2012/13 UEFA Champions league predictions

The beginning of the 2012/13 UEFA champions’ league group stage is nearly upon us with many football fans in the world buzzing with excitement. As we head into the match day 1 fixture there are many questions on the lips of football fans across the globe. Can Chelsea become the first team in the champions league era to retain the trophy? Which teams will progress from each group? Whose skills will set the football world alight? In this article, I'll be giving my thoughts on various aspects of this season's UEFA champions league.

Favourites- Real Madrid

Ever since Jose Mourinho became the real Madrid manager back in the summer of 2010, many pundits and fans have been predicting the Spanish champions to win Europe's biggest prize. Now in previous years, I personally haven't predicted Madrid to win the tournament, but this year I think it's their time. After winning la Liga for the first time since the 2006/07 season, last season that winning feeling finally returned to the Spanish capital. Now with a team strengthened by the summer signings of Luka Modric and Michael Essien, plus with the usual stars of Cristiano Ronaldo, Fabio Coentrao and Mesut Özil among others, real Madrid could well be the side that lifts the trophy at Wembley in May.

Whipping boys- FC Nordsjaelland

Although the champions league features some of the world's best teams and players, there are always a few teams who are out of their depth. In previous years, we've seen the likes of MSK Zilina, Dinamo Zagreb and Otelul Galati struggle to gain even one point and this year, I fear for Nordsjaelland, the Danish champions. Seeing as the club only came into existence in 2003, this will be Nordsjaellands first venture into European football's elite competition and in a group that features the Italian champions Juventus, Shakhtar Donetsk with star striker Willian and the European champions Chelsea, it could be a swift exit for Nordsjaelland. What won't help, their cause is the fact that they'll be playing their home games at FC Copenhagen's Parken stadium, as their own is too small to reach UEFA regulations.

Dark horses-Galatasaray

After four years without winning the Turkish super Liga, finally Galatasaray won the title in May this year. A lot of this success has been attributed to the work of manager Faith Terim. With their infamous "welcome to hell" banners that greet the opposition upon arrival, their fanatical support and squad which mix youth and experience well, games against Galatasaray will be difficult for any side. In a group consisting of Manchester United, Braga and CFR Cluj, it won't be easy for the Turkish champions to progress, but if they do, they could go a long way in this tournament.

Key player: Selcuk Inan

Top scorer-Lionel Messi

Although the Argentinian didn’t win the ‘’best player in Europe’’ award for his work last season,  Lionel Messi will once again spearhead Barcelona’s attack as they set out to win their third champions league in five seasons and I believe he’ll do so while scoring more goals than anyone else. Of course, the likes of Robin Van Persie, Cristiano Ronaldo, Mario Gomez amongst others will be in the running for the top scorer award but Messi could well have field days against Celtic, Benfica and whoever else Barcelona face on their European campaign. 

Chelsea: Florent Malouda set to leave the Blues

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Chelsea were preparing to sell Florent Malouda, as the French winger tweeted a picture of the under-21 building at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground with the words “this is where I’ll train for my last season with the Blues”.

Now even though Malouda’s Chelsea career looks set to end in a far from ceremonious way, will he ultimately be remembered by Blues’ fans as a successful player? He began his career, like most Chelsea players do, with fairly high expectations.

The French winger cost the blues around £13 million from Lyon in 2007, but despite a goal on his debut in the Community Shield against Manchester United, Malouda struggled to make much of an impact at Stamford Bridge. The 2008/09 season was a bit better for Malouda as he scored 9 goals in 47 games, an increase from the previous season when he scored just 4 in 38 games.

However, Malouda’s best season was the one where Chelsea secured their 4th ever league title, the 2009/10 season. Malouda was electrifying at times as he played a key role in a formidable Chelsea attack which consisted of the likes of Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard all hitting some of their best form.

In the end, the campaign which also led to the side winning the FA Cup, the season was a great one for both Chelsea and Malouda. Malouda’s performances in the 2010/11 were much like Chelsea’s season in general: inconsistent. Malouda showed signs of the excellent form of his 2009/10 campaign but couldn’t maintain it.

