Champions League: Biggest threat to City; Messi, Ronaldo void

The 2023-24 Champions League group stage has started, and Manchester City began their journey to defend their title. Arsenal, Barcelona, and Newcastle United are back in the competition too. We asked our writers Gab Marcotti, Mark Ogden, and Julien Laurens some questions about the matches.

Marcotti: I want to talk about goalkeeper Ivan Provedel. He not only scored a late goal but also made some incredible saves to keep Lazio in the game against Atletico Madrid. João Félix, who is on loan at Barcelona, deserves a shoutout too. Man City's Rodri and Arsenal's Martin Odegaard also impressed me.

Ogden: Besides the obvious stars like Julián Álvarez, Jude Bellingham, and Jamal Musiala, I want to highlight Red Star Belgrade forwards Cherif Ndiaye and Osman Bukari. They faced a tough challenge against Manchester City but showed great speed and movement. Their partnership could help Red Star advance.
Champions League: Biggest threat to City; Messi, Ronaldo void
Laurens: João Félix is my pick. In his first two games for Barcelona, he won Man of the Match awards. He contributed two goals and an assist in his Champions League debut. He seems happy and free to play his style under Xavi's management. If he keeps this up, Barcelona will be outstanding.

Now, let's talk about who can challenge Manchester City in this campaign.

Marcotti: Apart from the usual concerns like injuries or tactical decisions, I don't see any team close to City right now. Barcelona, with their excellent goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen and firepower up front, could be a threat if Xavi makes the right choices. PSG has immense potential but needs Luis Enrique to bring out the best in them.

Ogden: Even Guardiola's Barcelona couldn't win back-to-back Champions League titles. Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Barcelona have the players, coaches, and winning mentality to challenge City. But realistically, it's down to these three teams.

Laurens: I like what Xavi is doing with Barcelona, Inter's stability under Simone Inzaghi, and Enrique's work at PSG. But unless something extraordinary happens, City and Pep Guardiola seem unbeatable.

This season is unique because it's the first time in 20 years that neither Messi nor Ronaldo are in the competition. Who can replace them?
Champions League: Biggest threat to City; Messi, Ronaldo void
Marcotti: While it's tough to replace Messi and Ronaldo, PSG's Kylian Mbappé is in the best position to do so. He's charismatic and plays a central role in his team. But we must remember that no one can truly replace Messi and Ronaldo.

Ogden: Mbappé, Haaland, and Bellingham are the top contenders, but let's focus on celebrating great teams rather than individual players. Messi and Ronaldo had fantastic teammates like Xavi, Iniesta, Modric, and Benzema who often didn't get enough credit.

Laurens: It's impossible to replace them completely. Instead, we'll have multiple young stars like Mbappé, Haaland, Vinicius, Bellingham, Musiala, Gavi, Pedri, Kvaratskhelia, Osimhen, and more. They won't fill the void entirely, but they'll shine in their own way. Please Share This Article Thankyou..

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