The Champions League Review

In the final free newsletter of the year, we take a look back at what was a thrilling UCL group stage and predict where the path will lead when club football returns.

The group stage in all three European competitions is over. 

A record 5 German sides took part in this year’s Champions League, with all but one returning in the knockout stages.

In the final free newsletter of the year, we take a look back at what was a thrilling UCL group stage and predict where the path will lead when club football returns. 

FC Bayern

The Groupstage

FC Bayern have come through yet another group stage unscathed. 

It’s the third time in four seasons that they have won all 6 of their group stage fixtures, and one needs to go back 35 matches to find the last time Bayern lost a match in the first round of the Champions League

Both statistics highlight the intensity, and elite standard, with which this club approaches every match in the season, and it provides valuable insight into why the Bavarian outfit has dominated the last decade of German football and made it into the knockout stages of the UCL on 25 of 26 occasions.

The Top-Performer 

Sadio Mané was the only FC Bayern player to start every match in the Champions League, but it is another attacker within Nagelsmann’s squad who earns our top-performer marks. 

Like last season, 26-year-old Leroy Sané has found his best form in European competition. 

Despite featuring in only 4 matches, Sané registered 4 goals and 2 assists. 

He opened the scoring against Inter Milan on matchday 1, scored the 2:0 against Barcelona one week later, and then got things rolling again against Viktoria Plzeň on matchday 3. 

His valuable contributions across the first 4 game weeks paved the way for early qualification and made his absence in the final two matchdays fade into insignificance 

The Knockout-Check

 A dynamite match-up awaits Bayern in the round of 16 against PSG. 

The World Cup could significantly change the complexion, but both sides are currently amongst the most in-form outfits in Europe. 

Across a combined 44 matches in all competitions, the pair have jointly lost just one competitive fixture, and neither has suffered defeat in this year’s Champions League.

It’s a match-up finely balanced on a knife’s edge, but we slightly favor the German outfit at the time of writing. 

PSG are far more reliant on individual talent compared to the balanced setup Nagelsmann has curated, and a key injury to one of their attacking personnel could significantly hamper PSG’s ability to compete at the level needed to beat Bayern. 

Borussia Dortmund

The Groupstage

After failing to qualify for the knockout stages last season, Borussia Dortmund went into this year’s competition with the clear intention of mastering the group-stages. 

Over-turning Manchester City for top-spot proved a step too far, but in the key fixtures against Sevilla, Dortmund showed they had taken the lessons from last season’s failure. A win in Spain and a mature 1:1 draw in Dortmund were more than enough for BVB to convincingly qualify. 

Despite winning just 2 matches - the fewest of any side who qualified for the knockout stages - there was a reassuring sense of control in Edin Terzić’s side from start to finish. 

The Top-Performer 

It’s impossible to look past Jude Bellingham. 

The English midfielder played every minute up until qualification was confirmed on matchday 5, and even captained the side for the all-decisive 4:1 win in Spain. 

His tenacious, box-to-box energy was irreplaceable amidst a midfield injury crisis, and his goalscoring instincts provided crucial moments of magic for a stuttering BVB attack. 

In 5 matches, Bellingham contributed 4 goals and 1 assist and played a direct hand in 50% of the goals Dortmund scored in this season’s Champions League. 

While there have been moments this season where the 19-year-old has looked burnt out from the onslaught of fixtures, the teenage talent has saved his best moments for the Champions League and has arguably been the most impressive midfielder in the entire competition.

The Knockout-Check

Borussia Dortmund have won just 2 of their last 5 round of 16 encounters in the UEFA Champions League, so facing the champions from two years ago doesn’t seem like a very favorable draw. 

Nevertheless, Chelsea are beatable, and not the toughest opponent given the quality that pot 1 had to offer. 

The Blues from South London sacked Thomas Tuchel earlier in the season, and have now failed to win their last 4 Premier League fixtures under new boss Graham Potter. 

Current form will obviously go out the window following the long World Cup lay-off, but this is not an elite side like PSG or Manchester City, and Borussia Dortmund shouldn’t feel the need to go into the match-up with any inferiority complex. 

Should key figures like Mahmoud Dahoud and Marco Reus return to top fitness before the tie, we think Borussia Dortmund will be more than capable of staging a mini-upset. 

RB Leipzig

The Groupstage

RB Leipzig’s Champions League campaign is best described as a tale of two halves. 

Die Rotten Bullen all but wrote off their qualification hopes with two defeats in the first two matchdays, but then they staged a tremendous fight-back with 4 resounding victories in a row.

In a sense, this roller-coaster European campaign is a perfect reflection of the wider course Leipzig’s season has taken.

After a stuttering start that cost Domenico Tedesco his job, Marco Rose came in and reignited the flame. His tactical blueprint - which reverts back to more traditional Red Bull principles - has enlivened this squad. 

Since his appointment, Leipzig have moved from 11th to 6th in the Bundesliga, and are unbeaten in their last 11 matches in all competitions. 

The Top-Performer 

Unlike in the Bundesliga where RB Leipzig have relied heavily on Christopher Nkunku, Die Rotten Bullen are sharing the attacking burden far better in the Champions League. 

7 different players have scored, including our top performer, centerback Mohamed Simakan. 

