UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group H

Tammy Abraham of Chelsea celebrates after scoring his team's fourth goal during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea FC at Molineux on September 14, 2019 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 13, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Group H

Valencia vs Ajax- Wednesday, 02 October 2019

These two might be fancying themselves for the group winners spot after excellent displays on matchday 1. Valencia edged Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge while last season’s semi-finalists dispatched Lille by 3-0. Ajax in particular weren’t really at their best despite what the score line suggests. The Eredivisie champions enjoyed themselves a little too much, showboating excessively with manager Erik Ten Hag and talisman, Hakim Ziyech calling themselves out on the relaxed performance. Ajax will definitely not afford to have any more such luxuries when they travel to the Mestalla. Despite their unsteadying backroom changes, Valencia have done relatively well. Just this past weekend, they recorded a rare and famous 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao. A fortress in Spanish football.

It’s a close one, the winner here will be one of the favorites to progress to the knock-out stages.

LOSC Lille vs Chelsea- Wednesday, 02 October 2019

Lille choked on opening night at Ajax, which was understandable, considering their long-time absence from Europe’s biggest club football tournament. The French club can definitely not be any worse than they were against Ajax and Chelsea should expect a tough match against last season’s Ligue 1 runners-up. Nigerian international Victor Osimhen is one of the players who has to level up his weekend’s performance if Lille are to get a result against a Chelsea side who have seemingly found their identity under new boss Frank Lampard.

Group H seems to be one of the most unpredictable groups this season. Let’s get popcorn and soda as it unfolds.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group G

Julian Nagelsmann manager of 1899 Hoffenheim catches the match ball during the Group F match of the UEFA Champions League between FC Shakhtar Donetsk and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at Donbass Arena on September 19, 2018 in Donetsk, Ukraine.

(Sept. 18, 2018 - Source: Joosep Martinson/Getty Images Europe)

Group G

Zenit St Petersburg vs Benfica- Wednesday, 02 October 2019

They looked like outsiders on opening night but a point secured at Lyon has gotten people seriously looking at the Russians. Zenit should be favorites at home when they welcome the Portuguese champions, Benfica. The latter are themselves not without talented individuals in their squad with the ever reliable Pizzi and Seferovic who scored in their 1-2 opening loss to Leipzig, a balanced encounter that was decided on fine margins. Experience could prove the difference with Benfica needing a whole lot more of it.

Leipzig vs Lyon- Wednesday, 02 October 2019

Julian Nagelsmann’s remarkable rise to coaching has continued in Red Bull Leipzig colors with the young gaffer having tasted his only league defeat of the new season over the weekend against Schalke. The 32-year-old coach and his charges are definitely within touching distance of challenging for the Bundesliga this season and enjoyed a fruitful trip to Benfica on opening UCL night. Last season’s round-of-16 finalists, Lyon will prove a more challenging opposition under the Brazilian, Slyvinho. All eyes will be on star-striker Timo Werner to continue firing Leipzig to the top as they look to reach the knock-out stages for the first time in their history.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group F

Antoine Griezmann of FC Barcelona runs with the ball during the Joan Gamper trophy friendly match between FC Barcelona and Arsenal at Nou Camp on August 04, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.

(Aug. 3, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Group F

Slavia Praha vs Borussia Dortmund- Wednesday, 02 October 2019

Slavia Praha just might be the surprise package of this season. Might be. They reached the Europa League quarter-final last year, narrowly losing to eventual champions Chelsea. On their opening champions league night at Inter, they showed promise with a hard-earned 1-1 draw against one of the most in-form teams in Europe. On Wednesday, they welcome a side without a lack of attacking talent, Borussia Dortmund. Lucien Favre’s men must be feeling hard done by with a consecutive set of league draws, that have left them 8th on the Bundesliga table, 3 points off champions Bayern Munich. Without Hummels in the side, their defense which lacks experienced leadership has been guilty of letting in some more goals than needed. The Black and Yellow will be hoping to pick up on their impressive performance in an unlucky 0-0 draw against Barcelona on matchday 1 when they travel to a tricky Slavia Praha.

It’s still very much an open group with all four teams on a single point.

Barcelona vs Inter Milan- Wednesday, 02 October 2019

This must be the fixture of the round. The Spanish champions are looking anything but stable even after getting all 3 points against Getafe over the weekend. They needed an assist from star goalkeeper, Marc Andre Ter Stegen and fed off a defensive error by the Getafe shot-stopper to get the win. A growing injury list that has since sidelined teenage sensation Fati, Dembele and skipper Messi has them possibly biting their nails when they welcome Antonio Conte’s men who have won all their 6 Serie A league matches this season, effectively giving Juve a run for their money in the title race. Furthermore, Manchester United flop, Alexis Sanchez looks re-energized after he scored twice on his debut over the weekend in a 4-1 win over Sampdoria, even though he got sent off later on for a second yellow.

Who knows what might happen when a shaky Barca faces possibly the best Inter side since the heroes of 2009/10 who won a treble under Jose Mourinho.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group E

Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli during the Group C match of the UEFA Champions League between SSC Napoli and Liverpool at Stadio San Paolo on October 3, 2018 in Naples, Italy.

(Oct. 2, 2018 - Source: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images Europe)

Group E

Genk vs Napoli– Wednesday, 02 October 2019

Nothing about their performance in Austria was Belgian champions like for Genk. That 6-1 thrashing was the heaviest loss of the opening Champions League night and the writing is on the wall. They just have to improve very quickly if they are to make this UCL season a favorably memorable one. Tanzanian skipper, Mbwana Samatta was one of their positives in that loss to Salzburg, scoring a landmark goal for the Tanzanians. It, however, doesn’t help their cause that their next opponent is Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli who beat defending champions Liverpool 2-0 on matchday 1. It could get worse before it gets better for Genk who have to stop the attacking talents of Hirving Lozano and the big center forward, Fernando Llorente.

