25 Bold Predictions for the 2014/15 Champions League Season

Mark Jones@@Mark_Jones86X.com LogoFeatured ColumnistSeptember 15, 2014

25 Bold Predictions for the 2014/15 Champions League Season

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    It's back!

    The group stages of the Champions League return to our lives on Tuesday, with plenty of surprises in store in the 2014/15 edition.

    There are bound to be heroes and villains who will be established over the next eight months in the run-up to the Berlin final, but what about the things that we can predict will happen?

    You'll all have your opinions, but here are our 25 bold predictions.

Bayern Munich Will Win It

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    After failing to defend their crown last season, a refocused Bayern Munich will emerge better and stronger in the new campaign, and they will win the trophy in the German capital to keep alive the football feel-good factor in the country less than a year after the national side won the World Cup.

    Helped by the addition of Champions League-winner Xabi Alonso, Bayern will prove too strong for their opponents and will eventually power their way to a sixth title, thereby leaving Liverpool behind and moving into an outright third position in the all-time winners' list.

Robert Lewandowski Will Be the Top Scorer

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    It'll be the goals of Polish forward Robert Lewandowski that take them to the title, as the new arrival from Borussia Dortmund goes one better than the runner-up medal he got with Dortmund against Bayern at Wembley in 2013.

    Lewandowski's 13 goals in the competition, including one in the final, take Bayern to glory and ensure that he ends up as the top scorer ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who are exhausted from a fierce domestic rivalry and a bid to win the Primera Liga crown back.

Mario Gotze Will Score the Winner in the Final

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    However, the winning goal in the final will be scored by Bayern's Mario Gotze, thereby completing the kind of footballing fairy tale that others can only dream about.

    The man who scored Germany's winning goal in the World Cup final once again comes off the bench, once again expertly controls a lofted ball into his direction and once again fires home an extra-time winner.

Real Madrid Will Be the Beaten Finalists

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    Winners last time, it'll be Real Madrid who are the fall guys in this season's competition when they lose the final 2-1 to Bayern after extra-time.

    Whereas Cristiano Ronaldo was seen taking off his shirt in celebration in Lisbon 12 months ago, now he's throwing it to the ground in frustration as the possibility of an 11th title disappears before Real's eyes.

But Gareth Bale Will Be Voted the Tournament's Best Player

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    But while it was collective frustration for the Spanish giants, there was personal triumph for Welshman Gareth Bale, who ended his second season as a Real player by being voted as the best player in the Champions League.

    Outshining Ronaldo wasn't easy, but this was the campaign when Bale really came into his own and dispelled any doubts about his standing as one of the best players in the world.

Chelsea Will Reach the Semi-Finals Again

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    It's another semi-final defeat for Chelsea, who exit the competition in the last four for the sixth time as they are overwhelmed by Bayern Munich.

    As in last season's loss to Atletico Madrid, the damage is done at Stamford Bridge; an injury to Diego Costa helps the German side take control of the match and the tie, in which they ultimately run out 4-1 aggregate winners.

And Jose Mourinho Will Annoy Everyone

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    Jose Mourinho has to have his say, though, and he accuses Bayern counterpart Pep Guardiola of influencing the referee during the defeat, a follow up to his attack on Arsene Wenger in the quarter-final win over Arsenal, who were beaten 1-0 on aggregate.

    Annoyed, everyone just puts up with it.

Luis Suarez Won't Bite Anyone

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    Luis Suarez plays his first Champions League match for Barcelona against his old club Ajax at the Amsterdam ArenA in a group-stage match in early November, making an emotional return to the Dutch capital and managing to make it through the game without biting anyone.

    There is another reunion for Suarez in the round of 16, when Barca are paired with Liverpool. The Uruguayan nutmegs Martin Skrtel three times before scoring a late equaliser in front of an applauding Kop end in the first leg, before scoring one and assisting two in a 3-1 second leg win at the Nou Camp. 

And His Barcelona Side Will Reach the Last Four

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    But Barca are ultimately edged out by the power of Real Madrid in the semi-finals, as two gruelling legs feature two 1-1 draws, red cards for Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Suarez and Sergio Busquets and a penalty shootout win for Real when Keylor Navas saves from Thomas Vermaelen.

    Lionel Messi, who scored nine goals in the group stages, ends the tournament with a total of 10.

Bayer Leverkusen Will Be the Great Entertainers

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    Roger Schmidt's Bayer Leverkusen prove to be the big hit of the group stages, scoring 18 goals in their six matches while also managing to concede 18.

    The madness isn't enough for them to edge out Zenit Saint Petersburg for second place in Group C, as the Russians progress, having scored four goals and conceded three.

Manchester City Will Get Knocked out in the Group Stage

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    A failure to impressively rebuild in the summer will eventually cost the English champions, whose decision to strengthen in midfield comes back to haunt them as Fernando is sent off in both group-stage matches against Bayern Munich.

    Injuries to Stevan Jovetic and Sergio Aguero leave them short of options upfront, and City eventually exit courtesy of a 2-1 loss at Roma in their final match of the group stage.

With a Vibrant Roma Beating Them to Second Place

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    It is that victory that sends Roma through to the knockout rounds, as an 86th-minute free-kick from Francesco Totti proves enough to see off City and send the Romans through on their return to the Champions League.

