UEFA Champions League Preview: Group G
The UEFA Champions’ League group G is the group of death as it houses the European power houses such as AC Milan, Ajax Amsterdam, Real Madrid and FC Marseille.
Milan, Ajax and Madrid combined have won the European competition more than 18 times, and it’s a pity that one of the elite three will miss out on the knock out phase of the competition after an unkind draw pitted them together.
Milan and Madrid both registered wins on the opening night with the same 2-0 shoreline over Auxerre and Ajax respectively, and another win tonight for both will make sure of their progress to the next round and the top spot in the group will rest on the
mercy of the tie between the two giants on match day 3.
Ajax vs. AC Milan
A few years or perhaps a decade ago this would be a dream Champions League final but in today’s world the tie is an entirely different story altogether. But, nonetheless, this surely is the plum tie tonight as two European powerhouses square up to one another.
The sheer talent at display tonight at the Amsterdam Arena will leave the audiences mesmerized, as the likes of Steklenberg, Suarez, Pato, Ronaldinho, Robinho and Ibrahimovic will be out on the pitch to prove a point.
Ajax lost their opening game to Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid and this is a must-win game for the Duth side, if they are to keep their hopes of progressing to the knock out stages alive. Domestically, Ajax have been brutal this season but it’s their form in
the European competition that is a cause of concern for Martin Jol’s, as they have only won 2 of their last five matches in Europe.
AC Milan are a side with great European pedigree, and after securing the services of Robinho and Zalatan Ibrahimovic in the summer they are stronger than before. However, Zaccharoni seems confused about his team selection, and perhaps doesn’t know what to do
with a squad of this calibre; it’s not to suggest that he is doing anything wrong but things just aren’t working for him in the Serie A.
Milan’s issue is their defence which is leaking goals left right and centre, and if they are to win tonight in Holland than their defence has to stand up to the occasion. Last year in the same competition they failed to keep even a single clean sheet that eventually
proved to be their undoing, and if they fail to address the issue tonight at the Amsterdam Arena then Suarez and company will punish them severely.
Auxerre vs. Real Madrid
After another disappointing 0-0 draw in the Spanish La Liga at the weekend Jose Mourinho’s Madrid will be looking to build on their impressive win the on the opening day of the Champions League against Ajax. Domestically Real are not bringing the house down
with all the mega bucks and mega talented stars, but Europe has always been the Portuguese fortress and he will be looking to become the only manager in history to win the competition with three different clubs.
Real Madrid have not conceded a single goal in the league this season which gives an impression that Jose has sorted his defence and only needs to figure out a way of creating more chances while going forward.
Auxerre, on the other hand, are a team with good defence and will prove to be a handful for Jose Mourinho’s side. Auxerre’s problem is their attack, as they have struggled to find the back of the net domestically this season and bearing that in mind, they
will make tonight’s affair in France a cagey one.
Group G
Clubs
Pld
W
D
L
F
A
+/-
Pts
1
AC Milan
1
1
0
0
2
0
2
3
2
Real Madrid CF
1
1
0
0
2
0
2
3
3
AFC Ajax
1
0
0
1
0
2
-2
0
4
AJ Auxerre
1
0
0
1
0
2
-2
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