Liverpool vs Red Bull Salzburg– Wednesday, 02 October 2019

The Reds haven’t started their UCL title defense as well as their 2019/20 Premier League title hunt. Seven wins in seven matches mean they are the only remaining side with a perfect record in England and their 1-0 weekend win over Sheffield United was their 16th consecutive Premier League win. On Wednesday, they, however, have to come from the shadows when they welcome high flying Salzburg to Anfield. The Austrian champions led by the historic American gaffer should be informed about the uniquely hostile atmosphere that is Anfield on a Champions League night. They will need to be humble, put aside their 6-1 win over Genk aside and deal with attacking triad that is Salah, Mane and Firmino.

Liverpool themselves will need to be cautious when they go for the win as the teenage hattrick hero on his debut night, Erling Haland will be lurking.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group D

Diego Costa of Atletico Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus walk out onto the pitch prior to the UEFA Champions League group D match between Atletico Madrid and Juventus at Wanda Metropolitano on September 18, 2019 in Madrid, Spain.

(Sept. 17, 2019 - Source: ANGEL MARTINEZ/Getty Images Europe)

Group D

Juventus vs Bayer Leverkusen– Tuesday, 01 October 2019

There is nothing more that Cristiano Ronaldo cherishes other than competition. The awarding of FIFA’s The Best Male Player Award for 2019 to Messi could have possibly poked the 34-year-old Portuguese legend to push himself to the limit once more. A 5-5 tie on such awards sounded a decent end to their decade long rivalry but with the scale now tipped 6-5 to Messi, best believe the all-time record scorer in the Champions League is preparing to fire himself and Juve to a coveted UCL title. After all, that’s what the Old Lady signed him for.

Bayer Leverkusen have since recovered from a shocking loss at home to Lokomotiv Moskva in the Champions League and also recorded some decent results in the league that have seen them rise to 6th in the Bundesliga, only a point off leaders Bayern. However, against Juve and Ronaldo in Turin who are yet to win in the UCL this season, it’s hard to see them get a result.

Lokomotiv Moskva vs Atletico Madrid– Tuesday, 01 October 2019

Just how good is Thomas Partey? The Ghanaian international was the best player on the pitch over the weekend as Real and Atletico battled to a 0-0 draw in the Madrid derby at Wanda Metropolitano. On a night such as that one, he looked a combination of Sergio Busquets and N’golo Kante and Atleti would be hoping he carries that form into the Tuesday clash in Russia.

Teenage sensation, Joao Felix has also settled in well at Rojiblancos and looks quite dangerous every-time he gets the ball. Simeone and his men are going for all 3 points at Group D topping Lokomotiv Moskva as they look for their first win this campaign after a 2-2 draw against Juve on opening night. Lokomotiv Moskva themselves beat fellow champions league representatives, Zenit 1-0 over the weekend and are just 2 points off table-topping CSKA Moscow after 11 matches.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group C

Duvan Zapata of Atalanta BC celebrates his goal with his team-mates during the Coppa Italia match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia on January 30, 2019 in Bergamo, Italy.

(Jan. 29, 2019 - Source: Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images Europe

Group C

Atalanta vs Shakhtar Donetsk– Tuesday, 01 October 2019

Baptism of fire, that’s what Atalanta got on their long-awaited, emotional and fairy-tale return to the Champions League. La Dea were possibly at their worst, with a timid performance that saw them lose 0-4 at the hands of Zagreb in Croatia. They have however not capitulated after that, responding with two impressive Serie A wins, 0-2 away at Roma and the recent 4-1 thrashing of Sassuolo. Gasperini’s men will now take two when they welcome the Ukrainians on Tuesday and with the Colombian Zapata in sizzling form, Shakhtar could find themselves in the firing line.

To be fair to the Ukrainian champions, they have been quite decent in their European matches in the past seasons. They could be forgiven for losing 0-3 to Manchester City on matchday 1 but would be expected and are good enough to get a result in Italy. The question will be on whether they can sustain their opposition’s momentum and desire to prove themselves on the biggest stage.

Manchester City vs Dinamo Zagreb– Tuesday, 01 October 2019

It looks obvious on paper but not so much in reality.

City have since picked themselves up from their shocking 2-3 loss at bottom of the league Norwich, with victories such as an 8-0 dragging of Watford, 3-0 win at high flying Championship side, Preston North End and most recently a late 3-1 win at Everton. In particular, the Algerian captain and AFCON 2019 champion, Riyad Mahrez has re-captured his Leicester form and looks like a new signing for the English champions.

On the other hand, the Croatian champions lie at the top of Group C for a reason. Dinamo Zagreb crushed Atalanta on opening night with a 4-0 scoreline and their league form hasn’t suggested they have put off their foot off the pedal, lying only a point off leaders Hajduk Split in the league. It obviously will be a clash, a level up what they have been involved within recent weeks, but quite capable of getting a result as well. After all, Lyon did it at Etihad last season.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group B

Group B

Tottenham vs Bayern Munich– Tuesday, 01 October 2019

All is not well in the Tottenham camp. A mixed start to their Premier League campaign has seen fans and neutrals desperately look for the side that made them 2019 Champions League final against Liverpool, with no success. An opening night 2-2 draw at Olympiacos in Greece was another disappointing return which followed a 2-2 draw at North London rivals, Arsenal; having taken a 2-0 lead in both matches.

Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Muenchen celebrates scoring his teams second goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between Ajax and FC Bayern Munich at Johan Cruyff Arena on December 12, 2018 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

(Dec. 11, 2018 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe)

Tanguy Ndombele has been a massive signing for Spurs with the midfielder having scored twice already in London, more recently in the 2-1 weekend win over Southampton. Now facing Bayern is a different ball game. The Germans took long but eventually labored to a 3-0 win over Red Star on opening UCL night. Lewandowski is unsurprisingly still firing, they are unbeaten in the league and have done well in North London whenever they played Arsenal in recent years.

Niko Kovac’s side are definitely backing themselves to add to Mauricio Pochettino’s woes before they find their feet again.

