Pivotal Factors That Will Decide Champions League Group D
The Champions League group stage gets underway this week, as 32 teams set off (or continue) on the long road toward next June's final in Berlin.
The usual suspects will have strong ambitions of following in Real Madrid's footsteps and becoming champions of Europe, but there are bound to be a number of surprises and upsets along the way—there always are.
First things first, the 32 teams in the competition need to be whittled down to 16, with the top two from each of the eight groups progressing into the knockout stages. Group D contains the following teams:
- Arsenal
- Borussia Dortmund
- Galatasaray
- Anderlecht
Click on for some of the pivotal factors that could decide which two sides are left standing at the end of this phase.
Will Mesut Ozil Rediscover His Confidence?
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Mesut Ozil has now been at Arsenal for a year, and despite a bright early start, questions persist about his form, fitness and motivation.
Ozil is undoubtedly a mercurial player—with an effortless style that can be perceived as lazy when the things he is trying are not coming off—but it is not unfair to suggest he is yet to justify the club-record fee the Gunners paid for him.
So far this season, the German has continued to look slightly troubled in the Premier League, unable to dominate games in the way he would like as the intensity and pace of the whole affair leaves him looking adrift.
Compare and contrast Ozil with Alexis Sanchez, who has instantly become a fan favourite for his bustling style and virtuoso moments, and it is hard to escape the feeling that Ozil is quickly being shifted to the margins at the Emirates Stadium.
The Champions League, however, is different to the Premier League and may offer Ozil the chance to better showcase his creative abilities. With Arsenal the narrow favourites to progress, most sides will look to frustrate the Premier League side by sitting deep and isolating Sanchez, daring the rest of the team to find a way to break them down. In that pursuit, Ozil could suddenly become extremely valuable.
The German's big dip in confidence seemed to come after his penalty miss against Bayern Munich in last season's Champions League. This year's competition could help him to recover it.
How Will Shinji Kagawa Fare in His Second Spell at Dortmund?
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The depth of love for Shinji Kagawa at Borussia Dortmund was evident when the Japanese was reintroduced to the club, with chants of admiration for the returning hero roaring around Westfalenstadion.
In his first spell at the club, Kagawa was one of the finest No. 10s in European football, showing a vision and deftness of touch that persuaded Manchester United to lure him away. He was criminally misused at Old Trafford and now finds himself back where he made his name, attempting to rebuild his career under old friend Jurgen Klopp.
For Dortmund, his return could be pivotal, giving them an extra dimension on reducing the attacking load on the increasingly injury-prone Marco Reus. With Galatasaray the unpredictable "third" team of the group, Kagawa's incisive passing could be what's needed to keep the German side ahead.
Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund have seen a lot of each other in recent Champions League campaigns, and their fortunes have been fairly intertwined—always looking at a way to bridge the gap to the top sides in their domestic competitions, only to find that the goalposts have been moved.
Kagawa might not make Dortmund better than Bayern Munich, but he could be the difference for Klopp's side in Group D.
Will Galatasaray's Coaching Change Pay Off?
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If former Juventus head coach Antonio Conte was dominant in domestic competitions while struggling in Europe, then compatriot Roberto Mancini was the opposite last season—unable to guide Galatasaray to a Turkish title that should really have been theirs, he was somehow able to get his side out of a Champions League group that did not appear to be in their favour.
Having gone out to Chelsea in the round of 16, however, the run was not enough to save Mancini his job, and he was replaced by compatriot Cesare Prandelli in the summer.
Prandelli faces another difficult group, although both Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund will not be looking forward to the prospect of an away trip to Istanbul. The pressure is on Prandelli to emulate Mancini and negotiate this tough group; it will be interesting to see if he is able to fashion the right line-up from the options available to him.
How Badly Will Anderlecht Be Affected by Last Year?
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Last season Arsenal and Dortmund were drawn into a three-way battle with Napoli for the two qualification spots, a tussle that could have gone in any number of directions right up until the final whistle of the final group games. In the end, it was the Italian side that was the odd one out, with Arsenal forced to settle for the runner-up spot once again.
That dynamic could well repeat itself this season—with Galatasaray replacing Napoli—if Anderlecht prove to be a non-factor. The Belgian champions picked up just one point from a far easier (on paper) group last time out—a draw away to a Paris Saint-Germain side that was already well on the way to the knockout stages.
There were some close games (a 3-2 loss to Benfica), but there were also some demolitions (a 5-0 hammering by PSG and a 3-0 defeat to Olympiacos) that underlined the rawness of the side.
Whether Anderlecht have learned from those experiences or are cowed by them could determine how the group plays out for the other sides in Group D.
Will Danny Welbeck Find His Goalscoring Touch?
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With Olivier Giroud likely to miss the entire group stage with a broken leg sustained in Arsenal's draw with Everton, the pressure is on new signing Danny Welbeck to step in and provide a steady stream of goals during the Frenchman's absence.
Alexis Sanchez will doubtless contribute regularly as well, but with Welbeck likely to be given a consistent run of games for the first time in a number of seasons, how quickly—and how well—he adapts to the pressures and responsibilities placed on him immediately will set the tone for how easily the Gunners cope with the rivals in their group.
Can Wesley Sneijder Rediscover His 2010 Form?
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With Didier Drogba now back at Chelsea, Wesley Sneijder is the marquee name at Galatasaray who will be tasked with dictating the play for the Turkish side.
The Dutchman has long seemed a little disinterested at the club—perhaps hoping that a move back to one of the bigger European leagues might be in the offing each transfer window, though for what it's worth, his agent claimed in July he isn't interested in leaving. But he now has a chance to carry the team on his shoulders and rediscover the form that saw him prove such an integral part of Inter Milan's 2010 Champions League success.
Galatasaray have a core of intriguing players—Alex Telles looks a brilliant talent, while the likes of Burak Yilmaz and Semih Kaya have undoubted quality—and can, on their day, provide more than a match for both Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund. But Sneijder remains their one true star, and his form will surely define just how much of a threat they are.
