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Champions League Draw: Group C - Your Guide To Manchester United, Valencia, Bursaspor & Rangers
| Bet: | Returns: | Rangers £15.00 | Draw £35.00 | Motherwell £60.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Rangers £15.71 | Draw £35.00 | Motherwell £70.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Rangers £14.00 | Draw £43.30 | Motherwell £85.00 |
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Aug 27, 2010 2:33:00 AM
Join Goal.com for a quick briefing on Group C of the upcoming UEFA Champions League.
Here we'll bring you the lowdown on the teams involved.
Teams
MANCHESTER UNITED
Last season at home: Second, Premier League; Winners, League Cup; Third Round, FA Cup
Last season in Europe: Champions League quarter-finalists
Coach: Sir Alex Ferguson since November 1986
Playing style: Quick on the counter attack, sharp on the wings and dogged in defence
Strength: A world class star in Wayne Rooney and watertight backline
Weakness: Reliance on old hands Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes to add quality to suspect central midfield
Key men: Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes, Nemanja Vidic
Realistic Objective: Champions League semi-finalists
Starting XI (4-4-2): Van der Sar; O'Shea, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra; Valencia, Fletcher; Scholes, Nani; Rooney, Berbatov.
VALENCIA
Last season at home: Third in La Liga
Last season in Europe: Europa League quarter-finalists
Coach: Unai Emery since summer 2008
Playing style: Quick, one-touch attacking football
Strength: Exceptional wingers assisting proven goalscorers
Weakness: Unreliable defence
Key men: Juan Mata, Roberto Soldado, Joaquin, Ever Banega
Realistic Objective: Champions League quarter-finalists
Starting XI (4-4-2): Cesar; Miguel, Maduro, Dealbert, Mathieu; Joaquin, Banega, Albelda, Mata; Soldado, Aduriz.
RANGERS
Last season at home: Winners, SPL; Winners, Scottish League Cup
Last season in Europe: Fourth in Champions League group
Coach: Walter Smith since January 2007
Playing style: Defensively dogged, lacking star quality
Strength: Organisation, commitment, home form
Weakness: No clinical goal threat
Key men: Madjid Bougherra, Steven Davis, Kenny Miller
Realistic Objective: Third and Europa League place
Starting XI (4-5-1): McGregor; Broadfoot, Bougherra, Weir, Papac; Whittaker, Naismith, Davis, Edu, Lafferty; Miller
BURSASPOR
Last season at home: Winners, Turkish SuperLig; Quarter-finals, Turkish Cup
Last season in Europe: N/A
Coach: Ertigrul Saglam since 2009
Playing style: Zesty, attacking, midfield getting forward
Strength: Speedy and versatile attacking options
Weakness: Total lack of European experince
Key men: Ozan Ipek, Volcan Sen, Sercan Yildirim
Realistic Objective: Europa League qualification
Starting XI (3-5-2): Ivankov; Erdogan, Stepanov, Vederson; Sen, Erdic, Tandogan, Simcir, Ipek; Yildirim, Nunez
Analysis
Probably the first thought that popped in to everyone's head when this group was finalised was 'easy group for United', and everyone would have been right.
Manchester United are tried and tested at this level and, even without Cristiano Ronaldo at their disposal these days, will continue to be a formidable force in Europe for many years to come. With the seasoned head of Sir Alex Ferguson at the helm of this well drilled and hard-working club of stars, there is no doubt that they will top this table with ease.
But what can be said of Valencia? They sold their two best players over the summer transfer window to help pay off the club's enormous debt, that's what. But even with David Silva and David Villa in the team, the Liga giants still struggled to reach the same heady heights as Spanish companions Real Madrid and Barcelona. Without their two former star men, Valencia can't hope for any higher than second place.
Rangers, the reigning Scottish champions, fell miserably short last year in their European campaign, finishing at the bottom of Group G with only two points from six games. The Glaswegians were hopeful of at least a Europa League spot, but with Romanian outfit Unirea Urziceni finishing in third place with 8 points, it was a disaster.
This year will be a challenge, too. The Scots are without the danger of former striker Kris Boyd now, who moved to Middlesbrough, and haven't made any significant waves in the transfer market. With that in mind, third place would be a godsend for the Teddy Bears.
Bursaspor on the other hand, are a team brimming with confidence. After a superb run in the Turkish Super Liga in 2009/10 under the tutelage of young coach Ertugrul Saglam, the Green Crocodiles saw off domestic titans Galatasaray and Fenerbahce to run off with the league title. Bursaspor haven't done much in terms of big-name signing and selling, minimally strengthening their squad if anything, meaning this tight-knit unit of winners will be pushing their abilities to the limit to see how far they can really go. For me, this is a Cinderella story worth listening to.
