The FC Barcelona carries several weeks of 'pre-season', and already has begun the countdown for the fight by the titles. In a marked atypical campaign by the crisis of the coronavirus, the Catalans will have to reactivate and offer his best version, and park the problems that also have suffered in some full months of altibajos. With the course concentrated in two months and half of maximum intensity, no longer can fail.
The first challenge for the Barcelona is LaLiga, that will be a vara to measure for many big. In The City Condal, the good news is that they will start with the leadership in the hand, but Quique Setién keeps the warning that it is necessary to improve game and results not to give options to the Real Madrid, that gave a big hit in the Classical of Santiago Bernabéu but afterwards did an unexpected gift to his maximum opponent.
Although it will not touch to think in her until August, the Champions League also will define partially in the next month and half. It is prompt to decide firmly who will be favourite when it restart the tournament, but there are conditionings that begin to influence. Questions like the wear, the shooting or the performance in the domestic championships it is necessary to take them into account, and sure that the reports will launch more light.
The most dangerous rival in Europe for the Barça is the Napoli, that does not renounce to give the surprise in the Camp Nou. In Saint Paolo already could check that the pupilos of Gennaro Gattuso have arms more than sufficient to upset to the culés, and only a goal of Antoine Griezmann in an isolated saved the threat that had supposed the 1-0 of Dries Mertens. If the square barcelonista finishes the work in the turn of eighth of final in a stadium that will not have the support of the public, will have to take into account to the most consistent applicants on the way to the 'orejona'.
The firmest applicants to the Champions
Athletic of Madrid
The Athletic is an old known, and already is in chambers after demolishing neither more neither less than to the valid champion, the Liverpool. There are several questions that invite to the Catalans to no despistarse in front of the men of Diego Simeone, that already litigate the domestic titles. Without going more far, the rojiblancos are leading in the last European eliminations, and also threw to the ones of Ernesto Valverde of the Supercopa of Spain. This yes, LaLiga will suppose an important wear because they can not allow the luxury of despistarse, since they occupy the sixth square.
PSG
The PSG put in chambers after tracing back in front of a Borussia Dortmund disclosure, and has a point that plays him in favour and against. Few will arrive cooler that the 'bleus' to the Champions because it Tie it 1 has given by finished with them like champions, but the experience dictates that after so many months without action, in occasions costs to confront to opponents that have more rhythm in his legs. In spite of everything, a trident formed by Neymar, Kylian Mbappé and Mauro Icardi is fearsome, those are only some of the arms with which explains Thomas Tuchel.
RB Leipzig
The Leipzig is one of the disclosures of the tournament, and has the guarantee to have 'loaded' to the Tottenham, valid runner-up. It is necessary to take into account, this yes, that the londinenses are living a bad marked season by the injuries and a change of trainer, but golear to a team of José Mourinho is not so simple. The 'red bulls', with a young and brave staff, already are giving war in the Bundesliga, and will treat to take advantage of his paper of 'covered' for scalar so many rounds as they can.
Atalanta
The Atalanta is one of the feeblest candidates on the paper, but on the lawn already has showed that it can give surprises. To Valencia finished it with a 3-4 in Mestalla that defines what the experts signal on the ones of Bérgamo, that in attack are a team of dream, and that the defence flojea too much. In any case, his offensive potential is a factor to value of face to a possible clash in chambers, and it will be necessary to see as it affects them the return to the Series To.
Bayern Of Munich
The Bayern has foot and half in chambers, and in the turn of the Bundesliga has confirmed that is in full form. Hansi Flick Has collected a team done and compensated and has endowed it of the solidity that was being missing him with Niko Kovac. As it is usual, the germanos are a very greased machine with physical footballers, technicians and of maximum quality, and with a clear advantage. The German league began before that Spain, England and Italy and has fewer days, what could serve to take shooting but without wearing out so much and annotate another trophy in his list of winners.
Chelsea
To Chelsea already gives him by deleted by the 0-3 that the muniqueses lumbered with him in London, but if it traces back, it will be necessary to take him into account. The simple gesta to recover the marker in front of a rival that in Stamford Bridge showed to be very upper would suffice as to give credit to the ones of Frank Lampard, that heads to a young group in full transition with many win to give in Europe. It will be necessary to see if it says goodbye or joins to the career, taking into account also his obligations in the Premier League, in which it will litigate by the zone Champions.
Manchester City
The City has lost an important support like the factor field, but took out a valuable 1-2 of Santiago Bernabéu. In the Etihad Stadium will define if the 'sky blues' are prepared to struggle by a title that obsesses them almost as much as to the PSG: The men of Pep Guardiola have the advantage that his league is lost in favour of the Liverpool, by what will be able to use it to take rhythm but without wearing out as much as so that the effort happen them bill in Europe. With a sanction in the horizon, many warn that this can be his year.
Real Madrid
Whatever happens, the Real Madrid always is favourite in Champions, and this time will have to trust again in the epic. The 'citizens' put him against the ropes and has to travel to England with the drop of Sergio Bouquets, that was expelled in the gone of eighth. The positive part for Zinedine Zidane is that it has recovered to some heavy weights like Eden Hazard or Thibaut Courtois, that had a lot of numbers to remain was if the eliminatory had not suspended . The 'merengues' will arrive, this yes, after a capital effort in LaLiga.
Olympique Of Lyon
The Lyon is another of the 'covered' of the competition, and gave a hit on the table defeating to the Juventus in France. Many saw the entirely decanted crossing to the edict piamontés, but will be Turín the one who decide if the ones of Rudi Garcia can follow dreaming or will be another veteran the one who try to plant in the semifinal. The Frenchmen, like the Leipzig, have a group 'inexperienced' but with many win to do notice and also have the hándicap of the PSG: More rest but less rhythm.
Juventus
The Juve is another team built to win the Champions, but already has carried several surprises. In the Series To can not relax because Inter of Milan and, especially, Lazio, want to steal him the crown, and in Europe has remained clear that does not win only by favouritism. In other circumstances, the factor field would be a question determinant, but without his public and against the Olympique, will have to bend the concentration to attain that his quality was the one who put him in the next round.