Manchester United
The Champions League has become used to living without the old strength of Manchester United and that is something that must change. The solera of his name does not match his level. Likewise, they fell in the group stage in the previous edition and could not even lift the Europa League after losing precisely in the final against an admirable Villarreal. This course has been determined to change its recent history. The hopeful start in the Premier League with the victory against Leeds (5-1) was neutralized by a draw against Southampton (1-1).
The sporting slowdown of Manchester United was due to its disastrous transfer policy, which it has corrected in the last two years with the opportune reinforcements of Bruno Fernandes – general captain last year and in this beginning also with three goals – and now from Sancho (85 million, Borussia Dortmund) and Varane (40, Real Madrid). The ex of the Madrid supposes a fundamental resource in a precarious defense, with lateral of average profile in spite of its high cost (Wan-Bissaka and Shaw) and centrals with tendency to the error like Bailly and Lindelöf. Only Maguire, and half, was saved in this equation. Thus, Solskjaer aspires to build a more hermetic block that always brings him closer to victory. With 1-4-2-3-1, more or less offensive depending on Pogba's position, whether he is a pivot or plays from the left with Fred and McTominay in the middle, United have quality footballers and a indicated physical magnitude. That works to their advantage in this high-tempo football that seems to be prevailing today. McTominay, Greenwood, Martial or Rashford (injured until November) match this profile. The speed of his attackers, the criteria with and without the ball of Bruno Fernandes and the quality of Pogba, It seems that this year he does, represent the most notable virtues of the Old Trafford ensemble, with players like Van de Beek, Mata or Cavani in the background. In spite of everything, the irregularity and the blurred performance in important appointments put him in doubt. At the end of the day, Solskjaer has not been able to lift any title since he is manager of this Manchester United.
Star: Bruno Fernandes (26 years old)
Atalanta
It has become a nice habit to see Atalanta in the Champions League. It seemed during a long stretch of the past course that he would not be enough to ensure his presence again, but the final push – 11 games unbeaten – supported his classification. With this will be three consecutive participations for a provincial club that owes almost everything to Gian Piero Gasperini. Quarterfinalist two editions ago, Atalanta seduces because they play open-ended, without defensive qualms. It is not for nothing that they have been the top scoring team in Serie A for three seasons, a milestone that offers an insightful perspective on the unique personality of the Bergamo team.
The passage of the years does not change Gasperini. The Italian coach welcomes his 1-3-4-2-1 (or 1-3-4-1-2) to insist on his idea of high pressure, verticality and intensity. He demands offensive will from all his footballers. The Atalanta walks along this path, sometimes on the wire, always exposed to its fragility from behind. The team is very similar to the one from these years and the one that Madrid defeated. Nine of its players played the last European Championship. He has barely been reinforced with goalkeeper Musso (Udinese), in addition to centrals Lovato (Hellas Verona) and Demiral (Juventus) after losing Christian Romero, a sensitive loss on the defensive plot. The lanes Maehle -extraordinary Eurocup with Denmark- and Gosens stand out, Toloi's rigor in the rear, Pessina's route, Malinovskyi's projection and Muriel's scoring explosiveness. Zapata or Ilicic have reduced their benefits and their status, but they maintain their relevance, like Freuler or De Roon. In any case, it is difficult for the Atalanta to provide such a remarkable performance as in previous campaigns. It no longer appears as a surprise and has earned everyone's respect. His new condition will call for stronger performances. All his rivals are on notice, but with Gasperini's, nothing can ever be ruled out. It is another of its fascinating virtues.
Star: Muriel (30 years old)
Young boys
In the shadow of Basel for so long, the Young Boys is the current foreman of Swiss football. He already has four league titles in a row after 32 previous drought years. In this beginning of the course he has been able to avoid the pitfall of the previous phase of the Champions League, where he fell on so many occasions. For this he has left out the Slovan of Bratislava, the Romanian Cluj and the mythical Ferencvaros in a crazy pulse. He was at various times between a rock and a hard place, but managed to survive.
Young Boys retain last season's block, but had to search for a coach following Gerardo Seoane's decision to embark on the Bayer Leverkusen project. The chosen one was David Wagner, former Huddersfield and Schalke 04, who was Klopp's assistant at Borussia Dortmund. That collaboration gives an idea, saving the distances, of how the Young Boys is defined. The game plan, under a stretchy 1-4-4-2, relies on high pace and transitions with a prominent offensive mindset. It proposes almost a round trip. In the Champions League it can be expensive, as well as the serious mistakes that he commits in the defensive zone or in any exit of the ball. Among his most senior players, Fassnacht should be noted above all. Good head and good foot. Others are center-back Zesiger, midfielder Aebischer (right on a direct free kick), winger Ngamaleu and forwards Elia and Siebatcheu. Power in the Siebatcheu area has healed the effect of the loss since May of Nsame, the Swiss league's top scorer in the previous two seasons. Full-backs Hefti and Ullises García are very offensive. In the case of the latter, he handles both legs and is somewhat anarchic. That capacity for surprise fits perfectly within the Young Boys soccer line. A counter-attacking team, aggressive and with speed in attack.
Star: Fassnacht (27 years old)