Ranking the 2019 UEFA Champions League groups
By Orri Benatar
4. Group B (Bayern, Tottenham, Olympiacos, Red Star)
Group B offers another test of character and experience for Champions League runners-up Tottenham. Though it is easier than last year’s group of Barcelona, Inter and PSV, Spurs get to meet Bayern in an unlikely clash as well as take on Greek champions Olympiacos and Serbian champions Red Star Belgrade.
The four stadiums in this group are four of the toughest place to play in European football. Allianz Arena in Munich, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Karaiskakis Stadium in Athens, and Rajko Mitić Stadium in Belgrade should host much closer games than you might expect. Greece and Serbia are difficult places to play so Bayern and Tottenham won’t cruise as easy as people think. Expect the two of them to advance but not with a shimmering 13 or 15 points.
3. Group D (Juventus, Atletico, Leverkusen, Lokomotiv)
Atletico Madrid cannot escape Cristiano Ronaldo’s shadow. For the sixth time in the last seven Champions Leagues, Atletico will face CR7, but for the first time, it is in the group stage. The matchup this year sees interesting parallels with managers Maurizio Sarri and Diego Simeone having distinct tactics and both clubs having superstar teenagers with Mathias de Ligt on Juve and Joao Felix wearing the red and white stripes in Spain.
Besides Juventus and Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Lokomotiv Moscow are returning to UCL play and get a chance to welcome some of the top players and defenders in world football. Leverkusen youngster Kai Havertz is another player to watch for while Lokomotiv Moscow does have some stars of their own. While the end result of Group D looks clear cut, getting to that end result will be enjoyable to witness and won’t be a cakewalk for either Juventus or Atletico.