CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND 1 Match Day 2 and 5 things I learnt

THRIVING UNDERDOGS

Leicester City commenced their maiden foray in the UEFA  Champions League and they  did so in emphatic fashion. With goals by Mark Albrighton and  Riyad Mahrez, they put Club Brugge to bed easily and have made a statement of intent to leave their footprints.

I think they would qualify from their group and expect that they would be a handful for any big gun. They may have had a rough start to the premier league this season(its real life there now trying to defend their fairy tale title) but they are under dogs in the champions league and they thrive so well when wearing that  underdog tag. A fairy tale may be in the cards as well, you never know…

 

THE MANCHESTER CITY ROLLER COASTER MARCHES ON

Borrusia Monchengladbach had to wait an extra 24 hours to be schooled by Guardiola’s charges. Aguero had a field day  with a hat trick and the prodigious Nigerian striker, Kelechi Iheanacho continues to find the back of the net reminding me of the prolific German,Thoma Muller,who is always at the right place to find the back of  the net. They have bamboozled every opponent they have come across yet, and in some quarters they have been touted as Champions League and Premier League winners. Too early I should add but one thing is for sure, this team is shaping up to be a very strong unit and  I look forward to see how they fare come May when Santa comes around bearing gifts.

 

MADRID’S LATE ONSLAUGHT

It took close to 60 minutes and a Sporting Lisbon goal for Zenedine Zidane to finally make changes that prodded the lethargic Madrid team to life. Lucas Vasquez,James Rodriguez and Alvaro Morata changed the game on its head and Madrid came from behind to beat Sporting Lisbon 2-1 with a  goal apiece from Christiano Ronaldo and Alvaro Morata.

For me, I am  still less than convinced with this team and I am very thankful that they have Borrusia Dortmund in their group who hopefully will not play with a complex when they meet. Ronaldo is more or less a figure head these days yet cannot be benched and I sure would love to see how Zenedine Zidane would managed the Egos in this team and also get the results that they  need. And why on earth is James a fringe player?

JUVENTUS FIRE BLANKS

To predict that with the kaleidoscopic array of attacking talent,Juventus would fire blanks against a Sevilla team still getting a hang of Jorge Sampaoli’s methods  is very baffling to say the least.They came close at many times but you remember what they say about almost killing a bird right?

PLEASE BE IMPRESSIVE UNDERDOGS

In recent years there has always been teams that are brimming with young, hungry and incredibly talented players who against all odds,go the distance in the Champions League(hello Atleti).This Dortmund team ticks all the boxes in that category and with their thrashing of Leg Warsaw yesterday, I sure do hope they do a good job at serving us suprises in this year’s Champions League.