Red Star Belgrade vs Olympiacos– Tuesday, 01 October 2019

Competitive! That’s one way to describe this fixture. Red Star’s 0-3 loss to Bayern on matchday 1 goes nowhere close in explaining the complexion of that encounter. It was quite harsh on the Serbians who left it all on the pitch and could be a massive encouragement of what they can do in the 2019/20 UCL season. Their fans know how to create a winning atmosphere, having backed their heroes to famous victories over the likes of eventual champions, Liverpool last season. Olympiacos themselves know some things about atmospheres as their own lifted them up to fight back and draw 2-2 with Tottenham on opening night. The home team, Red Star are clearly favorites but it will surely be as electric as they come. A classic teeth biting and edge of your seats UCL encounter.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group A

Karim Benzema attends "El Corazon de Sergio Ramos" premiere at the Reina Sofia museum on September 10, 2019 in Madrid, Spain.

(Sept. 9, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Group A

Real Madrid v Club Brugge – Tuesday, 01 October 2019

Zidane’s charges are expected to brush Brugge aside at the Bernabeu. Nothing less than a comprehensive victory will appease the Madrid faithful who were humbled to a 3-0 loss at Paris on matchday 1. Even though marquee summer signing, Eden Hazard, is yet to come alive in white, Benzema and the decent start to their La Liga campaign which has seen them occupy pole position after 7 matches offers enough hope that the real, Real could actually be back. A 0-0 draw over the weekend at Atletico was another piece of evidence that Zidane might have calmed the waters in the Spanish Capital.

That’s the expectation. But it’s actually easier said than done against the Belgian side who labored to a 0-0 opening draw against a Falcao inspired Galatasaray. Even more, their African contingent of Percy Tau, Diatta and Diagne showed what they can do if given the chance with a glorious display in 5-0 win over Mechelen during the weekend. No Champions League match is easy going and this one won’t be any different.

Galatasaray v Paris St Germain - Tuesday, 01 October 2019

The tide is on the French champions’ side to continue blowing opposition away and not least the Turkish champions. Quite frankly, it’s what they have repeatedly done in the UCL group stages for the past 2-3 seasons. This time, a 3-0 opening night win over Madrid could have been the best of them. Injuries have trouble Tuchel’s side in recent weeks with Mbappe, Cavani, Choupo-Moting amongst others having been forced to watch from the sidelines. Neymar who has scored all three goals in PSG’s last three, 1-0 league wins has won back the fans, settled the camp and convincingly re-integrated himself into the side after the summer transfer woes. The Brazilian will not play on Tuesday due to the ongoing ban for his comments last term but best guaranteed, PSG have enough firepower to own the night in Istanbul, provided they put their game faces on. One player you really should look out for is the summer signing from Everton, Idrissa Gana Gueye and of course Mbappe who just returned. The Senegalese international has already won hearts in Paris with his heart-on-sleeve performances in the middle of the park.

As for Galatasaray, the Turkish champions have enough champions league experience to know how to set-up against opposition such as PSG. At home, still riding on the wings of the summer arrival of Falcao and boosted by the disciplined performance that saw them earn a point at Brugge, they really must be fancying themselves to cause an upset.

We shall see how that will work out.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 1): Group D

Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus scores the opening goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Juventus and Club de Atletico Madrid at Allianz Stadium on March 12, 2019 in Turin, Italy.

(March 11, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Atletico Madrid vs Juventus- Wednesday 19 September 2019

Two European giants who haven’t hit the right form in the new season square-off. Atletico Madrid slumped to their first defeat of the La Liga season, a 2-0 loss to Real Sociedad while Juve were quite lucky to get a point at Fiorentina. Diego Simeone’s men will particularly be interested in getting one over Ronaldo and the Old Lady who knocked them out of last season’s champions league in the round-of-16 on a 3-2 aggregate scoreline. Wanda Metropolitano will likely be hostile to Ronaldo who mockingly returned a cojones celebration after scoring the three goals that saw Atleti out, and at the same time hoping their new star Joao Felix can stand-up to challenge the heroics of his aforementioned compatriot.

Bayer Leverkusen vs Lokomotiv Moscow- Wednesday 19 September 2019

Leverkusen vs Lokomotiv might be the most unpredictable fixture of the round. The Bundesliga giants have had a mixed start to the season, worse off a 4-0 loss at the hands of the Dortmund over the weekend that confined them to an 8th position on the log. On the other hand, the Russian Premier League side haven’t done bad at all, sitting just 3 points off the top after 9 games. They are actually very capable of leaving Germany with all 3 points. Former West Brom’s Grzegorz Krychowiak and highly rated Kai Havertz will surely form an interesting midfield battle.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 1): Group C

Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City shoots during the Group F match of the UEFA Champions League between FC Shakhtar Donetsk and Manchester City at Metalist Stadium on October 23, 2018 in Kharkov, Ukraine.

(Oct. 22, 2018 - Source: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Europe)

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Manchester City- Wednesday 19 September 2019

The Ukrainian champions who are sitting comfortably at the top of their domestic league after registering 7 wins in 7 opening matches welcome their favorite UCL group stage opponent in recent years, Manchester City. These two have been drawn together in each of the past 2 seasons with Man City dominating the fixture, a 9-0 aggregate scoreline recorded last campaign is a good example. Shakhtar have also gotten one over City, a 2-1 home win in the 2017/18 campaign that ended the English Champions’ unbeaten run in all competitions. After being shockingly beat by Norwich over the weekend, Pep’s men will be keen to quickly get back to winning terms but it’s all obviously easier said than done.

Dinamo Zagreb vs Atalanta- Wednesday 19 September 2019

 The Croatian First Football League champions, Dinamo Zagreb will welcome perhaps Europe’s most adored football club right now, Atalanta. “The Goddess” will be making their champions league debut since the rebranding of the tournament. The Serie A side has enjoyed a remarkable rise in the past 2-3 seasons after swinging on the relegation pendulum for a while, most profoundly finishing 3rd in the last season ahead of the two Milan clubs and 2017/18 UCL semi-finalists, Roma. Gasperini’s men clearly had their eyes projected to this fixture as they battled to a nervy 2-1 league victory over Genoa in the weekend and most eyes will be on them as they visit relatively UCL regulars, Zagreb, who have relished a near perfect start to their domestic title defence.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 1): Group B

Lucas Moura of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring his team's third goal with Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Ajax and Tottenham Hotspur at the Johan Cruyff Arena on May 08, 2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

(May 7, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Bayern Munich vs Red Star Belgrade- Wednesday 19 September 2019

A battle of the Red Champions. Even though they are currently not on top of their respective German and Serbian League tables, the unbeaten defending champions have both enjoyed a decent start to their campaigns. Niko Kovac’s Bayern are clearly favorites to easily win this one at home though it must be noted that Red Star Belgrade who beat eventual champions Liverpool at home in last season’s UCL group stages, are quite capable of causing an upset.

