Champions League alternative fans' guide: biggest games, best kits and scariest trips

Other box-office smashes include Juventus' double-header (Oct. 23 at Old Trafford, Nov. 7 in Turin) with Man United, a game redolent in nostalgia not only for the ding-dong battles of the 1990s but for Ronaldo heading back to Old Trafford and Paul Pogba returning to Italy, where he might decide to lock himself in his hotel room and wait out the rest of the season. No respect, man. No respect. Sorry, Jose Mourinho.

The Ajax-Benfica clashes (Oct. 23, Nov. 7) are worth switching on, too. In fact, broadcasters should perhaps think about making the games available in black and white given the rich history of both clubs.

Then, just as winter begins to bite, there's Galatasaray's visit to Lokomotiv Moscow on Nov. 28. Fatih Terim and Yury Semin are the two oldest, wiliest managers left in the competition. To their credit, the game has not passed them by either. No disrespect, Jose. Honest: no disrespect. Both are in their fourth stints at their respective clubs and are improbably just as successful as they were in the cretaceous period. We salute them.

Barcelona haven't gone beyond the quarterfinals in each of the past three seasons. Does that make them worth a sneaky flutter? It's incredible to think a team with Lionel Messi at its heart keeps checking out so early, especially when they were a game away from going undefeated in La Liga last year. New signing Arturo Vidal has his own theory as to why. Expect Sergio Ramos to give his response in the Clasico.cheap nfl jerseys china nike

The same stage has proven a glass ceiling for Paris Saint-Germain under Qatari ownership, too. Might Thomas Tuchel finally take a sledgehammer to it? Considering how thin PSG have allowed their midfield to become, maybe calling them a long shot isn't so crazy after all.

Joking aside, what we're looking for here is another Roma or Monaco, an over-reaching gatecrasher. Napoli have the most successful manager in this competition calling the shots but then you look at their group, as well as how many goals they're conceding lately, and it might prove a bridge too far even for Carlo Ancelotti. Shakhtar Donetsk impressed a year ago under Paulo Fonseca but are hamstrung by Ukraine's long winter break.

Spurs won the toughest group last season and were the better team against Juventus for all but half an hour but still got knocked out. Have they learned from that experience? The draw has done them no favours this time either, and not signing anyone in the summer may count against them too. Inter certainly have the talent but rank as their own worst enemy at times. Young Boys it is then.china nike nfl jerseys cheap

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