Having just finished the review of the top performing teams in the Champions League stages , we have decided to give you more of the same bu...
Having just finished the review of the top performing teams in the Champions League stages, we have decided to give you more of the same but in a different aspect. Here we look at the worst performing teams in the UCL this season. Criteria for judging such teams are similar to what we used in reviewing the top performing teams, so don't be surprised to see a team who you would have thought did extremely well but fell into our worst performing teams.
Real Sociedad
Oh yeah, it looks a little bit harsh given that the last time they were in the Champions League, frequent mover Mourinho was still at Porto, seems like a long time ago yeah?
But all the same, while they were expected to struggle to qualify albeit couple of wins and draws here and there, the Txuri-Urdin players hardly gave any good account of themselves just managing to pick up a single point against the Red Devils, in a domestic campaign where they scored more goals than any other teams bar Real Madrid and Barcelona, their single goal in the group stages was quite a disappointment.
Juventus
Who would have guessed they would be in such position at the end of the group phase? Last season they started slowly and were able to push through and qualify top of the group, this time around the Biacconeri were not so lucky. Juventus were only able to win one of their six games, even losing a winner-takes-all game against Galatasaray.
Though Antonio Conte can blame the state of the pitch for his side's loss against the Turkish side, Juventus have been unable to carry their domestic form into the Champions League this season, multiple draws, especially against Copenhagen and away losses cost them. Conte can however take consolation from the fact that Chelsea who were eliminated from the Champions League as well last season went on to win the Europa. Chelsea created their own luck, can Juventus do the same?
Cska Moscow
We weren't really expecting them to qualify for the knockout round unless Man City shot themselves in the foot...again, but inability to qualify for the Europa League as a result of elimination is even perplexing.
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| Viktoria Plzen players celebrating their 2-1 victory over Cska |
They have got a better team than Viktoria Plzen but the team were able to capitalize on such even with Musa, Akinfeev, Honda, in their lineup. The Horses would be wondering how they managed to concede 17 goals in the group stages and how they lost to Plzen on the last day to lose Europa League spot.
Chelsea
Surprise, surprise, surprise. Chelsea? Group winners? Conceded 3 goals and they are here? But ask their biggest critic Jose Mourinho and he would probably accept they deserve to be here. In a relative easy group, the Blues had themselves doing too much work to qualify and had the last game between Schalke and Basel been a different match up with Chelsea on 9, their qualification might have not been certain.
The happy one would be definitely happy his side are over with the UCL till 2014 and can continue chasing Arsenal this festive period. And yes, congratulations to Mark Schwarzer on being the UCL's oldest debutant.
Marseille
They almost left how they came if not for the goals they managed to score and became the first French Club to exit the Champions League with zero points. Was going to ask how you say zero in French, till I remembered that line in the Now You See Me movie and the answer that followed.
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| Marseille's goalkeeper Mandanda disappointed after his side failed to gain a point |
Credit or no credit should be given to them for their last match against Borussia Dortmund where at 1-1, were trying to run down the clock and make the German's crash out had (urrm, insert player name here) not scored.
They played with pride and were more concerned on leaving with a point than who securing that 1 point affects. But then again, this is Marseille we are talking about, 0 points? Tsk Tsk.
Porto
Would have thrown in Benfica into the mix as well but that would be highly unfair, they exited with 10 points but their other Portuguese compatriots, Porto, were quite horrible. While they were able to secure Europa League spot, the 2004 winners would be disappointed on how they went about their matches.
The consoling story is that Portugal and the likes of Belgium are struggling to keep their star players in their domestic teams and while that might be a legitimate reason, Porto would still have to go to the drawing board and figure out why they could not take maximum points from Austria Wien and a downhill Zenit team.
Celtic
Nobody was going to put their money on them qualifying but we kind of hoped for better. Celtic are the architect of their own downfall, they lost three key players and did not replace them adequately. Victor Wanyama, Kevin Wilson, and Gary Hooper all leaving.
Fortune might favor the brave, but one must tread cautiously in weaker situations, Celtic tried putting up a fight at Camp Nou due to their past results against Barcelona by fielding two men up front, something the top teams in Europe dread and cost them dearly, while it was remarkable to put on a brave fight, their 6-1 defeat would change the perception in future ties.
Written By: ChukaMVP. You can follow him on twitter Follow @chukamvp
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