Tottenham vs Olympiakos- Wednesday 19 September 2019

The other group B encounter looks like its decided before it has begun. Not many would want to visit the Tottenham Hotspur stadium right now after Crystal Palace were left for dead over the weekend. Four first-half goals saw them revive a sluggish start to a Premier League campaign that was suffocated by transfer window uncertainty. Momentum is on Spurs’ side who are now looking more like their best selves who made the 2018/19 champions league final but an unheralded Olympiakos who have enjoyed a perfect start to their own Greek league campaign, could be all that’s needed to derail them yet again.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 1): Group A

Lassana Diarra of PSG (19) and team mates look dejected in defeat after the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid at Parc des Princes on March 6, 2018 in Paris, France.

(March 5, 2018 - Source: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images Europe)

Club Brugge vs Galatasaray- Wednesday 19 September 2019

After missing out on last season’s Belgian Pro League title, Brugge and their new coach Philippe Clement decided to reinvent themselves with a greater part of process seeming to be a combination of some of Africa’s football stars. The likes of South Africa’s Percy Tau, Nigeria’s Okereke and Senegal’s Mbaye Diagne and Diatta will line-up against a Radamel Falcao inspired Galatasaray side who haven’t had the best of starts in their Turkish Super Lig title defence.

PSG vs Real Madrid- Wednesday 19 September 2019

The pick of the group and undoubtedly the round features PSG and Real Madrid at Parc de Princes. Two giants not without a history and desperate to show the disappointments of the last season are behind them. They both got knocked out in the quarter-finals by Manchester United and Ajax respectively and have no smaller goal than winning the cup itself. Furthermore, there is a tantalizing prospect of getting revenge for PSG who were beaten 5-2 on aggregate by eventual champions Madrid in the 2017/18 UCL round of 16. It’s really an opening match with UCL final written all over it. We will be watching the Neymar vs Hazard battle, world-class forwards currently re-integrating into their sides with undoubtably talismanic abilities.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 1): Group H

The Ajax team celebrate victory after the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final second leg match between Juventus and Ajax at Allianz Stadium on April 16, 2019 in Turin, Italy.

(April 15, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Chelsea vs Valencia- Tuesday 18 September 2019

Probably the least predictable group. After a sluggish start to the 2019/20 Premier League season, punctuated by a 4-0 loss at Old Trafford and a 2-2 stalemate at home against promoted Sheffield United, Chelsea have peaked at the right time. Lampard’s youthful Chelsea who are under no pressure whatsoever to win anything this season mark a return to the UCL on the backdrop of an impressive 5-2 Premier League win over Wolves. Their opponents Valencia, were 2-5 losers to Barcelona in the same weekend. Logically, the Blues look like favorites but with the new gaffer at Mestalla desperate to win the community over, he will likely make every match and minute count.

Ajax vs Lille- Tuesday 18 September 2019

On the other hand, last season’s surprise package and semi-finalists are looking like themselves again despite losing key players such as Mathijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong. Ajax are sitting pretty on top of the Eredivisie after 5 matches and will welcome Lille OSC. A surprise package in the French top flight last term who finished second behind champions PSG. It’s really Ajax vs the probable “new Ajax” of the new champions league season.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 1): Group G

Lyon vs Zenit St Petersburg- Tuesday 18 September 2019

Zenit St Petersburg and Lyon meet in the Lyon Olympic Stadium for the third time in the competition, having played each other on two previous UEFA clashes in which Zenit took the win on both occasions. After winning their seventh title in the Russian Premier League, Zenit St Petersburg are possible last 16 contenders despite being the underdogs. Lyon came third last season in the French Ligue 1. With a tally of 15 goals last season and 5 already in the new campaign, Moussa Dembélé should be the player to watch. Lyon’s other top goal scorer Memphis Depay is at the top of his game with an impressive start to the season securing four goals and one assist. Zenit also have former Barca forward and summer signing Malcolm in their ranks to help their cause.

Benfica vs RB Leipzig- Tuesday 18 September 2019

Unbeaten in the Bundesliga, Red Bull Leipzig go head to head with Portuguese side Benfica in a group G clash, in Lisbon. RB Leipzig tops the league ahead of Dortmund and is in impressive form, recently frustrating champions Bayern Munich to a 1-1 draw. Their star striker, 23-year-old Timo Werner scored 16 goals and managed seven assists in the Bundesliga last season. Joao Felix’s move to Atletico has left a gap in the Benfica attack though Pizzi is expected to play a vital role in this campaign, who scored 13 times and served up 18 assists in 34 matches.

Maxwell Cornet of Lyon celebrates after scoring his team's first goal with his team mates during the Group F match of the UEFA Champions League between Manchester City and Olympique Lyonnais at Etihad Stadium on September 19, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 18, 2018 - Source: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Europe)

UEFA Champions League Preview(Matchday 1): Group F

Lionel Messi of Barcelona celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.

(April 30, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Dortmund vs Barcelona - Tuesday 18 September 2019

Barcelona will head to Germany for their first group clash against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday evening. Barca face the Black & Yellow without injured captain Lionel Messi who has been ruled out by Ernesto Valverde due to a calf injury. The Spanish giants are appearing in their sixteenth consecutive UEFA Group Stages and boast a better record against Dortmund in previous ties. Ousmane Dembele will also most likely not start this clash after being ruled out for five weeks due to a hamstring injury while Frenkie de Jong and Antione Griezmann will make their UEFA debuts for Blaugrana. Dortmund have no significant injuries to lament of and a win against Messi-less Barca could catapult them towards a probable top of the group finish. Dortmund’s star player Paco Alcácer who has scored 5 in 4 league games this season should relish possibly heaping misery on his former employers.

