GROUP A
FC Girondins de Bordeaux
Group Winners, 16 points
Raise your hand if you saw that coming. Bordeaux, managed by Laurent Blanc, was on most people's list to qualify for the Europa League out of this group because they were competing with two giants of European Football in Juventus and Bayern Munich. The French outfit, who also lead French Ligue 1, went through the group with nearly a 100% record and ripped off 5 straight wins after drawing the opener at Juventus. They might boast players like Mourane Chamakh and Yoann Gourcuff in attack, but they also finished this section only conceding 2 goals.
GRADE: A
FC Bayern Munich
Group Runners Up, 10 points
Qualification for the knockout stages was the goal for the Germans, and they did so in style. If you saw them going to Olimpico in Turin and putting 4 past Juventus, call me and tell me the winning lottery numbers for tomorrow. That performance will make people forget about the double bossing they took at the hands of Bordeaux. It seems that under Louis van Gaal they are turning the corner, and they should have Ribery and Robben both healthy for the knockout stages. The Group Winners will be very happy to avoid them when the draw comes.
GRADE: B
Juventus FC
3rd in Group, 8 points
In the dictionary under "crashing out of a competition" you'll now find Juventus' 2009-10 Champions League campaign. Some hope had to be felt after they beat Inter on Saturday but to have given away a qualifying spot so cheaply at home, and prior to that get beaten at Bordeaux, will heap pressure on first year boss Ciro Ferrara. Prior to these last two match days, Juventus had only conceded 1 goal. So much promise with talents like Diego, Felipe Melo, Del Piero, and Buffon to be heading to the Europa League at this stage.
GRADE: D+
Maccabi Haifa
Bottom of Group, 0 points
The Israeli team could not have expected to have been anywhere else but this position. The three teams ahead of them are too much to cope with. However, they should have had enough to snatch a point somewhere. They failed to even score a goal in any of the six matches. Thoroughly outclassed in this group and literally nothing to show for their efforts.
GRADE: D
GROUP B
Manchester United FC
Group Winners, 13 points
Ultimately, it was expected that Manchester United would be top of this group. Considering the rash of injuries they had been hit with in the first half of this season, this would be a more significant accomplishment. You have to give credit to Sir Alex Ferguson. A back four of Park Ji Sung, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, and Patrice Evra travelling to a Wolfsburg side that is very loaded in attack was gutsy, even if it was last resort. To win 3-1 and consign the Germans to the Europa League might have been unexpected. They had to win at some tough places (Turkey and Russia) to build their campaign.
GRADE: B
CSKA Moscow
Group Runners Up, 10 points
The Russians went on an impressive run to secure qualification for the knockout stages after getting only 3 points in their first four matches. They had Manchester United dead and buried but couldn't quite close them out at Old Trafford, but then defeated Wolfsburg on Matchday 5 to make qualification more of a possibility. Their win in Turkey today against Besiktas showed that with the draw in England, they will be difficult to deal with home or away. Milos Krasic was very impressive in his performances during the group stage, and you can bet the big clubs will be inquiring about him this summer.
GRADE: B+
Wolfsburg
Third in Group, 7 points
I thought that not only would Wolfsburg qualify out of this group, but they would have the attacking talent to give Manchester United a run for group winner. Boy have they disappointed. Everyone's darling last season in being the surprise Bundesliga winners had to be happy with this draw when it came out, and happier that they hung on to Edin Dzeko. They had a makeshift Man United backline to deal with today and could only produce one goal, subpar for the talent they have in attack. Prior to that, they give away a lead in Moscow and drop all three points at the hands of CSKA, who overtook them for a place in the knockout rounds. They stay in Europe with a Europa League place, but enough went on here that they have to rue the missed chances.
GRADE: C+
Besiktas
Bottom of Group, 4 points
The Turkish side were definitely on paper the weakest team in this group, but they had to feel they were good enough to perhaps steal a Europa League place. They had that very opportunity today hosting CSKA Moscow and they let it get away from them. Still, this is where I expected them to be and they ought to feel good about the fact they snapped Manchester United's unbeaten home record in the Champions League, so it wasn't a total failure.
