champions league 2012-13
The Champions League has seen some exemplary performances through three matches with some teams clearly solidifying themselves as early contenders. The group stage is only halfway finished and a lot could still change, but it is still a good time to look at the most impressive teams in the tournament thus far.
Now that the group stage is officially half way finished in the 2012-13 Champions League, it is a good moment to take a look at which teams have performed poorly thus far. In compiling this piece, a number of factors were considered such as the competition for each team, the statistics, the results in their matches, and how they have looked in their particular games.
Wednesday's round of UCL matches included a plethora of shockers that have completely altered the nature of the tournament to date.
The problems within the Zenit St. Petersburg locker room have been well chronicled and many have attributed the team's poor start in the UCL to the player's personal problems among each other.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been dominant through two rounds in the UCL. After a mediocre week for the Superstar, he is likely thrilled to be back on a big stage that he has thrived on thus far this season.
The transformation of Paris St. Germain into a contender in the French League is complete, but they still have a great deal to prove in the UCL.
Porto has looked like a top team thus far in the UCL and will look to continue atop Group A with a win over Dynamo Kiev.
Olympiacos is in a tough spot heading into Wednesday's match.
Staring at last place in the Group of D, Manchester City and Ajax Amsterdam may play one of the most interesting matches of the day.
Arsenal has had a tough time in the Premier League, but their struggles have not yet translated to the UCL.
AC Milan and Malaga will play a huge match on Wednesday as one of them try to take over first place and attempt to create some distance from the bottom two teams.
Juventus enters Tuesday's contest in need of a crucial result. With a win, they have a chance to jump into second place or into a tie for first if Chelsea and Shakhtar Donetsk draw.
Chelsea comes into Tuesday's match tied for first place in the group with Shakhtar Donetsk. The winner of this match will have opened up a comfortable gap in the standings after the matches. A draw however could potentially open up a three way tie. Chelsea started the tournament in disappointing fashion with a 2-2 draw to Juventus. Chelsea held a 2-0 lead after two first half goals from Oscar, but then the Italian side ran back and tied the match 10 minutes from time. They rectified that mistake with a dominant 4-0 win over Nordsjaelland in early October where Juan Mata added two goals and gave Chelsea a +4 goals differential.
BATE Borisov is off to the best start imaginable after a pair of 3-1 wins to start their UCL campaign. With a group that included Bayern Munich, Valencia, and the surprising Lille, no one would have seen this team as one of the major candidates to get out of the group stage; much less win it. While it is too early to proclaim the latter, the Belarusians are in a prime position to fulfill the former.
Spartak Moscow was seen as a potential favorite to get out of Group G with Barcelona, but to this point, they have failed.
