The UEFA Champions League will see some incredible spectacles with the best European sides clashing heads on Wednesday night, and now we can take a look at the first round of fixtures which will hopefully live up to the hype surrounding the competition.
In this preview, we will take a look at an intriguing group F and its first round of fixtures. Firstly, Feyenoord, who have started the new season well since last season’s heroics, will host Manchester City, who’s minimum expectations will be to progress through the group. In our second match Shakhtar Donetsk, who have been in strong domestic form, will play Napoli, who have been in even greater domestic form.
Feyenoord (Tur) vs. Manchester City (Eng)
Three-Way: 1: Feyenoord +800; X: ++425 Draw; Manchester City -196
Spread +1.5: Feyenoord -127; Manchester City +121
Total +3: Over -103; Under -101
Feyenoord
The current Eredivisie champions are in excellent form this season, winning all four of their league games and having scored nine goals in their last two games. Feyenoord qualified directly to the group stage of the Champions League due to winning the Dutch top flight, their first league title in 18 years.
In the years around the turn of the millennium, Feyenoord were regulars in the Champions League, but never made a huge impact on the competition. Since then they have suffered across all competitions until their shock fairy tale league win, and now they are back for another crack at Champions League glory. With forward players like Steven Berghuis, who has scored 4 goals in 4 games this season, and Nicolai Jorgensen, who scored 21 league goals last season, Feyenoord will pose a threat to any side’s defense.
During the offseason, Feyenoord has made a number of signings, including winger Steven Berghuis joining from Watford and left back Ridgeciano Haps from AZ Alkmaar. A plethora of players also left, including Terence Kongolo to Monaco for 15 million euros and Dirk Kuyt who retired.
Manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst will be without Sven van Beek (toe), Kenneth Vermeer (hand) and Bart Nieuwkoop (hamstring) through injury, while winger Bilal Basackikoglu is doubtful.
Manchester City
Manchester City will be riding high with confidence after going unbeaten in the league and just coming off the back of inflicting a 5-0 rousing on Liverpool and sitting in second place in the Premier League table, behind neighbors Manchester United on goal difference.
Due to finishing third in the Premier League last season, Manchester City was able to qualify straight for the Champions League, where they have been dealt a relatively favorable group. Before the 2011-12 season, the Citizens had never qualified for the Champions League, but have qualified every season ever since, with their best performance coming in the 2015-16 season when they made the semi-finals but were knocked out by eventual winners Real Madrid.
Manchester City has a team with some serious firepower, with a terrifying forward duo of Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero, creative flair in midfield with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva, and they have also spent over 100 million pounds on their defense over the summer to enforce the back-line. Saying that they may elect to rest some of their star players for the game ahead, but still will be an incredible force due to their deep squad.
Manchester City spent big this summer, including the signings of left-back Benjamin Mendy and winger Bernado Silva from Monaco for nearly 100 million pounds all together. There were also a number of departures to balance the books, including forward Kelechi Iheanacho to Leicester for 25 million pounds.
Manager Pep Guardiola will be without Vincent Kompany through a calf injury and keeper Ederson will be doubtful, but will otherwise have a full squad.
Feyenoord (Tur) vs. Manchester City (Eng) – Match Prediction:
Feyenoord is by no means a poor side, but I can’t see how they will be able to deal with Manchester City’s overhaul of quality throughout their squad. Even though they are the traveling side, with their attributes and the fact that they’ve just come from a big win against a big side, I would have to go for a comfortable Manchester City win.
MY PICK: Manchester City +1.5 AH (+121)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr) vs. Napoli (Ita)
Three-Way: 1: Shakhtar D0netsk +263; X: +262 Draw; 2: Napoli +129
Spread +0.5: Shakhtar D0netsk -125; Napoli +121
Total +2.5: Over -115; Under +110
Shakhtar Donetsk
The Ukrainian Champions have been in excellent form this season, winning seven of their eight league games, which has seen them placed at the top of the Ukrainian Premier League by a 4-point difference.
Shakhtar Donetsk is a well-known side across Europe, regularly qualifying for Europe’s top-flight, as they have done for the six previous seasons before last season when they failed to qualify. The one-time Europa League winners best Champions League campaign came in the 2010-11 season when they reached the Quarter Final, but were beaten by eventual winners Barcelona.
Shakhtar Donetsk has made just one signing during the off-season, namely defender Davit Khocholava from Chornomorets. Shakhtar has had a mass exodus of players, with a total of fourteen men leaving, and although they have some players that can hurt teams, it is difficult to see them progressing further with such a diminished squad.
Manager Paulo Fonseca will be without defensive midfielder Maksym Malyshev after he recently underwent a knee-operation, but will otherwise have a full squad.
Napoli
The one-time UEFA Cup winners will be confident going into their first game of this season’s Champions League game following a fourteen-league match unbeaten run, including winning the last seven of them. Those two victories came in the new season with two simple 3:1 wins over Hellas Verona and Atalanta.
To reach this stage of the competition, Napoli had to overcome an out-of-sorts Nice side in the play-off round, which they did with ease as they won both the home and away fixtures with a 2:0 scoreline. By doing so they qualified for the Champions League for the second time in a row, the first time they have qualified in consecutive seasons. They have done so through a strong defensive line with exciting players going forward such as Marek Hamsik, Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens who will pose problems to any side in world football.
During the summer Napoli has signed five players, including centre-back Nikola Maksimovic from Torino for 20 million euros, and have had no notable outgoings.
Manager Maurizio Sarri will have a fully fit and available squad for their upcoming match.
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr) vs. Napoli (Ita) – Match Prediction:
In recent years Shakhtar Donetsk has always been a team that has been considered as a threat, however with their squad being so small and, I believe, lacking in the quality to win games against the big clubs, I can’t see them leaving many marks on this Napoli side. Napoli will be competing to top this group, so a win here is a must and a should for the Italians.
MY PICK: Napoli to WIN (+129)
