With the irksome early-season internationals put to bed, attention can now turn to the instigation of the Champions League group stages.
After a summer of alarming reinforcement, Barcelona are, as ever, looking strong and formidable enough to sweep all before them (again). But, following Barca’s stronghold over European football during the last few years, their competitors are getting tetchy; they are fed up of UEFA’s marquee competition being ‘The Barcelona Show’.
Alas, a word of warning to the Catalonian giants: these challengers to their throne aren’t just coming from Milan, Madrid and Manchester. An increase in the amount of money being pumped into the game has now seen pan-European uprisings. The behemoths of football can no longer rely on their name to ensure victory; an example being the nouveau riche of Roma being gazumped by plucky Slovan Bratislava in a Europa League playoff last month.
From Russia to Portugal, Greece to Sweden, these previous ‘minnows of the game’ are now the recipients of private investment, giving them confidence to stand toe-to-toe with leviathans, such as Barca, and push them to the hilt.
Whilst their multi-million pound purchase of Samuel Eto’o may prove Anzhi Makhachkala to be the foremost example of buying their place at the top table, Shakhtar Donetsk, of Ukraine, has been a project-in-motion for a longer duration than the team from Russia.
After being purchased in 1996 by Rinat Akhmetov, an oligarch (of course), success did not come immediately. Whilst oil-generated investment was free-flowing, the Kroty (Moles) had to settle for the Ukrainian Supreme League’s runner-up spot for five successive years, from 1996 until 2002, when they finally captured their first major trophy for almost 30 years. Since then, they’ve finished in the top two nine (out of ten) times, being crowned victors for five of those occasions. In addition, their owner also marked the club’s 75th anniversary by flying Rihanna in and paying her millions to strut her stuff for the loyal fans. For the Eastern Bloc, where poverty is rife, this decadent tour de force by Shakhtar proves that they have the money to lift local morale.
So, even though the Supreme League is not renowned for its eminence, it is obvious that Shakhtar have quality. But, then again, look at the Scottish Premier League: dominated by two teams, yet neither of them has made a mark on Europe since the 60s (although a Henrik Larsson-inspired Celtic very almost defeated a Jose Mourinho-led FC Porto in the 2002-03 UEFA Cup final).
However, Shakhtar have recent, credible success to back up their assertions. Conquerors of the last UEFA Cup (in 2009), before it was rebranded as the Europa League, shows that their players have the ability, panache, and determination to supplant themselves in European folklore.
This push for success originates from the make-up of the team: an eclectic mix of Ukranians, Croatians, eastern European neighbours, and many young and talented Brazilians. Eight of them, all as supremely talented and gifted as the other.
Although former Arsenal frontman Eduardo may see himself as the club’s most distinguished player, another player, a Brazilian, is, without doubt, the team’s jeune premier. 20-year-old Douglas Costa has only been at the team for a year, yet has already been the subject of bids from Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City. And Shakhtar turned them all down; they don’t need the money and they still have their uses for Costa. An elegant winger-cum-attacker, in the Rivaldo mould, he’s utilised on both wings and behind the front two of Eduardo and Luiz Adriano.
After a successful debut season in Eastern Europe (yielding 10 goals in 40 appearances), there’s high hopes for this entertaining prospect; he’s Shakhtar’s not-so-secret weapon for their forthcoming assault on Europe’s elite. After being drawn alongside FC Porto, Apoel Nicosia and Zenit St. Petersburg, Costa will have ample opportunity to flex his muscles in a group that Shakhtar are expected to walk. The watching world, and envious managers, will be looking on to see what he is capable of. The question is, just how far can one man carry the expectations of a nation?
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