UEFA Cup Group E Preview

By: Ian Rose | October 15th, 2007

The fifth of eight groups in the UEFA Cup might just be the most interesting. There might not be any English or Italian teams in this one, but representatives from France, Germany, Russia and the Czech Republic make this one of the toughest groups out there. And that little team from Switzerland that caused Empoli a little trouble. Let’s take a look at the matches.

Bayer Leverkusen v Toulouse, 25 October
These two are both struggling to find the form that qualified them last season. Toulouse was a distant third in France last year, and comes to the UEFA Cup as a Champions League dropout. Leverkusen qualified outright as the fifth team in Germany. Both are playing mid-table domestic football right now, and I like Toulouse to play the Germans to a tough draw at the Bay Arena in Leverkusen.

Sparta Prague v. Zurich, 25 October
Zurich is not a team to take lightly, as Empoli learned last round. They might well start some trouble in this group, but it won’t be here. Home win to Prague.

Toulouse v. Sparta Prague, 8 November
Prague’s attack, led by Libor Došek, will test Toulouse at home. I hate to say it, but another draw.

Spartak Moscow v. Bayer Leverkusen, 8 November
This is the match of the group for me. Spartak doesn’t often lose, and they’ll be looking to get something out of this European season after a disappointing knife-edge loss to Celtic in the Champions League. 25-year-old striker Roman Pavlyuchenko is on top of the Russian League with 13 goals and will create problems for Leverkusen. Home win.

Zurich v. Toulouse, 29 November
I only see Toulouse coming out of this group with one win, and this is it. Away win.

Sparta Prague v. Spartak Moscow, 29 November
Battle of the Spartas … a tough one to call. Prague is defending their home pitch very well, and I give them the slightest of edges over the Russians. Home win.

Spartak Moscow v. Zurich, 5 December
There are a lot of tough matches going to be played in Moscow this European season, but this won’t be one of them. Big win for Spartak.

Bayer Leverkusen v. Sparta Prague, 6 December
Another tough one to call. I like Sparta, but I just can’t see them winning at Leverkusen. Home win for the German side.

Zurich v. Bayer Leverkusen, 19 December
The Werkself will be looking to wrap up this group, and despite the cold conditions of Christmastime in Switzerland, I see them doing it. Away win.

Toulouse v. Spartak Moscow, 19 December
Toulouse is going to need a win here, and that doesn’t bode particularly well for them. Spartak is a tough team on any match day, but they’ll come here happy for a single point, and I think they’ll get it. Draw.

In the always unlikely event that I am right, and the games all fall this way, here is the table at the end of the group stages, with the advancing teams in bold:

Spartak Moscow (7 points)
Bayer Leverkusen (7 points)
Sparta Prague (7 points)
Toulouse (6 points)
Zurich (0 points)

This is going to be a very tough group, with four solid competitors, and Zurich has definitely proven their ability to spoil. I see the French side going out, but only barely. We’ll see. I am going to watch as many of these as I possibly can, especially Leverkusen and Moscow.