The Frenchman started every match at right-back, scoring once on matchday 1, and assisting three times in the subsequent fixtures. 

His attacking output was a positive surprise from a player who contributed just 1 goal and 1 assist in 41 matches in all competitions last season. However, his defensive discipline was still the key reason he earns our plaudits. 

In a crucial man-of-the-match display against Real Madrid, Simakan completed 4 of 5 tackles, a game-high 4 interceptions, and won all of the aerial duels he contested. 

UEFA Champions League @ChampionsLeague

Mohamed Simakan. Talent. #UCL

The Knockout-Check

RB Leipzig’s social media team did the best job of summing up the mood following the Champions League draw. 

RB Leipzig English @RBLeipzig_EN

Looking forward to it, @ManCity! 🙂

Drawing Manchester City in the next round is definitely not the pot 1 opponent RB Leipzig would have hoped for, but their experience against The Citizens last season could offer them with a bit of confidence. 

Though they lost the first group stage fixture 6:3, the return leg in Germany was won 2:1. 

Both sides will enter the round of 16 matchup in an entirely different context, but RB Leipzig will be buoyed by the fact that they are complete outsiders, and truly have nothing to lose. 

Spectators hoping for a thrashing have definitely picked the wrong fixture, but after a long fight with goals a-plenty, one still foresees the reigning Premier League champions having the individual quality to overcome Die Rotten Bullen. 

Eintracht Frankfurt

The Groupstage

At the very latest, following their Europa League triumph last season, people should have woken up to the miracle that is Eintracht Frankfurt in continental competition. 

In their very first Champions League campaign in club history, Die Adler not only advanced to the knockout stages but did so in the most entertaining fashion possible.

Over the space of 90 minutes in their final groupstage fixture, Frankfurt occupied every possible position in Group D, before ultimately finishing in second place. 

While they won just three games and became the only side to qualify with a negative goal difference, all 6 matches showed strong phases in which Frankfurt didn’t necessarily dominate, but provided a physical and emotional performance that will make them a fierce competitor in the knock-out stages.  

With one of the best fanbases on the continent, and the unwavering confidence of having staged countless upsets over the past decade, Eintracht Frankfurt are a side you simply can not right off.

The Top-Performer

Daichi Kamada is Mr. Europe. 

In 106 matches in the Bundesliga the Japanese international has scored only 18 goals, but in 35 matches in the Europa League and Champions League Kamada has registered 14. 

His impact in the German topflight is definitely improving this season, but it has not taken away from any of the output that he continues to steadily deliver on the continent. 

Kamada started, and played at least 78 minutes, in every Champions League fixture this season, scoring 3 goals in the process. 

Particularly his final two strikes were of the utmost importance. 

On matchday 5, Kamada scored just 3 minutes in to keep Frankfurt’s qualification hopes alive, while his well-taken penalty a week later versus Sporting Lisbon instigated the comeback that ultimately saved Frankfurt’s European campaign. 

With a contract expiring in the summer Kamada has been heavily linked to Borussia Dortmund, but for now, Frankfurt will be hoping he can continue his sparkling form to raise the chances of making it to the quarter-finals. 

The Knockout-Check

Eintracht Frankfurt will be definite outsiders against an S.S.C Napoli. 

It’s a side who are yet to lose in the Serie A since April of last year, and an outfit that topped a UCL group that included FC Liverpool, Eredivisie champions Ajax, and Europa League finalists Rangers. 

Nevertheless, it’s impossible to write off the power Eintracht Frankfurt continues to deliver in European competition. 

Mere months ago they were written off when facing Real Betis, FC Barcelona, and West Ham in the Europa League, and on each occasion, Die Adler proved their doubters wrong. 

A rational prediction would still favor Napoli, but there shouldn’t be anyone doubting that Frankfurt will keep this tie entertaining until the very last minute. 

Bayer Leverkusen

The Groupstage

After four consecutive German sides making it to the knockout stages in the Champions League, we finally move on to our sole drop-out.

Like the entirety of their season, Bayer Leverkusen’s Champions League campaign has been one large disappointment. 

In a winnable group in which every side showed clear weaknesses, Leverkusen ultimately finished third and only have themselves to blame. 

After 81 shots, 2 missed penalties, and an xG (expected goals) value of 9.0, Leverkusen finished their Champions League campaign with just 4 goals and a measly 5 points. 

Bar an impressive victory over Atlético de Madrid on matchday 2, every game highlighted the flaws within this Leverkusen outfit, and why there isn’t a quick-fix solution for Xabi Alonso.. 

The Top-Performer

Finding a real stand-out from this Leverkusen squad was an impossible task, but perhaps the one player to come away from this year’s competition with his reputation intact is Jeremie Frimpong. 

A 21-minute cameo against Atlético de Madrid on matchday 2 saw Jeremie Frimpong register two assists and win MOTM accolades, and he was one of the few threatening elements in the final 0:0 draw against Club Brugge. 

Jeremie Frimpong @JeremieFrimpong

A magic European night at the BayArena 🇪🇺✨

All in all, though, even the oft-so-impressive Dutchman wasn’t able to show the quality he has shown throughout large stretches of his Leverkusen career.