    They don't last much longer in the competition, but they have done enough to suggest that a repeated qualification is possible.

Andrea Pirlo Will Score a Brilliant Free-Kick

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    Well, of course he will.

And His Juventus Side Will Make the Quarter-Finals

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    And Andrea Pirlo's Juve will drastically improve on last season's shock group-stage exit, when they lost out to Galatasaray amid farcical conditions.

    Things are better for them this time around, as Carlos Tevez leads them through the group stage and into the quarter-finals, when they are eventually picked off by a ruthless Real Madrid team, who win 3-0 in Turin.

Atletico Madrid Will Make an Early Exit

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    Last year's beaten finalists pay the price for finishing second in Group A behind Juve, as they are pitted against a ruthless Bayern Munich in the second round.

    The German champions are no match for the Spanish champions, with Atletico's 5-2 aggregate defeat prompting manager Diego Simeone to praise the size of his opponents' cojones. He ends the season with Atletico and takes the Manchester City job in the summer. 

Liverpool Will Make It Through the Group Stages

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    Wins at home and away to Ludogorets Razgrad and FC Basel are enough for Liverpool to make it through Group B in second place behind Real Madrid, who they twice lost 3-2 against despite being 2-0 up on both occasions.

    Steven Gerrard marks his and Liverpool's return to the tournament after five years away by scoring a penalty in every single group-stage match.

But Crash out in the First Knockout Round

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    However, as mentioned earlier, the Reds come unstuck when they face Barcelona in the second round.

    One of the matches of the tournament ends 2-2 at Anfield as Luis Suarez cancels out two Mario Balotelli goals to earn a 2-2 draw in the first leg, before the Uruguayan, Lionel Messi and Neymar score in the second game at the Nou Camp, rendering Raheem Sterling's remarkable solo goal obsolete.

    Sterling is immediately the subject of a £60 million bid from Real Madrid.

Cosmin Moti Will Go in Goal Again

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    However, Liverpool are largely remembered for their role in one of the stranger episodes of the competition, when Ludogorets Razgrad defender Cosmin Moti insisted on reviving his play-off role and going in goal against the Reds in their match in Sofia in November.

    With Liverpool leading 3-0 after just 25 minutes in Bulgaria, Moti took the gloves, kept a clean sheet for the remaining 65 minutes of the match and saved two Gerrard penalties to keep the final score at 3-0 to the Reds.

Arsenal Will Get Through Their Group

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    It's hardly "bold", but Arsene Wenger's Arsenal keep up their proud Champions League record and make it out of the group stage alive.

    After surprisingly dropping points at home to Anderlecht in a goalless draw, the Gunners beat Borussia Dortmund at home and then Galatasaray away to secure another knockout-stage appearance.

Then Yaya Sanogo Will Inexplicably Start a Knockout Game

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    A hat-trick from Danny Welbeck leads the Gunners to a 3-0 home win over Porto in the second round to complete a 4-1 aggregate victory, before Wenger decides to punish the England forward for being pictured on a night out in Manchester five days before the quarter-final second leg.

    Arsenal played out a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge, but with Welbeck watching on from the sidelines and Yaya Sanogo seeing three one on ones saved by Thibaut Courtois, a late winner from Cesc Fabregas dumps the Gunners out of the competition in front of a booing Emirates Stadium.

David Luiz Will Have a Meltdown

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    Paris Saint-Germain exit in the second round when a first leg horror show from David Luiz sees them lose 5-1 at home to Juventus.

    Despite a hat-trick from Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Turin, PSG's 3-0 win isn't enough and they exit the tournament 5-4 on aggregate. Zlatan is reported to have karate kicked Luiz in the changing room at full-time, and the defender is sold to Sao Paulo in the summer.

Someone Will Try and Sign Aleksandar Mitrovic

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    Anderlecht's exciting young Serbian forward Aleksandar Mitrovic impresses in Group D, scoring against Arsenal, Galatasaray and Borussia Dortmund.

    The Belgians exit at the group stage having picked up just one point, but Mitrovic has earned a move to Benfica, where he'll repeat this form again next season.

Monaco Will Lose Heavily in the Group Stages

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    With no Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez or a semblance of support, Monaco's return to the Champions League ends in complete and utter farce as they are hammered by both a rampant Bayer Leverkusen and Benfica.

    Manager Leonardo Jardim is sacked, with Zinedine Zidane appointed to replace him.

Malmo Will Win a Match and Reach the Europa League

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    Swedish side Malmo cause a stir on their Champions League debut as they beat Olympiacos on Matchday 2 before putting up a good fight at home to both Atletico Madrid and Juventus.

    That home win eventually proves crucial as a disheartened Olympiacos lose the majority of their matches, meaning the Swedes pip the Greeks to third spot in Group A and qualify for the Europa League.

Manchester United Will Try and Show Up

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    There is widespread embarrassment as the Group G fixture between Sporting Lisbon and Maribor in Portugal is delayed as Manchester United have turned up and are demanding to play.

    Claiming that "the Champions League just isn't the same without them", United cite an unknown clause in new signing Marcos Rojo's third-party contract that they believes entitles them to overrule two "inferior" clubs, as watching United play is in the public interest.

    After two-hour protest, they are eventually removed.

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