Inter vs Slavia Prague- Tuesday 18 September 2019

Czech side Slavia Prague drew a difficult group with Barcelona and Dortmund. They start their campaign against Inter Milan. This will be the Czech side’s second European campaign while Inter Milan is fairly seasoned. It’s a tight group, but Slavia has shown that they deserve the spot by winning the domestic league and the double in Czech Republic as well as remaining unbeaten in their last 22 matches. The match will be played at home for Inter where they’ve been historically more successful against Czech teams. Inter qualified after finishing fourth in Serie A last season ahead of AC Milan and currently at the top of Serie A with Juventus trailing. Antonio Conte’s Inter were the last Italian team to win the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2010 under then boss, Jose Mourinho.

UEFA Champions League Preview(Matchday 1): Group E

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool battles for possession with Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli during the Group C match of the UEFA Champions League between SSC Napoli and Liverpool at Stadio San Paolo on October 3, 2018 in Naples, Italy.

(Oct. 2, 2018 - Source: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images Europe)

Napoli vs Liverpool - Tuesday 18 September 2019

The controversy surrounding the state of Stadio San Paolo has been a cause of major concern before a big UEFA League group stage clash between Napoli and Liverpool. Napoli manager Carlo Ancelotti flagged the issue in a statement calling out the Naples municipality on the unfinished renovations at the stadium that could also include the dressing rooms. Naples start their campaign with a monster of an opponent, reigning champions Liverpool and Premier League table toppers with a shining perfect record. The encounter will be a replay of last season’s Group C clash between Liverpool and Napoli, which was a close tie marginally decided in favor of the Reds. Fortunately for Napoli, the condition of their stadium does not reflect the current state of the squad which has made a big comeback in recent years. Napoli has the potential to serve us with a hard-fought UCL game as one of the inform Serie A teams who actually finished second in 2018/2019.

Red Bull Salzburg vs Genk- Tuesday 18 September 2019

Genk’s new signing Paul Onuachu is expected to play a vital role in the team’s success in the UEFA League campaign as they start their campaign against Red Bull Salzburg. The Nigerian international joined the Belgian champions for a fee of around €6m and scored his first goal in their 2-1 defeat to Sporting Charleroi. Onuachu will assist Mbwana Samatta, the Tanzanian striker who has been the star player for the Belgian Pro-League team. Genk face a challenging opponent in the Austrian champions whose manager Jesse Mersch has been making an impressive impact at the club. The American joined the club in April, and has to led the team to a record-breaking start to the season, with 7 wins in 7, a form that could help RB Salzburg to make an impact in Europe. Genk who have not had as good a kick-off to their domestic campaign will only hope that their talented forwards will come to the party. It’s really the Belgian vs the Austrian champions. Who will reign supreme?

UCL Review: Why Liverpool got blanked in Spain and Barcelona battered in England

WHY LIVERPOOL GOT BLANKED IN SPAIN

Lionel Messi of Barcelona scores his sides third goal from a free kick during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.

(April 30, 2019 - Source: Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe)

Dejavu

Thirty-yards out, Alisson stood sure between the sticks as if daring the Blaugrana talisman to do the unthinkable. The Red wall in grey clothing, shoulders high, hearts unsure – with some palms, cup shaped and firmly fixed to protect the valuables; presentable a seemingly impenetrable force to the king. As per usual, Leo Messi was unmoved, fixing his eyes to a target that covered a twentieth of the entire goal mouth and with a stern face as that of Game of Thrones’ Night King, preparing to dissolve the wall and its commander. Two steps backwards and then forward, he whipped the ball, traversing in a direction that was inconceivable according to the understood laws of physics, it deserted everything and everyone else until it found its way into that top 5% of Liverpool’s goal mouth. A goal for the king and a third for Barcelona on the night, wrapping up a 3-0 score line in the first leg of the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League semi-finals. We weren’t fooled, that rare moment wasn’t new at all. Quite characteristic of perhaps the greatest footballer that has walked the surface of the earth. Dejavu is the word, that is all it was!

At end of the ninety, Barcelona were already one foot into the final and the reality of Liverpool turning that score line in the second leg was nothing but a fleeting fantasy. Jurgen Klopp’s Red Army had played considerably well on the night but were left licking their wounds, mostly because of one reason, one word, one man and five letters. Messi! Things really got Messi!

Lionel Messi of Barcelona celebrates after he scores his sides third goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.

(April 30, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Before things got Messi

Liverpool had been sailing in unfamiliar waters prior to this match in Spain. With a Premier League record that had them losing only once in over 30 matches, and unbeaten in 20, in all competitions to be precise, they had become the closest thing to perfection since sliced bread. En route to Catalonia, they had made light work of the Bavarians, dismissing them by 3-1 in Munich and dispatched Malian Mousa Marega’s impressive Porto by an aggregate score-line of 6-1, a side that had lost only once from the UCL group stages to the quarter-finals. Mount Virgil Van Dijk still seemed unsurmountable and prior to the Barca clash, the Dutch captain had been awarded the PFA Player of the Season, succeeding Mohamed Salah, in a thorough EPL campaign that propelled them to go toe to toe with Man City for the title. Senegalese Sadio Mane and the Egyptian king in Salah, were still firing across all cylinders and the African duo, simply flexing African talent on show by going head to head for the Premier League Golden Boot, scoring over 20 goals each. Only the Gabonese forward, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sergio Aguero were in the same scoring bracket. A total of 20 Premier League clean sheets, 87 goals scored, a point within table topping City and only a single game lost, the Merseysiders were soaring, it only would have taken something of a magician to put a stop in their tracks. And it did.