By the end of the season, Malouda was more of a substitute than a regular starter for the Blues. In many ways, the 2011/12 was Malouda’s worst yet at the Bridge as his place was taken over by Juan Mata and many expected him to leave in the summer.

However, as we all know, he didn’t and now Chelsea have a predicament on their hands. Lyon, Malouda’s former club, are reportedly interested in the man who is still a France international.

In my opinion, Chelsea’s coercion of the player has been unnecessary and even disrespectful.

After all, Chelsea aren’t in the situation Manchester City were after Carlos Tevez refused to play for them against Bayern Munich last season, to our knowledge, Malouda does still want to play for Chelsea.

Also, I believe Malouda’s experience and versatility can still benefit the club, even more so now due to the departure of Raul Meireles.

In my opinion, Chelsea should have kept Malouda until January and then sell him. Making him play with the reserves doesn’t benefit anyone, particularly not Malouda who now surely feels like some sort of outcast.

How far can QPR go this season?

A significant proportion of the 2012 summer transfer window deadline day was spent with football fans talking about QPR's new signings. So with so many well respected and recognised talent in their current squad, I think QPR ought to be aiming higher than to merely survive in the premier league this season.

Admittedly, QPR's start to the 2012-13 season has been far from perfect. A catastrophic 5-0 opening day defeat at the hands of Swansea city left many hoops fans feeling very concerned about the season ahead. The week after wasn't as bad as a Bobby Zamora goal earned a respectable point away at Norwich.

September began with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester City but Mark Hughes would have been proud of the way his players remained positive and managed to equalize whilst the score was at 1-0. Also, many of the west London side's new signings were unable to play. So how about these new signings, and where will they fit in? Will they improve QPR's position in the league? In this article, I will be discussing where the west Londoners go from here.

In goal, many thought Robert Green, who arrived from West Ham earlier in the summer, would be the number one. However, just over a week after Green's terrible performance against Swansea, QPR confirmed the arrival of Julio Cesar from Internazionale. Sadly for Rob Green, I think it would be ludicrous for Mark Hughes to leave the former champions league winner Cesar out of the starting eleven.

Surprisingly, the only central defender QPR bought in over the summer was Ryan Nelsen, which was surprising considering the defence was widely considered to be the reason QPR only survived by the skin of their teeth last season. Another player that has been brought in is former Chelsea right back Jose Bosingwa who looks set to be one of QPR's most regular features this season.

As for midfield, the squad will in my opinion gain a player with sheer class in former Real Madrid man, Esteban Granero. Granero made his hoops debut against Man City and looked decent on the few occasions when QPR were on the attack. Potentially, he and Alejandro Faurlin could form an excellent technical central midfield partnership for the club. Another new signing who could help feature heavily in the centre of QPR's midfield is Stephane M'Bia who joined the hoops on a two year deal from Marseille with QPR's disgraced former captain Joey Barton joining the French club on loan. M'Bia may also play at centre back though so it's difficult to predict how much he'll play in central midfield.

One of the biggest team selection dilemmas manager Mark Hughes will have to face this season will be who will be the hoops first choice striker. Amongst the contenders are Bobby Zamora, Jamie Mackie, Andy Johnson and Djibril Cisse. Both Zamora and Johnson started against Manchester city but with so many central midfield options and talented wingers which include Shaun Wright-Phillips, Junior Hoilett and new club captain Ji Sung Park, it's quite possible that Hughes will choose to start only one striker at the majority of QPR's games this season.

Below is the line-up I'd choose if I was Mark Hughes presuming every squad member was fit (4-5-1)

Julio Cesar

Jose Bosingwa

Anton Ferdinand

Ryan Nelsen

Fabio da Silva

Ji Sung Park

Esteban Granero

Stephane M'Bia

Alejandro Faurlin

Junior Hoilett

Bobby Zamora

So how far can this team go? Due to their team that includes numerous highly decorated players, I think it would be safe to presume many of QPR's players will be aiming for a mid table place. However, due to some suicidal defending at times, I think the 2012/13 season maybe one with some considerable difficulty for QPR. So I think a 14th place finish will have to do for the fans of the hoops. However, once the squad gels, which shouldn't take long QPR can be expected to hit their stride and should improve each season. It may be a slow process but QPR should look to become a solid premier league side sooner rather than later.