Champions League Group C preview and prediction
Group C
A lopsided group that should be decided quickly, Manchester United, Valencia, Glasgow Rangers and Bursaspor make up a fairly simple Group C. Two European giants, a former giant looking for European success and an unknown, Group C will have several one-sided games.
Manchester United
Outlook: The Red Devils seemed to have handled the Ronaldo departure fairly well. The team does have less star power, but Manchester United has what it takes to win the competition. The defence is still solid, and Paul Scholes is playing as if he were 25. Getting out of the group will be a breeze, but Man U will need another goal scorer to emerge. If Wayne Rooney does not perform consistently, they could be in trouble. Mexican starlet Hernandez may be just the man to join Rooney up top. A place in the quarter-finals should be a guarantee, but if Manchester wants a return to the final, the attack needs to improve.
Most important player: Paul Scholes
Key Newcomer: Javiet Hernandez (Chivas Guadalajara)
Player to be missed: Danny Welbeck (Sunderland on loan)
Valencia
Outlook: Much news has been made about the departures of David Villa and David Silva, but keep an eye on this squad. Valencia hit the jackpot in selling both stars, receiving 70.2 million euros for the transactions. It will be hard to adjust without them, but selling both players was a must.The players left, but with some new faces, Valencia could be better than last year. The team has a solid defense and a fantastic goalie in Cesar Sanchez. They also brought in some new quality players such as Mehmet Topal, Aritz Aduriz, Tino Costa and Roberto Soldado to play alongside future global stars Juan Mata and Ever Banega. With the talent in the midfield, if the new strikers can consistently score, Valencia could make some noise in the competition
Most important player: Ever Banega
Key Newcomer: Roberto Soldado (Getafe)
Player to be missed: David Villa (Barcelona)
Rangers
Outlook: Last year's Scottish league champions, Rangers wish they had a different draw than the one given. The glory days of Glasgow's famous club appear to be in the rearview mirror, but this year they have a chance to change that perception. The team won their domestic league by six points over hated rivals Celtic. With their automatic qualification into the group stage, the Gers will be ready to roll. An interesting draw with Manchester United and Valencia, Rangers will certainly have the attention of many European fans as they travel and host both giants. Last season, the Rangers had the best defence in the SPL. This season, they will look to bring that same defence to the Champions League. Up top there is a new face, Croatian Nikica Jelavic, who will be relied on to replace scorer Kris Boyd, who left for Middlesbrough. Rangers will need to steal a win from Valencia or Manchester United to have a shot.
Most important player: Kenny Miller
Key Newcomer: Nikica Jelavic (Rapid Vienna)
Player to be missed: Kris Boyd (Middlesbrough)
Bursaspor
Outlook: Making their debut in the Champions League, the Turkish squad shocked many by beating Fenerbache and Galatasaray to the title last season. Bursaspor edged Fenerbache by one point, jumping ahead of them in the last game of the season by beating Besiktas 2-1 while Fenerbache tied Trabzonspor 1-1. The team has no real stars, but they do have several young players who are looking to make a name for themselves. One to keep an eye on is Sercan Yildirim, a 20-year-old youngster who has a great ability to score. Last season he was hampered by injuries, but in 2010-11, he should be the man uptop.
Most important player: Sercan Yildirim
Key Newcomer: Federico Insua (Boca Juniors)
Player to be missed: None
Prediction: Manchester United gets 12 points from Rangers and Bursaspor, easily qualifying for the round of 16. Hernandez and Rooney lead Manchester in attack as they play better than most expected. Joining them in the next stage will be Valencia. Soldado makes his case as one of the best signings of the summer, along with Aduriz uptop. Rangers and Bursaspor battle it out for the Europa League spot of third place.
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