Pivotal Factors That Will Decide Champions League Group H
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, as the top two from each of the eight groups bid to get into the knockout stages. Group H contains the following teams:
- Athletic Club
- Shakhtar Donetsk
- Porto
- BATE Borisov
Only two can progress. Click on for some of the pivotal factors that could decide which two sides are left standing at the end of this phase.
Will the New San Mames Give Athletic Bilbao Extra Momentum?
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Athletic Bilbao's (yes, Athletic Club is technically the correct name—but to avoid any potential confusion we will include the city name as well) hopes of reaching the Champions League group stage for the first time this millennium did not look great when they fell behind at home in the second leg of their play-off with Napoli.
But Ernesto Valverde is an astute manager, and the Basque club had a sell-out crowd at the magnificent new San Mames stadium to cheer them on. On the hour-mark, Aritz Aduriz made it 1-1 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate before taking advantage of confusion in the Napoli defence to make it 2-1 soon after.
Then, just to make things more comfortable, Ibai Gomez slotted home to confirm an impressive 3-1 win and clinch Bilbao's group-stage berth.
In the competition proper, that powerful home support could have a similarly decisive impact. Bilbao have comparable talent to many of the teams they will face, but if they can make their home ground a fortress, it could lay the foundation for their progression to the latter stages of the competition.
Will Shakhtar Donetsk Be Derailed by off-Field Issues?
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Shakhtar Donetsk have traditionally been a tough opponent for even the biggest sides in Europe, with a solid Champions League record that would be acceptable for all but the heavyweights of the competition over the last season.
This campaign could be very different, however, even if their draw—in theory—offers them a great chance of progression. The political issues engulfing Ukraine at the moment have been well-documented, and Donetsk as a city and Shakhtar as a club have been embroiled in a number of related issues—with the club's stadium subjected to damage in one particularly scary incident, per BBC Sport.
The troubles have publicly unsettled much of the playing squad, with the club now set to play their European games in the city of Lviv instead. It would be remarkable if Mircea Lucescu's side were unaffected by everything that currently surrounds them—just how badly it disrupts their preparations could dictate their chances of fending off Porto and Athletic.
Will Jackson Martinez Be the Group's Most Prolific Finisher?
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Porto have not returned to the Jose Mourinho-led heights of the 2004 Champions League victory in recent years, but for the longest time they were the best side in Portugal—and consequently a respected opponent in any European meeting.
In the last season or so, however, the club has lost its primacy in domestic football to Benfica and consequently slipped slightly off the pace at the highest level. Group H gives them an opportunity to re-establish their pedigree, although this remains a squad that has been hastily drawn together and will do well to function as an efficient unit so early in the season.
A top goalscorer can cover a multitude of sins, however, and in Jackson Martinez the Portuguese club have arguably the most respected and dangerous hitman in the group. The Colombian has long been linked with a move to one of Europe's premier sides.
Proving his goalscoring ability in the Champions League might entice a firm bid for his services, and in the interim give Porto a huge advantage over their rivals.
Can BATE Borisov Cause an Upset Along the Way?
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Without wishing to be disparaging, it is rather clear that BATE Borisov are the outsiders of this group—the Belarusian side given little chance against three sides that all play in far superior domestic competitions.
Nevertheless, Belarus is not going to be a fun away trip for any side—especially the two Iberian sides—and that venture into the unknown could provide the minnows with their greatest chance to pick up a few points.
If the race for the two qualifying places really ends up being a three-horse race, then how those horses negotiate the proverbial donkey could prove a decisive factor in the final reckoning.
Have Athletic Found a Way to Adequately Replace Ander Herrera?
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If Athletic Bilbao's selection policy is not widely known already, it should be soon enough. The club only select players with Basque heritage (the Basque region being a part of Spain and southern France), an ideological choice that marks the club out from almost any other in Europe.
Of course, that conviction means it is harder to find a replacement if a star player moves on, such as midfielder Ander Herrera, who joined Manchester United this summer.
Herrera was a brilliant player for Bilbao—a box-to-box force who offered grace on the ball and talent in the tackle. His absence means more onus is on the likes of Ander Iturraspe and Benat to step up and take control of their side—challenging that partnership will be something all the club's opponents will make a point of trying to do.
Will Porto's Loan Stars Sparkle More Than Shakhtar's Brazilian Legion?
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Porto's squad has a healthy sprinkling of loan signings in its midst—Cristian Tello, Casemiro and Oliver Torres among those only at the club on a temporary basis. Shakhtar, meanwhile, have always had a healthy cohort of Brazilian players to call upon—and this season remains no different.
The knock against loan players is that they do not care for their team to the same extent as permanent employees and are therefore prone to not quite giving their best for a club they might not be at for much longer. At Shakhtar, meanwhile, it is the Brazilian players—such as Bernard and Douglas Costa—who have been strongly linked with a departure from the club in the wake of the civil unrest.
Both clubs will be hoping those fears are somewhat unfounded if they are to give the best account of themselves in Europe this season.