When things got Messi

Of course it was the Big Luis Suarez 9 who showed enduring class to put the La Liga champions ahead in the first forty-five, after intercepting Jordi Alba’s perfectly timed cross with a first time finish, under the noses of Virgil Van Dijk and Cameroonian Joel Matip. Yes, you heard right, Mount Van Djik was left for dead. That was actually the Uruguayan’s first champions league goal of the season, biting the hand that once fed him but not typically. At least this time it was all legal and metaphorical. Since then, it was all Liverpool, with Sadio Mane and Mo Salah causing all sorts of problems for the Barca defence, doing it all, except scoring. The close to 100 000 stadium capacity filled the faithful, they were forced to watch their heroes humbled off the ball in their own temple, but it was that humble approach that paid dividends.

“As per usual, Leo Messi was unpertubed, fixing his eyes to a target that covered a twentieth of the entire goal mouth and with a stern face as that of Game of Thrones’ Night King, preparing to dissolve the wall and its commander.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Lionel Messi of Barcelona celebrates with his team mates after he scores his sides third goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.

(April 30, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Warrior Arturo Vidal was back to his best, thwarting almost every sensible threat and flying up and down in the middle of the park. Except for a few moments of lapse in concentration, Pique and Lenglet marshalled the Barcelona backline with class and experience, whereas Marc Andre Ter Stegen was available to superman anything that had deluded the rest of the team. It was almost as though, the Blaugrana was happy to soak in the pressure and hit Liverpool on the counter. Which is exactly what they did on the second goal. Possession was won in the middle of the park and Messi was available to oversee proceedings, sending Suarez through on the left wing, before the ball reakeshared off Sergi Roberto to the Uruguayan. Suarez instinctively hit the ball with his knee, only finding the upright before the ball returned into the box, where Leo Messi reacted quickest to chest and slot it home, again under the nose of the mountainous and tipped Balon d’Or candidate, Virgil Van Dijk. We all know what happened on the third goal. Liverpool were blanked by Barca’s humble approach camouflaged in Leo Messi’s superhero suit. The latter took his goal tally to 26 against English opposition, over 20% of his 112 champions league goals. His favorite customer is actually Chelsea, with 10 to his name. Even the second most expensive goalkeeper in the world, Alisson Becker, infuriated, hit the goal post as if to suggest it was the one dancing to the tune of the Argentine magician, made in Spain.

Liverpool had given their all, above and beyond. In addition to Barca’s humble approach, firing blanks in front of goal after 15 shots with 4 of them on target compared to Barca’s 12 whereas 5 were on target, was another important reason as to why they got blanked.

However, the story doesn’t end there. What happened in the second leg, couldn’t have been in any script whatsoever.

WHY BARCELONA GOT BATTERED IN ENGLAND

Fans of Liverpool enjoy the pre match atmosphere with flares prior to the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Liverpool and Barcelona at Anfield on May 07, 2019 in Liverpool, England.

(May 6, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

The setting

The 3-0 first leg win by Barcelona ensured Liverpool needed to score at least four goals to advance to the 2019 UEFA Champions League final in Madrid. That is four goals without conceding to a Barcelona side which is hardly shy of goals given the presence of those who need no introduction. To make matters worse, after missing Mane and Salah’s hinge, Roberto Firmino in the first leg, the Egyptian king was also going to join the Brazilian to the sidelines after suffering a concussion in a Premier League encounter against Newcastle. So was the Guinean dynamic midfielder, Naby Keita, who limped off in the early stages of the two legged tie in Camp Nou. In fact, he is reported to be at risk of even missing out on the June 2019 AFCON finals in Egypt. To say the least, they who never walk alone were facing an uphill task, only convicted to give their best shot in front of the faithful Anfield choir. Only memories of the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul, which they won after coming back from a 3-0 down at the end of the first half against AC Milan, offered glimpses of hope.

But even their gaffer, Jurgen Klopp remained pragmatic of the task at hand:

“Two of the world’s best strikers are not available tomorrow night and we have to score four goals against Barcelona to go through after 90 minutes. It doesn’t make life easier but as long as we have 11 players on the pitch then we will try and everybody knows that.”

Jordan Henderson of Liverpool celebrates as Divock Origi (R) scores his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Liverpool and Barcelona at Anfield on May 07, 2019 in Liverpool, England.

(May 6, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Rapid red fire

It was all about the start by Liverpool. They were on the clear of the task at hand and wasted no time in going at Barcelona to push for the impossible. The Swiss attacker, Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi who were in for the absent Salah and Firmino were no strangers to the cause. Their usual press was more amplified, deliberate, energetic and did not look like them who would get tired. The soldiers in the Red Army quickly forced Barcelona into committing mistakes, most of all their former frontman, Philippe Coutinho. They got their first goal of the night as early as the seventh minute through Origi after some quick interplay between Senegalese Mane and Henderson off a Jordi Alba mistake. It was a much need breakthrough, that even lifted the roof and atmosphere to even more electrifying levels, making Anfield a total nightmare for the visitors.

It was not only the Liverpool front line doing the job by forcing mistakes and testing Ter Stegen. Prospective Balon d’Or candidate in Virgil Van Dijk was in charge at the back. Him and Matip were uninterested in any Barcelona threats, shoving aside all that came to Alisson’s goal. They however had to wait for the second forty-five to complete the comeback.

Schoolboy defending

A blessing in disguise came through Liverpool’s way as Gini Wijnaldum made way for injured Andy Robertson. A midfielder for a defender, definitely the right attitude by the manager and his team who now had nothing to lose. Within a few minutes of coming on, the Dutch attacker bagged two goals in succession to put the tie level. Initially, he pulled off a Suarez to latch onto Trent Alexander Arnold cross, goalwards under the supervision of the ever fighting Vidal, Pique and Clement Lenglet. The second really shouldn’t have gone in, Gini was the only who rose to head an incoming cross from the left wing into the net as all of the Barca defence watched on. As if that was not enough, the fourth goal capped Barca’s horror showing.

