Another year, and another Champions League group stage is upon us. Chelsea were placed in pot 1 after winning the Premier League last season, and here is who we got.
FC Porto
Runners-up in the Portuguese league last season, Porto have had a mixed summer. Renowned now for a big turnover, their fans may not be too surprised to see three big names leave for pastures new. Jackson Martinez, Alex Sandro and Danilo all left for Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Real Madrid respectively. Casillas and Imbula should prove to be good additions to the Porto squad, but I think we have got quite lucky with our Pot 2 opponents. Losing half of their starting 11 from last season, Porto will take time to gel. When you look at some of the other sides in the pot, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, Porto is one of the best we could’ve got. Even more so with it being the side that made the Special One and gave him to us. Despite all this, it won’t be an easy two games for Chelsea, especially away from home, as Lopetegui’s Porto side beat Bayern Munich 3-1 at home in last season’s quarter finals.
Player to Watch – Gianneli Imbula
The French midfielder impressed for Marseille last season before moving to Porto this summer. A real driving force from midfield, Imbula has had many comparisons to Manchester City’s Yaya Toure with his controlling from deep and ability to create and even score goals himself. Imbula is yet to break into the French national team, but it appears to be only a matter of time.
Previous Meetings
In the last six meetings between the two sides, Chelsea have won five and Porto won the other one game. On only one of those five wins however, have Chelsea won by more than one goal, so these games have a history of being tight affairs.
Dynamo Kyiv
Dynamo Kyiv are another exciting team in this group. Last season, the Kyiv side, amongst all the troubles in Ukraine, won a domestic double by winning the Ukrainian league and Cup, much like Chelsea. They reached the quarter finals of the Europa League before losing to Fiorentina, a side who beat us during pre-season. They too shouldn’t be too tricky an opponent, as they’ve already lost one of their wingers this summer, Jeremain Lens to Sunderland and their other winger, Andriy Yarmolenko, looks to be heading to Everton before the end of the transfer window. Five games into the Ukrainian season, Dynamo Kyiv have played five and won five, putting them five points clear at the top of the league already. Only two of those games have been at home, but they are yet to concede a goal at home, and this just highlights how difficult the long trip to Ukraine could prove to be for Chelsea.
Player to Watch – Andriy Yarmolenko
I’ve already mentioned Yarmolenko about potentially leaving the club this window, but if Serhiy Rebrov can keep hold of the Ukrainian winger, he will be by far their most dangerous player. With bags of pace and trickery, the man with 49 Ukraine caps is also closing in on 200 games for the Kyiv side. Three goals already in Dynamo’s first five games, Yarmolenko is the key driving force in almost all of their attacks, and having been given the opportunity to roam across the midfield three, Yarmolenko proves to be difficult to be tracked by a single defender, and can score from anywhere, even the smallest of gaps.
Previous Meetings
This season’s meetings between the two sides will be the first in history.
Maccabi Tel-Aviv
I’m sure Jose Mourinho will be just as happy with the fourth side in the group just as much as the other two. The Israeli champions shouldn’t provide too much of a threat to a Chelsea side, but, much like Dynamo Kyiv, travelling to Israel brings extra air miles during a busy footballing period. They won’t be a pushover however. Getting through to the group stages via a play-off win over Basel, a side who Chelsea and other English sides have struggled against in recent years. Managed by Slavisa Jokanovic, the man who got Watford promoted to the Premier League last season and with Jordi Cruyff their Director of Football, things are changing at Maccabi and having stolen a number of players from city rivals Hapoel Tel-Aviv, they have a squad that does have Champions’ League group stage experience. The best bit about playing Maccabi Tel-Aviv from a Chelsea fans perspective, the return of 33 year old defender Tal Ben Haim to the Bridge.
Player to Watch – Eran Zahavi
Seven goals in six Champions League qualifying games, Zahavi has started the season on fire. All three of the goals Maccabi Tel-Aviv scored against Basel in the last round were scored by Zahavi, and as club captain, he certainly leads from the front. 66 goals in 85 games for the Israeli Champions shows just how strong a striker he is and how important he is to this side. 66 goals in 85 games for a striker is an incredible turn around, but for a midfielder, like Zahavi is, that is an unheard of number of goals. If Nemanja Matic can keep Zahavi quiet, Maccabi Tel-Aviv will be quiet.
Previous Meetings
This season’s meetings between the two sides will be the first in history.
Personally, I think we should be aiming to win all six of these group games, and I don’t think that is unrealistic. The away trips to Ukraine and Israel may be tiring for the players, but I don’t think any of the three sides we will face have enough to beat a full strength Chelsea side.
