Group C
1. Bayern Munich
Last season's results: Ten consecutive Bundesliga titles
Manager: Julian Nagelsmann
Bundesliga giants Bayern scored 22 goals in last season's Champions League group stage, pushing Barcelona and Benfica to qualify first in the group. However, he was eliminated by the dark horse Villarreal in the quarterfinals. Last season's absolute main player Lewandowski has moved to Barca, directly affecting Bayern's firepower. But there are still other strikers in the squad such as Jamal Mussiara, Serge Gnabry, Mane and others who are expected to fill the offensive gap. Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka are getting better and better together in midfield, and this summer's summer transfer window has signed Hrafenbech from Ajax, adding bayern's midfielder to the punch. There have been fewer changes in the defence, with centre-back Nikolas Jules joining Borussia Dortmund, just in the event that his position was replaced by the new addition of Mattez De Ligt, and with the original players and goalkeeper Neuer, Bayern's defence this season is still tough.
Barcelona and Inter Milan have many experiences facing the same group this season, especially with Barca in recent years, including the well-known 8-2 tragedy in the 2019-20 season and the home-and-away double in the group stage last season. As for the two-legged clash with Pilsen Victory in the 2013-14 Champions League, Bayern scored six goals in two legs to kill their opponents. Compared to other positions, Bayern have changed a lot on the offensive end, so Bayern's offensive situation will be the key to how far they go.
2. Barcelona
Last season's results: Second in La Liga
Coach: Xavi Hernandez
Barcelona's outrageous performances after losing Messi last summer also led to the departure of former coach Ronald Koeman in the middle of the season. Although Xavi's situation has improved since taking over, it has not been able to save Barca from a losing season. Barca are making a comeback this season, reinforcing in every position. As of 9/1, Barca have signed midfielder Frank Casey, Chelsea defender Christensen and Sevilla defender Jule Conde from AC Milan to add strength to the midfield. In the front, Hetman rafinha was signed from Leeds United, and from Bayern to the world's top centre-forward Lewandowski, who are currently tied for scoring in La Liga with four goals.
However, it also caused registration problems due to the signing of more players in the summer window, so that Barcelona had to loan or sell some of the main players such as Coutinho and Aubameyang. With the new players and Barca's original young players such as Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres and Garvey, this year's Barça strength can not be underestimated. With a total of nine clashes against bayern Munich, the most familiar enemy, Barca's last win has been traced back to the final four of the 2014-15 Champions League, while Bayern have won absolute advantages in recent encounters. There are also 10 meetings against Inter Milan, with Barca winning 6, drawing 3 and losing 1, and maintaining a record of no loss in the last 5 encounters.
3. Inter Milan
Last season's results: Coppa Italia
Manager: Simeone Inzaghi
Following their return to the Champions League in 2018-19, this is Inter's fifth consecutive entry. Lukaku returned to Inter on loan this summer to reunite with partner Lautaro Martinez, who are key figures in Inter's Serie A title in 2020-21. In addition to Romelu Lukaku, Inter have also brought in Joaquin Correa from Lazio in anticipation of sharing the pressure on Lautaro Martinez up front. In midfield, Henrik Mkhitaryan signed from Roma. Mkhitaryan has played in England, Germany and other leagues and hopes to pass on his experience to young players. The defensive section signed goalkeeper Andre Onana from Ajax to give the 38-year-old goalkeeper Samir Handanovic plenty of rest. Although Inter were assigned to Group C of Death and met again with the familiar Bayern and Barca, it did not mean that Inter did not have the possibility of qualifying, and Inter is expected to become the biggest spoiler in Group C.
4. Pilsen wins
Last season's results: Czech First Division
Manager: Michal Bílek
Following the 2018-19 season, Pilsen's victory has once again challenged the Champions League. Challenged the second round of qualifying as Czech League champions and finally defeated Karabakh 2-1 on aggregate in the play-offs. In the same group, except for Inter, Pilsen's victory has a record against the other two teams in the Champions League, but both suffered a home-and-away double, scoring 6 goals. At present, the team's history has not yet reached the Champions League knockout rounds. As of the last round, Pilsen's victory was in second place in the local league, with midfielder Moskola tied for 4th place in the top scorers list with 3 goals. Although the overall strength is not as good as other teams, it still has the ability to disrupt Group C and become a dark horse.
