quentinUEFA CHampions League: Matchday 3 and 4 Review
November 4th 2010 11:28
Matchday 3 and 4 saw the strangest set of results ever with 3 teams already booking their spot in the round of 16 but some groups turned on their head by a bizarre set of results
Group A
Matchday 3:
Inter Milan 4 - 3 Tottenham
FC Twente 1 - 1 Werder Bremen
Matchday 4:
Tottenham 3 - 1 Inter Milan
Werder Bremen 0 - 2 FC Twente
Well this group has been turned completely on its head. These 2 matchdays will be known as the days that Tottenham's Gareth Bale came of age as a footballer. A hattrick in Milan hauling Tottenham from 4-0 down to threaten Inter and then setting up 2 of 3 goals at White Hart Lane shows that Bale will be something special.
Meanwhile Tottenham and Inter hold the qualifying places and you think it'll be between them and FC Twente for those spots as Werder Bremen are out of it barring a miracle and collapse.
Group B
Matchday 3:
Schalke 3 - 1 Hapoel Tel-Aviv
Lyon 2 - 0 Benfica
Matchday 4:
Hapoel Tel-Aviv 0 - 0 Schalke
Benfica 4 - 3 Lyon
Well you could safely say that Hapoel Tel-Aviv are elminated from European competition and it's between Lyon, Schalke and Benfica for those top spots. Benfica will be thanking their lucky stars as well as they nearly threw away a 4-1 lead in that classic with Lyon.
Group C
Matchday 3:
Rangers 1 - 1 Valencia
Man United 1 - 0 Bursaspor
Matchday 4:
Valencia 3 - 0 Rangers
Bursaspor 0 - 3 Man United
This group has been dominated by the Wayne Rooney saga at Man United but it's fair to say that this group looks like it'll be between Rangers and Valencia for that second spot behind Man United who aren't scoring many goals but they're defensively strong.
Group D
Matchday 3:
Panathinaikos 0 - 0 Rubin Kazan
Barcelona 2 - 0 Copenhagen
Matchday 4:
Rubin Kazan 0 - 0 Panathinaikos
Copenhagen 1 - 1 Barcelona
Rather negative set of results here with both Rubin Kazan and Panathinaikos eliminating each other after playing 2 scoreless matches. Copenhagen for the first time will probably qualify for the Round of 16 while Barcelona will finish top of the group but they need to address their away form in the Champions League
Group E
Matchday 3:
Roma 1 - 3 Basel
Bayern Munich 3 - 2 CFR Cluj
Matchday 4:
Basel 2 - 3 Roma
CFR Cluj 0 - 4 Bayern Munich
What a strange set of results but we do know one thing from it. Bayern Munich are through to the Round of 16 and you'd think that they'd be joined by Roma. Basel will be kicking themselves after doing the hard work and winning in Roma before throwing it away at home and Cluj will be bemoaning their defensive frailties.
Group F
Matchday 3:
Spartak Moscow 0 - 2 Chelsea
Marseille 1 - 0 Zilnia
Matchday 4:
Chelsea 4 - 1 Spartak Moscow
Zilina 0 - 7 Marseille
Well Chelsea have qualified for the Round of 16 and the result of note was Marseille's astonishing 7-0 win away at Zilina. Essentially the group will be decided in the upcoming Spartak Moscow and Marseille with the winner to join Chelsea in the knockout rounds. Sadly though Zilina have been horribly outclassed.
Group G
Matchday 3:
Real Madrid 2 - 0 AC Milan
Ajax 2 - 1 Auxerre
Matchday 4:
AC Milan 2 - 2 Real Madrid
Auxerre 2 - 1 Ajax
Real Madrid conceded their first goals of the group stage and took a 94th minute equalizer to escape with a draw and a spot in the Round of 16 virtually secured. Meanwhile the remaining 3 teams are playing for 2nd spot behind Real Madrid as this lives up to the Group of Death reputation/
Group H
Matchday 3:
Braga 2 - 0 Partizan Belgrade
Arsenal 5 - 1 Shakhtar Donetsk
Matchday 4:
Partizan Belgrade 0 - 1 Braga
Shakhtar Donetsk 2 - 1 Arsenal
Well this group has been turned on its head a little bit. Arsenal have gone from cruising to suddenly being in a bit of a fight and in need of 1 win. Shakhtar's win in Donetsk was the biggest upset of the Champions League but I don't think anyone tipped Braga doing the double over Partizan Belgrade. I still tip Arsenal and Shakhtar to qualify for the Round of 16 but Braga have really surprised over the past 2 matchdays.
At the end of both matchdays, the stats were as follows
Matchday 3:
Goals: 45
Goals Per Game: 2.82
Matchday 4:
Goals: 53
Goals Per Game: 3.31
Teams booked into the Round of 16:
Chelsea (Group F)
Real Madrid (Group G)
Bayern Munich (Group E)
Teams that could secure their spot in the Round of 16 next week
Tottenham (Group A)
Inter Milan (Group A)
Lyon (Group B)
Man United (Group C)
Valencia (Group C)
Barcelona (Group D)
Copenhagen (Group D)
AC Milan (Group G)
Arsenal (Group H)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Group H)
So ends the review of Matchday 3 and 4 from Europe's Premier Club Competition.
