are pretty strong there'll at least be a finalist again this year..

final is in Wembley again for extra incentive.

There are 3 English teams among the 8 teams I listed who have a chance of winning.... so yes, there is a decent chance that one of them will make the final, maybe even win it. But that does not mean that Chelsea or Man Utd are more likely to win this CL than Real or Barca...

As for the past, its the past. The dynamics change every season. The Man Utd team which you mention had Ronaldo, Tevez & Rooney, for example. In the last 10 years, the Italian clubs have won the CL as many times as the English or the Spanish. That does not mean that Juve or Milan are as likely to win it as Barca or Real.

Sure, past is past, but experience also counts in this competition. Man Utd (along with Barcelona) are the most experienced, just seems odd to call a team that experienced a dark horse.

Everyone was saying exactly the same about it only being between Madrid and Barcelona (or Bayern at a push) last season.

debaser wrote:Sure, past is past, but experience also counts in this competition. Man Utd (along with Barcelona) are the most experienced, just seems odd to call a team that experienced a dark horse.

Everyone was saying exactly the same about it only being between Madrid and Barcelona (or Bayern at a push) last season.

And all those 3 teams reached the semi finals. I don't want to take any credit away from Chelsea in what was a well deserved CL trophy, but they caused upsets in the semi's and final's. I considered Chelsea a dark horse to win the trophy last season as well, and they did exactly that. I would have put Chelsea higher this season if they still had Drogba - he is a huge loss for the big games.

IMO, even with all Man Utd's experience, if they knock out Real or Barca, it would be considered an upset.

Anyways, all this is speculative opinion at best, no one can predict the future...

In the voting poll above, its reads "-1%" for AC Milan.