Liverpool’s young full-back, Alexander Arnold once again had his fingerprints on the crime scene. TAA pulled off some quick thinking as he took a Liverpool corner, capitalising on the napping Pique who was playing Divock Origi onside as he tied his shoes close to the goalkeeper. The full back quickly sliced the ball onto the unmarked Origi’s path who had the simple task of powerfully putting the ball past Ter Stegen as everyone else watched on. The Red part of Anfield was elevated to ecstasy as the traveling Barca fans were forced into despair. The unthinkable happened, twice in the same tie. Firstly, the Messi free-kick and now Liverpool’s comeback. Mohamed Salah’s hoodie shared the message that had perhaps inspired the rest of the squad, “Never Give Up,” it read, as the Egyptian marched onto the pitch to join his teammates in celebrating the miracle.

Liverpool were rampant, rapid and clinical on the night but Barca were also just simply horrible. Suarez coined it perfectly, “we defended like children.” After an impressive and more disciplined approach in the first leg, they surprisingly looked off and uninterested from the start. Perhaps they got to comfortable and paid for it.

“Even Lionel Messi’s magic never really popped, Gini’s “gini” reigned supreme instead. Fabinho, Henderson and company took every chance to swarm and annihilate the Argentine’s efforts in the middle of the park.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Haunted by the 2018 AS Roma Ghost

What is also true is that once the goals started coming in, the ghosts of the 2018 quarter-final in Rome perhaps started resurrecting in the La Liga champions’ minds. They had led 4-1 in the first leg at Camp Nou only to lose 3-0 and got knocked out the 2017/18 UCL competition on away goals rule under some miraculous circumstances. In the Liverpool tie, Blaugrana employed the same tactics and substitutions as in the first leg but looked a different opposition entirely. Even Lionel Messi’s magic never really popped, Gini’s “gini” reigned supreme instead. Fabinho, Henderson and company took every chance to swarm and annihilate the Argentine’s efforts in the middle of the park.

At the end of the day, it was Liverpool marching on to the 2019 Madrid final, their second successive UEFA Champions League final after as many years. It leaves many questions unresolved for Barca’s boss, Ernesto Valvedre, and his approach towards the UCL competition, after being knocked out twice under unfamiliar circumstances.

Jurgen Klopp, Manager of Liverpool and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool and team mates celebrate after the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Liverpool and Barcelona at Anfield on May 07, 2019 in Liverpool, England.

(May 6, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

 After all is said and done

Defending champions Real Madrid’s four UCL titles in the past five years ensured the fading of the reign of two El Clasico rivals (with Barcelona) who dominated Europe in the last decade. Outside the two, only Chelsea, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich had managed to win the Champions League in the same period. After being on the side lines for a long time, with their last major trophy coming in 2006, Liverpool have gradually returned to the big stage and staking a claim amongst Europe’s best. Two consecutive UCL finals is no children’s bread. After losing the 2018 final to Real Madrid, Liverpool however need to win the forthcoming June final against English rivals, Tottenham if they are to formally reign as one of Europe’s highly revered teams. If not, they risk writing another Juventus story. Completely dominant in the Italian Serie, coming close on two occasions by reaching the final in 2015 and 2017 but with no success on the biggest stage.

With regards to Liverpool’s remarkable turnaround that also inspired Spurs to follow suit against Ajax, one reason stands out to explain the event, they believed they could and they did.

With two all English finals in the UEFA Champions and Europa League, the first time four teams from the same country have achieved such a feat, 2019 is an English year as far as football is concerned.

Champions League Final (1st June 2019) Europa League Final (29 May 2019)

Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool Chelsea vs Arsenal

Are Lyon Women the best women’s football team ever assembled, and is it good for the game?

Introduction

Olympique Lyonnais is a French club that has been existence since 1970. They play in the highest division in France, Ligue 1. Lyon are known for being able to attract and groom the best talent in the world. Even more prominently, they are remembered for accolades that includes winning the league ten times, the Coupe de France seven times, and the Champions League four times. In this article, we want to not just analyse their greatness, but critically ask ourselves if the team’s greatness is beneficial to the game as a whole. Does it help to always have an almost unbeatable opponent?

Sarah Bouhaddi of Olympique Lyonnais lifts the trophy in victory after the UEFA Women's Champions League Final between Lyon and Paris Saint Germain at Cardiff City Stadium on June 1, 2017 in Cardiff, Wales. Olympique Lyonnais win 7-6 on penalties after the match finished 0-0.

(May 31, 2017 - Source: Stu Forster/Getty Images Europe)

Champions League

With a record crowd of ​ 22,911 people behind Chelsea, Lyon showed that sometimes all that matters is what happens on the pitch​. ​The French Ligue 1 side humbled Chelse​a ​to a 2-1 defeat, making it to the final of the 2019 UEFA Women’s Champions League which will be held on the 18th of May in Budapest. The team will not just be tasting a European final for the first time but will be lining up for the title for the 4th time in a row. This shall be Lyon’s eighth final appearance since 2010 and have won the title on 5 of such occasions. Surely greatness maybe accompanied by some form of luck. Lyon got one of their desperately needed goals as an​ ​own goal​ from ​Chelsea. Unlike most games where the French champions just almost breeze through the 90 minutes, they were really pushed in against the North London club, with some of the players kneeling on the ground after the game. This goes on to show that the team could be getting the right competition to either topple down their reign or push them to the fullest potential. The road to this stage has however been fairly easy compared to what most teams go through seeing that they have never lost a single game. They had 2 draws and an impressive 9-0 score agains​t ​Ajax Women in October last year​. ​When a team hits such a clean record, is it then not fair to ask if they are not the best team ever assembled? We will also take a deep look into the components that make up this explosion.

 Current Roster

Recently, The Guardian released a list of top 100 players in the world and 5 of the players in the Top 10 were from Lyon. In other words, 50% of the ladies that are most celebrated in the world, play for the French Champions. Below are brief bios of Ada Hegerberg, Lucy Bronze and Eugénie Le Sommer that came 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively. The first two players also made it to ​FIFA’s Top 10 women​.

