Following the draw for the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League group stage on Thursday, fans of Arsenal and Manchester City will be feeling particularly hard done by.
For the second straight season both sides were handed tough draws and will face German giants to make it through to the knockout stages.
[FULL DRAW: Champions League group stage]
Manchester City were perhaps dealt the worst hand as they face Bayern Munich (again), CSKA Moscow (again) and then travel to Italy to face AS Roma. Ouch.
As for Arsenal, the Gunners will face Borussia Dortmund for the third time in the last four seasons at the group stage, while Turkish giants Galatasaray and tricky Belgian outfit Anderlecht stand in their way. Not disastrous, but not too great. The other two English clubs got off pretty lightly as Chelsea will face Schalke, Sporting Lisbon and Maribor. As for Liverpool, back in the UCL for the first time since 2009-10, they get reigning Champions Real Madrid, plus fairly negotiable ties against FC Basel and Ludogorets.
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Let’s break down Arsenal and Man City’s groups below, and try to lift the optimism levels surrounding those clubs.
Arsenal
As we mentioned, the Gunners will face Dortmund for the third time in the last four UCL group stages and they have enjoyed a mixed bag of results against Jurgen Klopp’s side. Last season they lost to Dortmund 2-1 at home but then went to the Westfalenstadion and won 1-0. In 2011-12, Arsenal drew away 1-1 at Dortmund and beat them 2-1 at the Emirates in another narrow series. Expect these two to be battling it out for the top spot but heading to Turkey to play Galatasaray is no easy task. The Istanbul club have Cesare Prandelli in charge and have Wesley Sneijder as the playmaker in a hugely talented side.
Anderlecht should be the whipping boys, but who knows. A tough, tough group for the Gunners to negotiate. They would have expected an easier go at things after being a top seed and given the fact that Olivier Giroud is out injured until January at least, will Arsene Wenger go and spend big money on a striker to make sure they get through the UCL group stages? He probably should.
Manchester City
The Citizens have only ever been in the UEFA Champions League for the last three seasons. Every time they have been handed a tough draw. In 2011-12 they got Bayern Munich, Napoli and Villarreal and missed out on the knockout stage by one point, then it was Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Ajax in 2012-13 when they were humiliated and finished bottom of the group. Last season they made it out of the group, finally, but had to overcome Bayern Munich, CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen. Bayern beat City 3-1 at the Etihad but the Citizens won 3-2 at the Allianz. Not too shabby. So, for the second-straight season City have Bayern and CSKA. Munich are one of Europe’s powerhouses and have the extra incentive that the final is being played in their home country in Berlin. Pep Guardiola’s side will be the favorites to win this group, while Man City and AS Roma will be expected to push them all the way.
Roma were the real kickers here, as the Italian giants were in the fourth pot and were the team everyone wanted to avoid. One of Europe’s most powerful teams, Italian giants Roma and a tricky trip to Russia awaits City. Not ideal at all for Manuel Pellegrini’s men as they continue their battle against UEFA, both with the Financial Fair Play sanctions and the ridiculously tough groups they keep getting drawn in.