Group C Ranking Prediction:
1. Bayern Munich
2. Barcelona
3. Inter Milan
4. Pilsen wins
Group D
1. Frankfurt
Last season's results: Europa League title
Coach: Oliver Glasner
The last time Frankfurt reached the Champions League was in 1960, when Frankfurt reached the final and finally collapsed in front of Real Madrid. Frankfurt in the last Europa League can be said to have no enemies, the group stage 3 wins and 3 losses to advance to the first place posture to advance to the round of sixteen, has defeated La Liga powerhouse Real Sociedad and Barcelona, the final four home and away double kills last season in the Premier League West Ham United, the final and Glasgow Rangers regular time to a draw, penalty shootout thrilling 5-4 defeat to win the second Europa League trophy in the history of the team.
Midfielder Philipp Kostic, who contributed 15 assists in the Bundesliga and the Europa League last season, moved to Juventus in Serie A, but striker Lucas Arario may have no problem adapting, and with the free-transfer Mujani, who has now delivered 2 goals and 4 assists for the team in five games. Rafael Borre, Kamada Daichi and Ivan Ndicca in the front and back of the squad are all very important players. Although Frankfurt made it all the way in the Europa League last season, they stumbled in the league and finished in 11th place. For 62 years, Eintracht Frankfurt fans are finally looking forward to playing in the Champions League, but how the team makes adjustments between league and cup matches is testing the players and coaches.
2. Tottenham
Last season's results: Fourth in the Premier League
Manager: Antonio Conte
Tottenham Hotspur, often dubbed "uncrowned" this year, was last close to the title of the competition in the surprising 2018-19 Champions League, when Lucas Mora hatted Ajax in the second leg, but eventually lost 2-0 to Liverpool in the final. After finding Italy's famous coach Antonio Antonio Conte last year, Spurs initially wandered tepidly in the European zone, but in the second half of the league began to pull the tail plate, and finally overtook the arsenal, ranking fourth in the Premier League and returning to the Champions League.
This summer, Spurs reversed their past criticism and spent a total of nearly 170 million euros, including striker Brazilian international Richard Lisson, defender Christian Romero, who has been in jail for a good time, Brighton midfielder Yves Bisuma, who once faced jail time and could buy cheaply, two young potential Destini Udoji and Digied Spence, plus the free-turn Ivan Perisic and goalkeeper Fraser Foster. The attacking arrows in the squad are still the top partners in the Premier League and even the world, Kane and last year's Premier League Golden Boot Sun Xingxuan, midfielder Pierre Hoybel, France international Hugo Lloris are the main players in the squad, and Spurs are currently in third place in the Premier League and have not yet swallowed defeat.
3. Sporting Lisbon
Last season: Second in the Portuguese Premier League, Portuguese League Cup
Manager: Rúben Amorim
Sporting Lisbon sold three main players this summer, and the current transfer fee has made a net profit of nearly 74 million euros, but the relative team has also lost a lot of strength, up to 13 in one go. Midfielder Matthews Nunes, João Parsinha and defender Nuno Mendes have all moved to the higher levels of the league. In terms of reinforcements, he bought defenders Pedro Polo and Jerry St. Giust, hoping to improve the team's defense even more. However, this season's Lisbon Athletic has won 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats in the first five matches, temporarily ranking 8th in the Portuguese Premier League, and the match against Porto is 0-3. The team's own winger Pedro Gonçalves has scored three goals and two assists this season. Last season's Champions League Sporting Lisbon beat Borussia Dortmund to reach the round of 16 by goal difference in the group stage, and this season entered the group of the dead, with the opportunity to qualify in the melee.
4. Marseille
Last season's results: Second in Ligue 1
Manager: Igor Tudor
Marseille reinforced a number of players this summer, allowing the squad to be fully upgraded, bought out Djangiz Yundale, who came on loan last season and scored 10 goals, the two midfielders who had 4 goals and 8 assists last season, Jordan Welletu and the bought-out Matteo Gunduzi, plus the team's original main force Gersson, the new generation of firepower output midfielders has gradually taken shape. The defender part, who bought Jonathan Klaus, who was also in Ligue 1 last season, and Chancher Mbemba, who was exempt from transfer, and paul López, who bought out goalkeeper Paul López, who had 10 clean sheets on loan last season, it can be said that Marseille and Roma this summer are quite closely related. Last year, Marseille fell from the third in the Europa League group to the European Union League, and finally advanced all the way to the final four, and this year's return to the Champions League was divided into the group of death that xiaobian thought, although it was the fourth-grade team, but in the summer vacation of the strong reinforcement plus the unbeaten performance of the opening season, making Group C more elusive, it is expected that the field is a scuffle.
Group D Ranking Prediction:
1. Tottenham Hotspur
2. Frankfurt
3. Marseille
4. Sporting Lisbon