Yesterday was a good day for the fans of the beautiful sport of soccer.  It was the day we have been waiting for - the UEFA Champions League group stage was announced. Thirty-two teams will embark on a season long journey to reach the summit of Europe’s elite. Last season, it was Barcelona who lifted the trophy. Who will it be this year? Does Villarreal stand a chance in the so called “group of death?”

Group A is where the toughest competition will be found. Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Villarreal, and Napoli will all battle it out for group supremacy.

Bayern Munich is the group favorite as they have a vast amount of experience compared to the other teams.  

Manchester City has an immense amount of talent but there players are still learning how to gel with one another. They just purchased a stud attacking midfielder in Samir Nasri. He played well for Arsenal in the competition and will be expected to be even better for his new club.

Villarreal made it all the way to the semi-finals in 2006. They lost narrowly to Arsenal with a 1-0 score but things could have been different if Riquelme had converted his penalty kick against Jens Lehman.

Five years later, the yellow submarines want to wipe their slate clean with a fresh start and impress in this tough group. They have the capability of defeating any team, but not with ease. My prediction may not be to kind for them, but it is better than nothing.

The top two teams will be Bayern Munich with Manchester City finishing in second. Villarreal will fall to the Europa League round of 32 after finishing third in the Champions League group stage. Before you decide to stop reading, read the next paragraph.

Bayern Munich is in the knock-out stages almost every year and they thoroughly deserve to be there. They are a star-studded team with the likes of Ribery, Robben, Gomez, Lahm, and Muller. These players are all game changers. Lahm recovers possession on the defensive end, and then sends the ball up to one of these sharp finishers. Also, they just signed Germany number one keeper, Manuel Neuer, from Schalke 04.  They are a very tough team to defeat especially at this level.

Manchester City simply splashes the cash on players they believe will benefit their club. Nasri and Aguero are both key game changers and to start them together on the field alongside David Silva, Carlos Tevez, and Yaya Toure is honestly not fair. Goosebumps are what I feel when thinking about the possibilities of that team.

Villarreal have one key striker that will score a goal almost every single game he plays in, Giuseppe Rossi. Borja Valero, Rogerio Cani, and Nilmar are all productive players but they do not have the “killer touch” Rossi possesses. They can pass the ball, take shots, and make some very good plays but without Rossi to finish them, they don’t look too heroic.

Luckily for them, he has decided to stay with them for at least another 6 months or so and this is exactly what they need especially after discovering their fate in Europe’s most elite competition.

Napoli in my opinion are very good, however, they will not advance from this group. If they do, I apologize in advance to their beloved fans. To force an upset in one or maybe two games is possible. To do so in six? I don’t think so.

Marek Hamsik, Ezequiel Lavezzi, and of course Edson Cavani are all going to be very important factors for their side’s success. We also cannot forget the smart addition they made in Swiss international Gokhan Inler. He was the heart and soul at Udinese and should continue to do wonders in the heart of the Napoli squad. They are good but vastly inexperienced and in the end, this will cost them dearly.

Regardless of my prediction, this is going to be by far the most exciting group. The impatience is growing inside me at a rapid rate. Villarreal has the chance to prove all of their critics wrong if they can upset the likes of Bayern Munich and Manchester City. For me, Napoli is the Villarreal of Italy and when those sides square off, we should all fasten our seat belts folks because they will put on an unforgettable show.

On another note, La Liga will commence this weekend after an agreement has been reached between the players and the league regarding finances. Villarreal have the honor and punishment of facing the defending champion Barcelona at the ever so dangerous Nou Camp. This will be a thriller as both sides play quick, smart, and hopeful soccer. If Villarreal escape with even a point, they will have bragging rights as Barca are the team to beat along with Real Madrid.  

Until next time loyal readers, enjoy the game against Barca and look for my article about the match. If you have any questions, concerns, please follow me on twitter @areysportsnews or e-mail me at areysportsnews@gmail.com.