Olympique Lyonnais' French forward Eugenie Le Sommer (L) and Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg (R) celebrate during the Women Champions League semi-final first leg football match Olympique Lyonnais (OL) against Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Parc de l'Olympique Lyonnais in Decines-Charpieu, central eastern France, on April 24, 2016. / AFP / ROMAIN LAFABREGUE

(April 24, 2016 - Source: AFP)

Ada Hegerberg

She is known as the first woman to have won the prestigious B​allon d'Or in 2018. This was not the first as she has been showered with awards all her career. At 16 years of age, she played for Kolbotn in Norway and became the youngest player to score a hat trick. In that league, she emerged as the Youngest Player of the Year. Ada was also the first woman to be awarded the Norwegian Gold Ball Award and voted ​UEFA’s Best Woman Playe​r in Europe. The 23-year-old Norwegian was instrumental in Lyon’s win against Wolfsburg to snatch their most recent Champions League crown and in their 2017/18 French title triumph. The Ballon d’Or award was in recognition for outstanding scoring record, 53 goals in 33 appearances for her club. Good news is that Lyon does not have to worry about losing her to any other club as she has signed a contract to stay with the club until 2021. 

 Lucy Bronze

After qualifying for the Champions League finals, Lucy Bronze expressed disappointment that her team ​simply won the game​. According to her, they are a team that should not just win, but excel at what they do. To anyone else, this should have been something to celebrate. That perhaps speaks to the players’ insatiable ambition for doing the very best on the field of play. This even explains why the England Women’s team head coach, Phil Neville,​ hails Lucy as the best player in the world​. The former Manchester United player commends Lucy for her ability to get the ball and pass with great athletic skill. To him, she has reached world class status. The English international has also won the ​ PFA Women's Players' Player of the Year twice in 2014 and 2017.

 Eugénie Le Sommer

The 29-year-old who is also part of the French national team scored 10 goals in 13 games in the ongoing UEFA ​Women’s Champions League. The player who is known for her fantastic forward passes is currently the highest goal scorer at Lyon, approaching the 250 goal mark. She has also been complemented greatly for her incredible teamwork both off and on the field. ​ One thing that she is passionate about is never ceasing to dream. In an ​interview with Foot Mercato​, Le Sommer expressed that for her “the B​allon d'Or is not an ultimate goal”. She does acknowledge its significance to anyone who knows what soccer is about, but what she strives for, is to be efficient and at be her best. She was quoted saying, “​After all, it's not an ultimate goal for me. The most important thing is to be efficient. If I am good and I am at my level, I can hope to be in the list and why not win one day. But I'm not focused on it.”

 How Good Are They Really?

There is a tendency to exaggerate success when it is not put into context. We might think that Lyon is great until we see what other teams are doing. Starting off with Chelsea whom they kicked out of the UCL semi-finals. Chelsea has never won the Champions League but still boasts of the 2015 famous doubl​e, where they won both the FA Women’s Super League and the FA Women’s Cup. That was a while ago and really, the comparison between Lyon and Chelsea at this point, tips the scale towards to French Champions’ prowess and recent accomplishments. They will be facing Barcelona in the final, who will be stepping on the UCL finals turf for the first time. They have, however, done well in domestic cups like the Primera Division where they have won the top flight league title, four times and also won the Copa de Lareina, six times. One club that has also made strides in the game has been Vfl Wolfsburg from Germany.  At the time of the writing of this article, VfL Ladies were one win away from a third successive Bundesliga title after cruising to a 7-0 win against SC Sand on Sunday. They have won the Champions League twice and even beat Lyon in 2012/2013 season. It’s fair to conclude that Lyon have also had their few humbling experiences but none of the other prominent clubs has been able to achieve what they currently have under their belt. Lyon’s dominance can also be credited to their diamond formation​ (4-3-1-2) which enables them to engage all the players. They usually employ a more defensive technique that enable them to hit opponents on the counter, when they least expect it. Really, is such dominance worth celebrating?

“In a world where women football is still on the rise, but not yet where it should be, it is quite beneficial to have such legendary teams. They serve as inspiration for other teams not just in Europe, but in other parts of the world where women football might not even be taken seriously.”

— Simiso Shabangu, FirstTouch Africa

Lucy Bronze of Olympique Lyonnais scores the opening goal during the UEFA Women's Champions League, Semi Final Second Leg match between Olympique Lyonnais and Manchester City at Groupama Stadium on April 29, 2018 in Lyon, France.

(April 28, 2018 - Source: Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images Europe

 Is it Beneficial for the game?

Some may say it helps to have a team that is the best at what they do. Their actions and tactics become a benchmark for other teams and give them something that they can work towards. Other teams in the league can say, “We want to play like Lyon in future: because they have seen what greatness looks and feels like.” In a world where women football is still on the rise, but not yet where it should be, it is quite beneficial to have such legendary teams. They serve as inspiration for other teams not just in Europe, but in other parts of the world where women football might not even be taken seriously. Even though Lyon has a men’s section, the women section seems to be the more successful one, which is not usually the case with many teams that have both wings. Secondly, Lyon has become home to players who want to grow their career because they know that they can meet like-minded people who are willing to grow with them. A great team that becomes a magnet for great players and provides a grooming space for national teams and the international community is definitely a must keep. Teams like Lyon have done well for Europe and has even attracted great players from other parts of the world.

 On the other hand, though, does it really help to compete in a place where your opponent is almost unbeatable? Sports become enjoyable when the field is level and anybody can come up as a victor on any day. Lyon might be an inspiration at times but it can also be the reason why some teams are demotivated especially when they do not have the financial capacity to attract great talent the way that they do. Teams should never feel like they have lost a game even before they get to the field. Fortunately, Lyon is not unbeatable as there are other teams like Frankfurt, ​Vfl Wolfsburg​ and Arsenal that know how to feed the humble pies, once in a while.

 Conclusion

The term G.O.A.T. is not one that you just toss around like a coin, as it usually reflects unquestionable hard work and commitment. Based on the accolades and calibre of players that Lyon has been able to attract, it seems fair to give them this title. A G.O.A.T team. They are not unbeatable but have been able to do more than many other clubs. Such excellence is what everybody should be aiming for but when it is only saturated in one team, it might then work in others’ advantage in the grand scheme of things.