Group A
Matchday 3:
Inter Milan 4 - 3 Tottenham
FC Twente 1 - 1 Werder Bremen
Matchday 4:
Tottenham 3 - 1 Inter Milan
Werder Bremen 0 - 2 FC Twente
Well this group has been turned completely on its head. These 2 matchdays will be known as the days that Tottenham's Gareth Bale came of age as a footballer. A hattrick in Milan hauling Tottenham from 4-0 down to threaten Inter and then setting up 2 of 3 goals at White Hart Lane shows that Bale will be something special.
Meanwhile Tottenham and Inter hold the qualifying places and you think it'll be between them and FC Twente for those spots as Werder Bremen are out of it barring a miracle and collapse.
Group B
Matchday 3:
Schalke 3 - 1 Hapoel Tel-Aviv
Lyon 2 - 0 Benfica
Matchday 4:
Hapoel Tel-Aviv 0 - 0 Schalke
Benfica 4 - 3 Lyon
Well you could safely say that Hapoel Tel-Aviv are elminated from European competition and it's between Lyon, Schalke and Benfica for those top spots. Benfica will be thanking their lucky stars as well as they nearly threw away a 4-1 lead in that classic with Lyon.
Group C
Matchday 3:
Rangers 1 - 1 Valencia
Man United 1 - 0 Bursaspor
Matchday 4:
Valencia 3 - 0 Rangers
Bursaspor 0 - 3 Man United
This group has been dominated by the Wayne Rooney saga at Man United but it's fair to say that this group looks like it'll be between Rangers and Valencia for that second spot behind Man United who aren't scoring many goals but they're defensively strong.
Group D
Matchday 3:
Panathinaikos 0 - 0 Rubin Kazan
Barcelona 2 - 0 Copenhagen
Matchday 4:
Rubin Kazan 0 - 0 Panathinaikos
Copenhagen 1 - 1 Barcelona
Rather negative set of results here with both Rubin Kazan and Panathinaikos eliminating each other after playing 2 scoreless matches. Copenhagen for the first time will probably qualify for the Round of 16 while Barcelona will finish top of the group but they need to address their away form in the Champions League
Group E
Matchday 3:
Roma 1 - 3 Basel
Bayern Munich 3 - 2 CFR Cluj
Matchday 4:
Basel 2 - 3 Roma
CFR Cluj 0 - 4 Bayern Munich
What a strange set of results but we do know one thing from it. Bayern Munich are through to the Round of 16 and you'd think that they'd be joined by Roma. Basel will be kicking themselves after doing the hard work and winning in Roma before throwing it away at home and Cluj will be bemoaning their defensive frailties.
Group F
Matchday 3:
Spartak Moscow 0 - 2 Chelsea
Marseille 1 - 0 Zilnia
Matchday 4:
Chelsea 4 - 1 Spartak Moscow
Zilina 0 - 7 Marseille
Well Chelsea have qualified for the Round of 16 and the result of note was Marseille's astonishing 7-0 win away at Zilina. Essentially the group will be decided in the upcoming Spartak Moscow and Marseille with the winner to join Chelsea in the knockout rounds. Sadly though Zilina have been horribly outclassed.
Group G
Matchday 3:
Real Madrid 2 - 0 AC Milan
Ajax 2 - 1 Auxerre
Matchday 4:
AC Milan 2 - 2 Real Madrid
Auxerre 2 - 1 Ajax
Real Madrid conceded their first goals of the group stage and took a 94th minute equalizer to escape with a draw and a spot in the Round of 16 virtually secured. Meanwhile the remaining 3 teams are playing for 2nd spot behind Real Madrid as this lives up to the Group of Death reputation/
Group H
Matchday 3:
Braga 2 - 0 Partizan Belgrade
Arsenal 5 - 1 Shakhtar Donetsk
Matchday 4:
Partizan Belgrade 0 - 1 Braga
Shakhtar Donetsk 2 - 1 Arsenal
Well this group has been turned on its head a little bit. Arsenal have gone from cruising to suddenly being in a bit of a fight and in need of 1 win. Shakhtar's win in Donetsk was the biggest upset of the Champions League but I don't think anyone tipped Braga doing the double over Partizan Belgrade. I still tip Arsenal and Shakhtar to qualify for the Round of 16 but Braga have really surprised over the past 2 matchdays.
At the end of both matchdays, the stats were as follows
Matchday 3:
Goals: 45
Goals Per Game: 2.82
Matchday 4:
Goals: 53
Goals Per Game: 3.31
Teams booked into the Round of 16:
Chelsea (Group F)
Real Madrid (Group G)
Bayern Munich (Group E)
Teams that could secure their spot in the Round of 16 next week
Tottenham (Group A)
Inter Milan (Group A)
Lyon (Group B)
Man United (Group C)
Valencia (Group C)
Barcelona (Group D)
Copenhagen (Group D)
AC Milan (Group G)
Arsenal (Group H)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Group H)
So ends the review of Matchday 3 and 4 from Europe's Premier Club Competition.
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