Staff Writer
Now that futbol is back, the world has regained order once again. Just kidding, have you seen a soccer game before? With fewer than 10 games played so far, get ready for another exciting year of soccer.
Just to clarify, I will be taking a look at only some of the best leagues and teams around the world that qualify for the ultimate competition, the Champions League. However, let’s first take a look at all the drastic offseason moves before getting into the stats.
The Barclays Premiere League has seen a lot of moves go both in and out of their favor with Spain’s Liga BBVA. The biggest offseason move in history came this offseason. Winger, Gareth Bale of Real Madrid, was transferred from BPL’s Tottenham Hotspurs to Liga BBVA’s Real Madrid for 100 million euros. The Hotspurs also saw the loss of midfielder, Clint Dempsey, to the MLS’ Seattle Sounders.
Not too far behind, Real Madrid’s midfielder, Mesut Ozil, was another shocking transfer. Arsenal snagged the world-class midfielder for around 42 million euros. BPL’s Manchester City saw the loss of striker Carlos Tevez to Serie A’s Juventus, but gained midfielder and defender, Jesus Navas, from Liga BBVA’s Sevilla, and striker, Stephan Jovetic, from Serie A’s Fiorentina for a combined 50 million euros.
Italy’s Serie A saw its fair share of offseason moves as well. BPL’s Arsenal saw its striker and winger, Gervinho, transfer to Serie A’s AS Roma. Real Madrid’s striker, Higuain, was transferred to Serie A’s Napoli. Bundesliga’s Bayern Munich saw striker Mario Gomez leave for Fiorentina. However, after Gomez sprained and damaged ligaments in his knee, needing six to seven weeks to recover, it looks like Bayern Munich received the better deal.
France’s Ligue 1 saw the second and third biggest acquisition this offseason after acquiring Naploli’s striker Edinson Cavani for 64 million euros, and Atletico Madrid’s striker Falcao for 53 million euros. Cavani now belongs to Paris Saint-Germain, while Falcao brilliance will be tested in AS Monaco.
Germany’s Bundesliga acquired a nice piece after Schalke 04 acquired midfielder, Kevin Prince Boateng, from Serie A’s AC Milan. With all of these crazy moves, how have they affected each team?
With only six games played in the BPL, the results are still drastic. Even with striker Lucas Podolski sidelined with a knee injury, Arsenal is atop the table with 15 points, five wins, and one loss. Next in line is Liverpool with 13 points, four wins, one draw, and one loss. Some shockers are Southampton in fifth place with 11 points, three wins, two draws, and one loss.
Manchester City, who had a busy offseason, see themselves in sixth place, while the mighty Manchester United, who had a quiet offseason, see themselves all the way down in twelfth place with seven points. I see Chelsea giving everyone a run for their money however.
On the other hand, the Serie A has been relatively close. Surprisingly, AS Roma are atop the table with 18 points and a perfect 6-0 record, while Napoli and Juventus are identically tied for second place with 16 points, five wins, and one draw. Some shockers are Inter Milan with 14 points while in fourth place, while Lazio are sitting in sixth place with 10 points, and AC Milan are left behind in ninth place with eight points. I believe Napoli and Juventus will square off for the number one spot though.
With no surprise in the Liga BBVA, Barcelona, who were also quiet all offseason, are atop the table with a perfect 7-0 record and 21 points. With a recent thigh injury to star and winger Lionel Messi, which has placed him out of competition for two to three weeks, Barcelona may seem a little distorted without their top scorer. However, Atletico Madrid are right there with Barcelona as they prove to be year long contenders. Surprisingly, the busy Real Madrid are still trying to find form and chemistry as they are stuck in third place with 16 points, five wins, one loss, and one draw. I expect Barcelona or Real Madrid to take the crown in this battle, as they usually do.
With yet another no brainer, the Bundesliga has Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund atop the table with 19 points, six wins, and one draw. This German league has produced two world-class teams, who actually found each other squaring off in last year’s Champions League final, so it’s no mystery to see them already on point. However, after Bayern Munich acquired Borussia Dortmund’s star and midfielder, Mario Gotze after last year’s Champions league match, I expect Bayern to take this one after stealing some of Dortmund’s swag and thunder.
Last but not least, Ligue 1 has another head-to-head duel after AS Monaco went on a spending spree this offseason. With both teams matched for 18 points, five wins, and three draws, Ligue 1 has created a new rivalry between Monaco and PSG, after PSG was seen to be the lone headhunter in this group. However, I see PSG overtaking Monaco as they have the better rounded squad, and more money.