Three Huge Names Facing Tricky Trips

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Liverpool, Barcelona, and Inter Milan all face difficult away matches that could seriously impact their chances of progressing to the next round of the Champions League. Barcelona travel a large way to face the Rubin Kazan side who beat them at the Nou Camp last week. It’s not just revenge on the agenda, Group F is so close that a defeat or even a draw could leave the pre-tournament favourites’ qualification in serious peril.

Inter travel to Kiev in the same group without a CL win to their name. Liverpool, like Barca, travel to a side who has just beaten them at home. In their case, it is a far shorter trip to Lyon. Defeat could signal the end of two things, their 2009 Champions League aspirations, and Rafa Benitez’s tenure as their manager.

The feelgood story may come from Romania where total unknowns Unirea Urziceni can ensure their progress if they beat their group’s worst team at home. Not only is qualification an immense achievement for them, but to do so after just four games would be remarkable.

GROUP E

Lyon host Liverpool and Fiorentina host Hungarian minnows Debrecen in what may be a defining day for this Group. Liverpool cannot be eliminated with a second successive defeat to Lyon but it would be close to foregone. Even a draw could see them trail Fiorentina a place above them by as many as five points, if, as expected, the Italian side beat Debrecen.

Despite that recent home league win over Manchester United, Rafael Benitez’s job still seems to hang in the balance.

1	Lyon	3	3	0	6	9
2	Fiorentina	3	2	1	2	6
3	Liverpool	3	1	2	-2	3
4	Debrecen	3	0	3	-6	0

GROUP F

Barcelona make the long trip to Tatarstan to try and avenge that home defeat by Rubin Kazan in the last round, while Inter have a long trip too to Kiev. Both western European giants face the possibility of being eliminated if they lose as the group is incredibly close. Inter have drawn all three games, and the same outcome again would leave this group going right to the wire.

1	Barcelona	3	1	1	1	1	4
2	Dynamo Kiev	3	1	1	1	0	4
3	FK Rubin Kazan	3	1	1	1	-1	4
4	Internazionale	3	0	3	0	0	3

GROUP G

This weak group has been dominated by La Liga’s Sevilla who can seal qualification for the next round with a win or a draw tonight so poor is the rest of the group. Surprise Romanian debutants Unirea Urziceni however can hugely increase their chances of a shock second place by winning their easiest game of the group against Rangers, the club now being run by a bank. If they win, and Stuttgart do not, they will seal an unlikely berth after just four games.

1	Sevilla FC	3	3	0	0	7	9
2	Unirea Urziceni	3	1	1	1	1	4
3	VfB Stuttgart	3	0	2	1	-2	2
4	Rangers	3	0	1	2	-6	1

GROUP H

Arsenal of London, and Olympiakos of the Port of Piraues can book their places in the next round with wins over the Benelux duo of AZ Alkmaar and Standard Liege. The latter side with home advantage and the Greeks the visitors, stand the better chance of preventing that but need a win rather than a draw to save any chance of progress.

1	Arsenal	3	2	1	0	3	7
2	Olympiakos	3	2	0	1	0	6
3	AZ Alkmaar	3	0	2	1	-1	2
4	Standard Liege	3	0	1	2	-2	1

Top two qualify for next round. Third place enters the Europa Cup.

Fixtures: All Kick offs 11.45am Pacific

Arsenal v AZ Alkmaar
Dynamo Kiev v Inter Milan
Fiorentina v Debrecen
Lyon v Liverpool
Rubin Kazan v Barcelona
Sevilla v VfB Stuttgart
Standard Liege v Olympiakos
Unirea Urziceni v Rangers