Bayern as a favorite, and Messi against Ronald. Champions League season starts in European football / Article / LSM.lv

Football starts the Champions League seasonMaris Bergs00:00 / 04:45

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Year after year, “Bayern” have been among the favorites of the prestigious tournament, and football commentator Ilvars Koscinkevičs pointed out that the short inter-season did not change anything, the Munich club only strengthened its position in European football. The status imposes an obligation, but in recent years it is characteristic that the winners of the Champions League will be far away next season as well, explained Koscinkevičs.

“Bayern will definitely be a long way off, and the group is one in which there is no doubt that it will be out of the group, despite all the respect for Salzburg, which will not be an easy opponent,” Koscinkevich said. “Moscow’s Lokomotiv are probably less likely. Munich’s Bayern and Madrid’s Atletico are obvious favorites in this group. Something very unexpected should happen so that the two teams don’t make it. [turnīra] 16 best in the circle. “

After the draw in early October, fans placed a bold exclamation mark on one duel,

against, Juventus and Barcelona in Turin to meet in group tournament. For the first time in the Champions League group, two of the best footballers of their generation and also the leaders of their teams Christian Ronald and Lionel Messi will compete in the matches of these teams. The two fought each other for many years in the Spanish Championship, while Ronaldo was still represented by Real Madrid.

Although the duel between the two teams and also the players is guaranteed huge attention of fans and the media, football reviewer Edmunds Novickis noted that

the two superstars of the team will hardly succeed in meeting face to face on the field.

Ronald and Messi will not physically play against each other, because the positions of both on the field are different, Novickis explained. However, for the media and fans, their meeting is a delicious mouthful, and both stars will show respect to each other before the game. “Expect that on the field they will go to each other’s horns and it will be something fantastically special in terms of sports … Of course, it will not happen,” added Novickis

No club represented by Latvian footballers entered the champions’ league, but

The most prestigious club football competitions in Europe will not pass without Latvian representatives anyway, as the games will be served by the team of referee Andris Treimanis.

The Latvian football referee and his assistants at the European Cup have been playing for several years, and this week they have been assigned to the Group C favorite duel, in which Manchester’s “City” and “Porto” will play on Wednesday. Football referees also have to adapt to games on empty stands, because matches in large stadiums without spectators cause strange feelings.

Treimanis admitted that a full stadium fuels the spirit of the game for both footballers and judges. Playing with spectators puts more pressure on the referees, but at the same time helps to focus.

“Right now, the feeling is that a bit of a ghost town is playing games,” Treimanis described his feelings. “There have been several games in large enough stadiums with a capacity of 70-80 thousand [skatītāju], but there have been cases like during school when you are left after classes. Var [klusumā] to hear the drone of the lamp, that’s the reality right now. “

The Champions League calendar in the group tournament this season will be tighter than before, with the teams playing it for a month and a half.

All clubs entering the next round will be announced by December 9. The future plan is, at least for the time being, the same as before, with the eighth finals starting in mid-February and the final scheduled for May 29 in Istanbul, Turkey.

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