Champions League Group F Preview

One of the more straightforward groups in this year’s competition, Group F is what is known as the champion’s group — an easy road for the reigning champs to make it to the next round.

This group features soccer royalty in the competition’s winningest team, the royal whites, Real Madrid.

Seemingly in the same group as the reigning champs in every edition, the Ukrainian powerhouse Shakhtar Donetsk joins the group alongside the rollercoaster of success in RB Leipzig.

Completing the champion’s parade are the Scottish Premiership’s reigning champs Celtic. A group of prestige, surprise and skill in footballing Christmas: The UEFA Champions League group stages.

Real Madrid

The reigning champs, the 14-time winners, the badge, the weight of the world, the undisputed front runners to win this group.

Powered by a Ballon d’Or favorite Karim Benzema, Madrid can seemingly do no wrong.

One year into his second stint at La Casa Blanca, Carlo Ancelotti has breathed new life into the strongest UCL side in the past decade.

The transformation of Vinicius Jr., the second wind in Luka Modric, the rise of Thibaut Courtois coupled with promises from Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurélien Tchouaméni.

Ancelotti has wrapped Los Blancos twofold in the gold the LaLiga crown and a UCL campaign resulting in the decimocuarta, a 14^th UEFA Champions League trophy, with sights on a second “two peat” within the same decade.

💨💨💨💨
📍 Celtic Park pic.twitter.com/5q0Hsb3c8q

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) September 5, 2022

Group Prediction: First

Shakhtar Donetsk

Perhaps playing Real Madrid every year gives Shakhtar that extra boost in UCL experience which will propel them to the round of 16 this year.

A difficult group in eventual champions Real Madrid, reigning Serie A champs Inter Milan and a Cinderella Sheriff Tiraspol saw Shakhtar exit the competition bottom of their group in last year’s competition.

Newly appointed coach Igor Jovićević will look to continue the team’s historical domestic form in a revamped Shakhtar seeking European glory and perhaps revenge on the world stage.

💪 Final preparations before start in the @ChampionsLeague ⭐️

All photos from Shakhtar’s training session the day before the meet with RB Leipzig ⬇https://t.co/79d434b0Ex#Shakhtar #UCL #RBLShakhtar pic.twitter.com/hH14u0soCf

— FC SHAKHTAR ENGLISH (@FCShakhtar_eng) September 5, 2022

Group Prediction: Second

RB Leipzig

Something’s gone wrong for RB Leipzig.

A rough start to the season has Die Roten Bullen at a lowly 11^th place five matches into the German championship.

The departure of coach Julian Nagelsmann has left the Red Bull machine faltering.

What was once the fruit of a well-watered Red Bull talent plant is now left barren and unresponsive to the management’s attempts to reboot the system.

Unfortunately for Leipzig, the cogs in their system are missing the grease of leadership in what will surely signify a summer of losing players to Europe’s elite should they fall out of Europe altogether.

A welcome back to Timo Werner, young stars in Dani Olmo and Dominik Szoboszlai, with an absolute star in Christopher Nkunku should make a formidable team in Europa League.

Ready for the first session ☝️

🔴⚪ #WeAreLeipzig pic.twitter.com/H4iXJKnfKX

— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) September 8, 2022

Group Prediction: Third

Celtic

One of the most classic teams in the history of the competition and the sport, Celtic graces group F in a European bid that seems too far-fetched.

With their counterparts in Rangers reaching the Europa League Final last season, Celtic should prepare for the worst in this group.

European giants lurk and Celtic is no David.

A perfect 18 points in six games has Celtic sitting kings of Scotland.

But sitting outside of Europe’s top five leagues, the Scottish Premiership gives little claim for the Celtic band to sharpen their swords for the likes of Europe’s greatest.

🌟 After starring for the Celts in the Glasgow Derby, Liel Abada preps for #UCL action! 💪#CelticRealMadrid | #COYBIG🍀 pic.twitter.com/HS2MbQz699

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) September 6, 2022

Group Prediction: Fourth