GRADE: C
GROUP C
Real Madrid
Group Winners, 13 points
With the star power they acquired in the offseason, Real Madrid had to be figured as the favorite to win whatever group they were placed in. They put on a show in the process, producing 15 goals over 6 games to finish as group winner. They had to cope without Cristiano Ronaldo over the two matchdays against Milan, and those served to be their only blemishes in the group stage, but his performance in Marseille tonight showed what Los Merengues were missing. As long as he stays healthy, Real Madrid will be looked at as one of the favorites to get to the Bernabeu on May 22nd.
GRADE: B+
AC Milan
Group Runners Up, 9 points
Tranisition or not, losing to and drawing FC Zurich defies the lofty standards the Rossoneri have set in the history of this competition. However, they balance that with a 3-2 win at the Bernabeu over Real Madrid and a home draw against the Spaniards. They were able to win at Marseille, which I felt would be their most important match. They have to look at the 5 dropped points from FC Zurich though, and realize that they are group winners had they not given those away. While not the way anyone would have expected, Milan achieved qualification.
GRADE: B-
Olympique Marseille
Third in Group, 7 points
Marseille entered this group knowing they would probably keep a place in Europe after the league stage, but legitimately felt they could knock off Milan for the 2nd spot in this group. Those hopes took a massive hit when beaten by the Rossoneri on Matchday 1 at the Velodrome, and ultimately defined who would join Real Madrid in advancing. They took all six of their points from FC Zurich, but could only manage one point in their four matches against Real Madrid and Milan. That said, a crossbar and an upright at the San Siro got in the way of their progress to the knockout stage. They performed well enough to advance, but they have to settle for a Europa League spot after all. If motivated, they will be a dangerous team in that competition.
GRADE: C+
FC Zurich
Bottom of Group, 4 points
When they got this draw they had to imagine that this is where they would finish. In fact their manager, Bernard Challandes, said as much in his presser earlier this week. Then came that magical night at the San Siro where Tihinen's backheel gave them hope. It was quickly dashed over two matches with Marseille, but they drew Milan again on Matchday Six to prove the win wasn't a fluke. In a group where it was thought they'd be lucky to get a point, they still finished 4th as expected, but certainly overachieved.
GRADE: B
GROUP D
Chelsea
Group Winners, 14 points
There's not much of a wow factor here, Chelsea was expected to win this group, and it was down to Porto and Atletico as to who would join them. The beat Atletico at Stamford Bridge 4-0. Going into this group stage, you would have thought "wow, that was impressive," but considering the Spaniards' struggles it was just another win. The draw at Atletico was thanks to two wonder strikes by Aguero (who Chelsea want to buy) and the home draw to APOEL was with an experimental lineup. Looking at this group stage for the Blues, mission accomplished, but nothing beyond it.
GRADE: B
Porto
Group Runners Up, 12 points
If you went into this group stage thinking Porto's luck would finally run out as far as getting to the knockout stages, you wouldn't have had much of an argument. The presence of an Atletico Madrid team full of promise, coupled with additional departures of players in the offseason would have probably factored in. Instead, Porto dominated the Spaniards over their two games and that ultimately proved to be the difference. Jesualdo Ferreira is proving to be among the best tacticians and managers in Europe with his ability to do more with less. Additionally, they had two very close matches with Chelsea, and poised themselves as a team the group winners will hope to avoid come draw time.
GRADE: A-
Atletico Madrid
Third in Group, 3 points
This was one of the teams I was most impressed with during the qualifying stage. Considering they have such great attacking talent in Sergio Aguero, Diego Forlan, Simao, and Maxi Rodriguez, one would think they would have gotten to the knockouts and given Chelsea a bit of a scare in their games. Instead, they probably could have a very lively discussion with Liverpool and perhaps Rangers and Juventus over who was the most disappointing team in the group stage. The 12 goals conceded currently match Rangers and only Zurich and Debrecen have conceded more. And all that attacking power? Just 3 goals scored. Quique Sanchez Flores has some real straightening out to do before they head to the Europa League.
GRADE: F
APOEL
Bottom of Group, 3 points
Another team that had to expect to finish bottom. Like Zurich though, APOEL might have overachieved. They were able to draw Atletico twice (impressive by APOEL's standards) and finish with a draw at Chelsea (scored twice, something everyone since August have struggled to do).
GRADE: B-
Coming up, grading Groups E through H. Get in on the debate with your comments.
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