The 'Champions' League

In the 14 years since its inception, the Champions League has been won twice by German teams – once in 1997 when a highly favoured Juventus were crushed 3-1 by Borussia Dortmund, and again in 2001, when Bayern Munich beat Valencia on penalties and were hugely indebted to Oliver Kahn as he made save after terrific save…and I was lucky enough to be in the Giuseppe Meazza for that game. (Pedants please note that I realise that this competition has been around for a lot longer than 14 years, but used to be called the European Cup, something I found eminently preferable).

Their record compares well compared to the often hyped English Premier League, which also has two wins, Manchester United famously denying Bayern Munich in the dying seconds of their 1999 final, a game surpassed in intensity only by Liverpool in 2005, overturning a 3-0 halftime deficit against AC Milan to win on penalties), but rather less so against Spain (4) and Italy (3). Holland, France and Portugal can also claim one title each.

However, since Bayern triumphed, German teams have rarely made much of a mark on the CL – aside from Leverkusen losing to a wonderful Zidane goal at Hampden Park in 2002. Since then, no German team has made it to the semi-finals. Consequently only the first three German teams qualify for the CL (two directly and one into the 3rd qualifying round) and are anxious to put this right.

At this years group halfway stage it is, as usual, Bayern who are the standard bearers for German football. Top of their group (Sporting Lisbon, Internazionale and Spartak Moscow), undefeated and yet to concede they need only to win this week to qualify for the second round. Hamburg SV have been a major disappointment – having snuck in through qualifying against Osasuna, they have lost every game (their league form has also been appalling, having gone a club record 15 games in all competitions without winning this season) and surely do not have the quality to manage what Leverkusen did in 2001/02, and win their last three games to qualify (CSKA Moscow, Arsenal and Porto).

All of which leaves Werder Bremen. In absolutely superb form in the league (18 goals in their last four games including 3 against Bayern), they were slightly unlucky against Chelsea, when Klose hit the bar shortly before Ballack sewed things up, desperately unfortunate to concede against Barcelona in the 89th minute to draw one all in Bremen, and then beat Levski Sofia 2-0 two weeks ago to go level on points with Barcelona. Should they beat Levski again (tonight in Bulgaria) then they will at the very least be neck-a-neck with Barcelona before their crucial showdown in the Nou Camp in two weeks time. And if Barca drop points to Chelsea then this will strengthen Bremens hand further.

Personally, I believe that in Diego, Klose and Hunt, Werder have the keys to unlocking even the stingiest of defences, and Barca’s strengths are going forwards, not defending. Per Mertesacker has strengthened Werders at times wayward defence, and Thorsten Frings is the form of his life in the midfield. I would back them to qualify come what may – indeed, beware Barcelona if they need all three points come mid-November and leave themselves exposed against Werders attacking triumvirate.

This weeks CL fixtures:

31/10/06
Barcelona v Chelsea, 19:45
Bayern Munich v Sporting, 19:45
Levski Sofia v Werder Bremen, 19:45
Liverpool v Bordeaux, 19:45
PSV v Galatasaray, 19:45
Roma v Olympiacos, 19:45
Shakhtar Donetsk v Valencia, 19:45
Spartak Moscow v Inter Milan, 17:30
01/11/06
AC Milan v Anderlecht, 19:45
AEK Athens v Lille, 19:45
Arsenal v CSKA Moscow, 19:45
Benfica v Celtic, 19:45
FC Copenhagen v May Utd, 19:45
Hamburg v FC Porto, 19:45
Lyon v Dynamo Kiev, 19:45
Real Madrid v Steaua Bucuresti, 19:45