UEFA: Champions League Group Stage 2010-2011 Season Preview

The 2010–11 UEFA Champions League, the premier European club football tournament, is in its 56th season.

The final will be held at Wembley Stadium in London, England on 28 May 2011.

F.C. Inter Milano are the defending champions, and the 32 clubs will be drawn into eight groups of four.

In each group, teams play against each other in a two match home-and-away series. The match days are 14-15 September, 28-29 September, 19-20 October, 2-3 November, 23-24 November, and 7-8 December 2010. The group winners and runners-up will advance to the round of 16, while the third-placed teams will enter the round of 32 of the 2010-2011 UEFA Europa League.

Bursaspor, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Žilina, Braga, Twente, and Tottenham will make their debut in the group stage.

These are the UEFA Champions League groups for the 2010-2011 season:

Group A

Inter (Italy)

Werder Bremen (Germany)

Tottenham (England)

Twente (Netherlands)

Inter will have tough job because Werder Bremen, Tottenham, and Twente seem likes good opponents but it would be a big surprise if they don't finish as first in this group.

Prediction

1. Inter  2. Tottenham 3. Werder Bremen 4. Twente

Group B

Lyon (France)

Benfica (Portugal)

Schalke (Germany)

Hapoel Tel Aviv (Israel)

Lyon also got a tough job, and it's not going to be easy. Benfica is very good, but so is Schalke. Hapoel should try to get third place and stay in UEFA Europa League.

Prediction

 1. Lyon 2. Benfica 3. Schalke 4. Hapoel Tel Aviv

Group C

Manchester United (England)

Valencia (Spain)

Rangers (Scotland)

Bursaspor (Turkey)

Manchester got a really good group. Valencia isn't the same team without Villa and Silva. Rangers might get second place. Bursaspor should battle for third place.

Prediction

1. Manchester United 2. Rangers 3. Valencia 4. Bursaspor

Group D

Barcelona (Spain)

Panathinaikos (Greece)

Copenhagen (Denmark)

Rubin Kazan (Russia)

Barcelona definitely got the easiest job, but they should be careful because they lost to Rubin Kazan last year 2-1 at Camp Nou. Rubin is very dangerous team but third place might work out for them. Panathinaikos should be second.

Prediction

 1. Barcelona 2. Panathinaikos 3. Rubin Kazan 4. Copenhagen

Group E

Bayern Munich (Germany)

Roma (Italy)

Basel (Switzerland)

Cluj (Romania)

 Bayern got an easy group. They have serious opponents in Roma. Basel and Cluj will battle for third place. 

Prediction

1. Bayern Munich 2. Roma 3. Basel 4. Cluj

Group F

Chelsea (England)

Marseille (France)

Spartak Moscow (Russia)

Žilina (Slovakia)

 Chelsea was lucky in this draw. Marseille can be a good opponent but they can't handle Chelsea. Spartak Moscow and Žilina should try for a miracle.

Prediction

1. Chelsea 2. Marseille 3. Spartak Moscow 4. Žilina

Group G

Milan (Italy)

Real Madrid (Spain)

Ajax (Netherlands)

Auxerre (France)

This group is definitely a "group of death." Once again, we are going to watch two of the most successful clubs in UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid and Milan. Ajax and Auxerre are decent teams and they might surprise.

Prediction

1. Real Madrid 2. Milan 3. Ajax 4. Auxerre

Group H

Arsenal (England)

Shaktar Donetsk (Ukraine)

Braga (Portugal)

Partizan (Serbia)

Arsenal will have a tough job. If their key players avoid injuries, they can go far. Shaktar and Braga will battle for second place.

Prediction

1. Arsenal 2. Shaktar Donetsk 3. Braga 4. Partizan

Liverpool and Juventus will be missed.

First matches are starting on 14/15 September. This year is going to be even more exciting then last year!