Five Things Learnt from Champions League Week 1
SillySeason look into the stand-out moments from the Champions League this week
Every football fan’s dream. The Champions League. Well it returned to our TV screens this week exclusively with BT Sport and boy it didn’t disappoint.
Shocks, goals, red cards and a horrific injury, the first game-week of the Champions League was lively, and SillySeason have put together the five things that stood out the most for them.
So here are our Five Things Learnt from Game-week 1.
5) Manchester City Are Still Poor in Europe
Sergio Aguero once said he will stay at Manchester City until they win the Champions League. Well it looks like he’s retiring at the Etihad Stadium.
No matter what season, no matter what manager, City continue to make the same mistakes in the Champions League.
Each season they’ve been awful and most of the time they’ve failed to make it out of their group.
They started this season’s campaign at home to Serie A champions Juventus. Alright it’s quite a tricky game, but so far, Juve hadn’t won a single game in their league, whereas City had won all five without conceding a goal.
After Manuel Pellegrini‘s men went 1-0 up, it looked like they had enough to see the game out and take the three points, but they collapsed and lost 2-1.
Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata netted for last year’s finalists and started City’s European adventure off like normal. A defeat.
4) Arsenal Aren’t Much Better Either
Whatever City can do, Arsenal can seemingly do too.
Eliminated in the last-16 for the past few years and knocked out by AS Monaco last season, Arsenal are just embarrassing in the Champions League.
But it’s the same routine for Arsene Wenger‘s men. Narrowly qualify, finish 2nd in the group, lose in the last-16 and repeat. Every year.
Arsenal went to Croatia last night with a changed team and failed to get the win they should be getting.
2-1 loss and Olivier Giroud sent off after just 40-minutes.
Pathetic from the Gunners.
3) Alessandro Florenzi Can Hit A Ball
Usually when you’re on the half-way line, you cause no danger to opposition, that is unless you are Alessandro Florenzi.
The AS Roma star had the ball at his feet before launching it goalwards and seeing it fly past the ‘keeper and into the net.
What made it better was that it wasn’t against just any team, it was against FC Barcelona. The European and La Liga champions.
A simply stunning strike from Florenzi that will take some beating for goal of the tournament.
2) Real Madrid and Ronaldo’s Year?
With this guy still producing the goods on a weekly basis, this could be Real Madrid‘s year once again.
A 4-0 win against Shakhtar Donetsk to start their campaign, with Cristiano Ronaldo netting yet another hat-trick, sends a warning message to all their rivals.
It will take a special team to beat this special team.
A great start to the competition for Rafa Benitez‘s men, but can they keep it up, that’s the question.
1) We All Pray for Luke Shaw
We said in the intro that there was a horrific injury and this was it.
Sadly for Manchester United and Luke Shaw, the left-back suffered a double fracture in his leg and faces a long time on the sidelines recovering.
United have confirmed that he’s undergone surgery in Eindhoven and will remain in hospital until they see fit to discharge him.
A horrific injury for a young lad who was just finding his feet at Old Trafford.
SillySeason would like to see their best wishes to Luke and wish him a speedy recovery.
So there we have it. The Five Things that stood-out for us this week.
What about for you?
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt