CHELSEA ARE A MATCH FOR BAYERN,REAL MADRID AND THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ELITE Getty Graham Ruthven Nov 4, 2014 There’s something about Champions League group-stage nights at Stamford Bridge that seem to lack the glitter the competition sprinkles elsewhere. That’s not a criticism as such. It’s that, by and large—with the exception of the 2012/13 season—Chelsea make the knockout rounds with little fuss. This season has been no different, with Jose Mourinho’s side collecting seven points from their opening three Group G games. A win over Maribor would see the Blues all but assured of their place in the competition’s last 16. (Who will win the Champions League this season? Barcelona Bayern Munich Chelsea Real Madrid Other) But how do Chelsea rank alongside Europe’s elite—the clubs that will be challenging for this season’s Champions League crown? Can Mourinho’s side count themselves among the very best? Of course, there can be no questioning Chelsea’s Premier League credentials, given the start they’ve made to the domestic campaign. The Blues currently hold a commanding six-point lead over defending champions Manchester City. But while the Premier League once dominated the continental game, with six out of eight Champions League semi-finalists coming from England between 2008 and 2009, the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have now put considerable daylight between themselves and the chasing pack—which Chelsea are widely considered part of. Those three clubs have once again started in formidable fashion, with Bayern Munich in particular putting down a marker with their astonishing 7-1 away win over Roma. But even when compared with such teams, Chelsea come out favourably. They stand a real chance of clinching their second Champions League title in three years. It’s true that, generally speaking, the Premier League is no longer the continental superpower it once was. Arsenal are still some way short of being considered genuine Champions League contenders, with Liverpool struggling with the demands of competing on both domestic and European stages this season. Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press Then there’s City, who even in their fourth season of top-level European competition seem insecure about their Champions League status, lacking the swagger and self-assurance they possess domestically. Chelsea are the only side seemingly capable of translating Premier League supremacy into Champions League prowess and might even be stylistically tailored for the European game. Perhaps most crucially, Mourinho’s side know how not to lose—a priceless trait when negotiating a route to the Champions League final. Barca, Bayern and Real might know how to win more impressively than Chelsea, but all three clubs are prone to the odd blowout on the big occasion. The same can’t be said of Chelsea. Even in their defeat to Atletico Madrid in last season’s Champions League semi-finals, Chelsea demonstrated how their identity as team with Mourinho in charge means they are suited to the competitive intricacies of a two-legged knockout tie. At the Vicente Calderon, Chelsea held out for a goalless draw, setting themselves up nicely for a place in the Lisbon final. As it turned out, Mourinho was out-Mourinhoed by Diego Simeone in the return leg—with Atleti winning 3-1—but there were still signs of the Blues’ continental potential. Andres Kudacki/Associated Press However, it has been four years since Mourinho—once regarded as the master of European success—last lifted the Champions League trophy. His reputation as the continent’s go-to guy for instant success is on the line this season. He has a point to prove domestically but maybe even more so in Europe. And a driven Mourinho is a dangerous Mourinho. “We are in the group phase. We have played three matches. To be in the final we have to play 12 games and there is a long way to go,” said Mourinho after the 6-0 win over Maribor, as reported by Trevor Haylett and Jamie Reid of UEFA, somewhat playing down his one side’s chances. “I think it is premature to speak about that when we are not even through to the next phase. We must go step by step. First step is to qualify. Second is to win the group, then we go from there.” But Mourinho is a pragmatist as well as a meticulous planner, and even if he denies so, his thoughts will have already turned towards the Champions League knockout rounds, where his team will face their greatest test this season. With the Premier League title already within their grasp, the Blues’ campaign could be defined by their exploits in Europe. There are four clubs that can realistically win the Champions League this season, and Chelsea are one of them.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 05:22:01 +0000