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This season’s Champions League has just kicked-off and so on this week’s listening report the languagecaster team preview the group stages of Europe’s biggest club competition. You can listen to the report by clicking on the link below, while vocabulary support (in bold) appears at the foot of the report.
Subscribe: Main Listening Report
Favourites
Choosing a winner for the 58th European Cup/Champions League competition next May 25th is not easy as no team has been dominant in its domestic league never mind Europe over the past few years. Of course, Barcelona must be considered one of the favourites as well as their rivals and nine-time winners Real Madrid, although neither were particularly convincing in their opening group stage games, both winning 3-2. After the Spanish teams, a few more stand out. Manchester City from England have the players, but there are question marks over their manager, Mancini’s ability in European competitions. And from Italy, The Old Lady, Juventus, last season’s Serie A champions, seem on an upward curve in terms of form, and must be considered. When talking about Europe, German powerhouse and last year’s finalists, Bayern Munich, will be hoping to add to their four titles.
Group of Death
On paper, easily the most difficult group and therefore the one dubbed ‘the group of death’ is group D. This contains the Spanish, English, German and Dutch champions – Real Madrid, Man City, Dortmund and Ajax respectively. But, while all clubs are strong, Madrid and City stand out and should have too much for the other two. Perhaps a tougher group to get out of is Group C as all teams seem capable of beating each other. Anderlecht, Zenit St Petersburg, Milan and Malaga will know that winning their home games will be key to progressing.
Dark Horses
A dark horse is very different from an outsider, its the kind of club that everyone knows is good but goes about their work quietly while the bigger clubs attract more attention on and off the field. This year, Arsenal may well be the dark horse. Finishing third in the Premier League, they sold another of their key players, Van Persie, to rivals Manchester United, but nevertheless have made a good start to the season and opened with a win in their group. If they keep players fit and perhaps focus on the Champions League they may do well.
Debutants
French champions Montpellier, the Danish team Nordsjælland and Spanish side Málaga all make their debuts in this year’s competition, but will do well to progress past the group stages. Perhaps Malaga are favourites from the three to achieve that.
Predictions
Arsenal the dark horse to get to the semi-finals, Malaga to progress to the knockout stages, Manchester City to fail to get out of the group, all German sides to go through to the last 16, and there will be no Spanish team in the final.
Vocabulary support
stand out: are prominent; look strong; deserve consideration
(have) question marks over: have doubts about; not be convinced by; believe someone/thing is weak
The Old Lady: Juventus’ knickname
on an upward curve: (in this context) have improving results; getting stronger
on paper: looking only at statistics and facts
dubbed: called, named
have too much for: be too strong for
