UEFA Champions League 2011-12: Serie A's Opponents Part 1—Inter Milan's Group

Times are hard in the world of calico, fresh off the back of the inevitable loss of its fourth Champions League place (awarded to the Bundesliga), Italian football is struggling.

This week, there was optimism as the valiant effort of Udinese showed there is a forward thinking approach to football in Italy and that the stereotypical catenaccio has long since died even though many parts of the English press fail to realize this.

The FIGC will be desperate for some success from Milan, Inter and Napoli in this season’s Champions League as Le Championnat is not too far away from displacing Serie A as the fifth strongest league in UEFA’s coefficient.

I will analyze the Italians’ groups and their prospects of qualification for the knock out phases which would be so valuable to inspire a renaissance of calcio.

CSKA Moscow, Russia

The Russians are growing in experience at this level and have progressed well since their shocking UEFA Cup win in 2005 when they defeated Sporting Lisbon.

The Russians finished runners-up last season and have acquired some quality talent in their pursuit of making a big impact in the Champions League, having been absent last year. There is pedigree with CSKA though. In 2010, they reached the quarterfinals by defeating Sevilla 3-2.

Capable of mixing up patient build up with direct attacks, CSKA will call upon an array of attacking talent. Keisuke Honda is a crafty midfielder who is normally joined by Alan Dzagoev & Mark Gonzalez to support a loan striker, with Brazilian Vagner Love back for another spell in Moscow.

Danger Man:

Seydou Doubia, Ivory Coast

The Ivorian was prolific for Young Boys in Switzerland and has continued his superb form in Russia with 28 goals in 43 appearances. His pace will cause problems, a constant live wire in and around the penalty area.

Lille, France

The Ligue 1 champions were superb last season in usurping French giants Marseille and Lyon, but this year will prove a test given that linchpin Cabaye has joined Newcastle and star man Gervinho has joined Arsenal.

Decent replacements include Benoît Pedretti from Auxerre and Dmitri Payet from St. Etienne, so the technique and guile remain from last year but the explosive pace and ability to rapidly change the tempo seems to have disappeared with no direct replacement for the Ivorian Gervinho.

Target man Moussa Sow will be vital given that without the Senegalese Lille become a bit predictable. The bonus is that Belgian star Eden Hazard looks set to continue his development with Les Dogues for at least one more year.

Danger man:

Eden Hazard, Belgium

The talented play maker is operating from a wide berth at the moment but is most effective when drifting into a more central area where Sow can hold the play up and bring Lille’s other technicians in to play. All of which will be orchestrated from Hazard now that Cabaye has departed.

It seems he has made a wise decision to stay given that he is hardly faultless and was guilty of disrespecting his country upon being substituted in a recent qualifier against Turkey. Hazard was later seen enjoying a burger with his father while the game was still being played.

Trabzonspor, Turkey

A late replacement for the current Turkish champions who were publicly shamed for their part in the Turkish match fixing scandal.

The Trabzon based club has little experience in Europe’s elite competition with their only memorable participation in 1976-77 where they almost shocked Liverpool by taking a 1-0 lead back to Anfield in their second round tie, before succumbing 3-0 in the return.

Halil Altintop has arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt and can add some experience having been a relative success in the Bundesliga.

Undoubtedly, the Turkish side will be rank outsiders in this group.

Danger Man:

Paulo Henrique, Brazil

The Brazilian arrives from Desportivo Brasil of Porto Feliz, Brazil, but it was his exploits in Belgium at Westerlo last season that have attracted the Turkish side. The Brazilian notched 22 league goals in a successful loan spell.

Champions League Group B Prediction: Inter to Qualify as Runners-Up

I envisage this being a tough group for Inter, while they maintain a lot of talent since the incredible treble winning season under José Mourinho, I still doubt their consistency.

Lille is still a decent side who may still add to their squad and possess a style that could cause problems for Inter, with the front three potentially causing chaos against a Gasperini back three with Pedretti looking to join up at will.

CSKA is always a tough game but Inter is fortunate that the game comes early in game two. But their away record in Europe is pretty poor and this means that a trip to Turkey always represents a challenge in front of a hostile crowd. When you consider Trabzonspor is qualifying through default, you would expect the club to relish the chance and grasp it with both hands.

Lastly, Schalke's demolition at the San Siro last season was a warning that it is not the fortress it once was when Mourinho safely negotiated ties with Chelsea and Barcelona with massive victories at home.

With Gasperini's tactics still under scrutiny, Inter's transition in style will take time which is why i believe a well balanced side like Lille who has played together for several years will do enough to take first spot and further threaten Italy's place in the UEFA coefficient. 

Inter should see of CSKA for second spot and will then face a tough opponent in the next round. Little should be expected of this Inter side in the short term, unless Ricky Alvarez becomes a sensation overnight. The signs are good, but it will be asking a great deal for the Argentine to carry the Nerazzurri back to being Champions League contenders.

Follow me on Twitter for all the latest Serie A news @jackalexandros