More
Here we'll bring you the lowdown on the teams involved.
Teams
| Group C |
 Manchester United |
 Valencia |
 Rangers |
 Bursaspor |
MANCHESTER UNITEDLast season at home: Second, Premier League; Winners, League Cup; Third Round, FA Cup
Last season in Europe: Champions League quarter-finalists
Coach: Sir Alex Ferguson since November 1986
Playing style: Quick on the counter attack, sharp on the wings and dogged in defence
Strength: A world class star in Wayne Rooney and watertight backline
Weakness: Reliance on old hands Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes to add quality to suspect central midfield
Key men: Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes, Nemanja Vidic
Realistic Objective: Champions League semi-finalists
Starting XI (4-4-2): Van der Sar; O'Shea, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra; Valencia, Fletcher; Scholes, Nani; Rooney, Berbatov.
VALENCIALast season at home: Third in La Liga
Last season in Europe: Europa League quarter-finalists
Coach: Unai Emery since summer 2008
Playing style: Quick, one-touch attacking football
Strength: Exceptional wingers assisting proven goalscorers
Weakness: Unreliable defence
Key men: Juan Mata, Roberto Soldado, Joaquin, Ever Banega
Realistic Objective: Champions League quarter-finalists
Starting XI (4-4-2): Cesar; Miguel, Maduro, Dealbert, Mathieu; Joaquin, Banega, Albelda, Mata; Soldado, Aduriz.
RANGERSLast season at home: Winners, SPL; Winners, Scottish League Cup
Last season in Europe: Fourth in Champions League group
Coach: Walter Smith since January 2007
Playing style: Defensively dogged, lacking star quality
Strength: Organisation, commitment, home form
Weakness: No clinical goal threat
Key men: Madjid Bougherra, Steven Davis, Kenny Miller
Realistic Objective: Third and Europa League place
Starting XI (4-5-1): McGregor; Broadfoot, Bougherra, Weir, Papac; Whittaker, Naismith, Davis, Edu, Lafferty; Miller
BURSASPORLast season at home: Winners, Turkish SuperLig; Quarter-finals, Turkish Cup
Last season in Europe: N/A
Coach: Ertigrul Saglam since 2009
Playing style: Zesty, attacking, midfield getting forward
Strength: Speedy and versatile attacking options
Weakness: Total lack of European experince
Key men: Ozan Ipek, Volcan Sen, Sercan Yildirim
Realistic Objective: Europa League qualification
Starting XI (3-5-2): Ivankov; Erdogan, Stepanov, Vederson; Sen, Erdic, Tandogan, Simcir, Ipek; Yildirim, Nunez
Analysis
Probably the first thought that popped in to everyone's head when this group was finalised was 'easy group for United', and everyone would have been right.
Manchester United are tried and tested at this level and, even without Cristiano Ronaldo at their disposal these days, will continue to be a formidable force in Europe for many years to come. With the seasoned head of Sir Alex Ferguson at the helm of this well drilled and hard-working club of stars, there is no doubt that they will top this table with ease.But what can be said of Valencia? They sold their two best players over the summer transfer window to help pay off the club's enormous debt, that's what. But even with David Silva and David Villa in the team, the Liga giants still struggled to reach the same heady heights as Spanish companions Real Madrid and Barcelona. Without their two former star men, Valencia can't hope for any higher than second place.
Rangers, the reigning Scottish champions, fell miserably short last year in their European campaign, finishing at the bottom of Group G with only two points from six games. The Glaswegians were hopeful of at least a Europa League spot, but with Romanian outfit Unirea Urziceni finishing in third place with 8 points, it was a disaster.
This year will be a challenge, too. The Scots are without the danger of former striker Kris Boyd now, who moved to Middlesbrough, and haven't made any significant waves in the transfer market. With that in mind, third place would be a godsend for the Teddy Bears.
Bursaspor on the other hand, are a team brimming with confidence. After a superb run in the Turkish Super Liga in 2009/10 under the tutelage of young coach Ertugrul Saglam, the Green Crocodiles saw off domestic titans Galatasaray and Fenerbahce to run off with the league title. Bursaspor haven't done much in terms of big-name signing and selling, minimally strengthening their squad if anything, meaning this tight-knit unit of winners will be pushing their abilities to the limit to see how far they can really go. For me, this is a Cinderella story worth listening to.More
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