Champions League Preview Group B
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by Tyduffy
Chelsea
Chelsea had a disappointing season in 2006-7. And you know your standards are high when winning the domestic cup double, finishing 2nd in the League, and making it to the semi-finals of the Champions' League is a disappointment. Chelsea currently sit tied for 1st in the Premier League with 10 pts from 5 games, but both Liverpool and Arsenal have a game in hand. Recent poor showings against Portsmouth and Liverpool, as well as internal strife with Mourinho, Abramovich, and some of the players, have left an aura of uncertainty around the club. That said, they have too much quality in their squad to not go through to the knockout stages.
Valencia
Last season was a bit of a frustrating one for Los Che. They had expected to contend for the title in Spain, but performed poorly early in the season when they were addled with injuries. However, they did pick up steam in the 2nd half of the season. They scrambled back up to fourth in the table to earn a Champions' League place, and made the second round of the knockout stages before falling 3-2 on aggregate to Chelsea. They were smacked 3-0 by Villarreal to open the season, but recovered against weaker Almeria for a 2-1 win. Despite the rumored moves to Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Barcelona, superstar striker David Villa remains at the club, and that should be enough to push them through to the next round.
Schalke 04
Schalke looked in command for much of the season last year, before being pipped by Stuttgart by two points for the title. It was their third runner-up finish in the last seven seasons. Though undefeated in the Bundesliga so far, they have drawn 3/4 against some weak opposition like Wolfsburg and sit 7th in the table. They do have an exciting striker with Kevin Kuranyi, but they don't look like the same team they were last sesaon.
Rosenborg
The Norwegian club won their fourteenth Tippeligaen title in fifteen seasons in 2006 after an exhilarating comeback against rival Brann held a commanding 10 pt lead halfway through the season. They are dominant in Norway, but that is only the 18th highest rated league in Europe. They shouldn't put up much of a battle.
Originally published here.
