Real challenge for Euro hopefuls

It took seven years of record financial investment, and almost as much emotional expenditure, to win the Champions League for Chelsea; and so the biggest debate as the 2012-13 campaign gets under way today is whether Manchester City’s journey will prove equally as dramatic — and whether Roman Abramovich’s dynasty is just beginning or just ending.

No one could argue that Chelsea’s remarkable victory over Bayern in Munich last May was anything other than gripping and inspirational; in fact Frank Lampard says he had letters from Arsenal, Manchester United and even West Ham fans telling him exactly that.

But the improbable and nerve-wracking manner in which Chelsea completed their owner’s long-held dream, including a backs-to-the-wall performance in Barcelona that will go down as one the greatest and most defiant defensive displays in history, suggests it would be foolish to expect the same again despite further investment in the ensuing months.

The likes of Eden Hazard and Oscar will give Roberto Di Matteo’s side more attacking options as they prepare to open their campaign as holders against Juventus at Stamford Bridge tomorrow night. But with Didier Drogba gone can they really recreate the incredible desire, determination and intensity which won them the trophy for the first time? Those qualities of course have been deep-set in the Chelsea mentality ever since Jose Mourinho stamped his authority and personality on an already blossoming squad seven years ago; but they were also heightened and taken to the very edge by years of near misses, high drama and controversy in a competition that everybody in the football world knew was a holy grail for the club and in particular for it’s Russian billionaire owner.

Now that Lampard and company have already grasped the grail, drank the champagne of success from it even, can they ever again have the intensity required to do it again?

“That’s the big question,” admitted Lampard. “Nobody has won it two years in a row have they? And it does get more difficult to do each year. The likes of Barcelona and Real are still as strong as ever and they are improving even. So I won’t look that far ahead. But in terms of getting through the group we need to concentrate right from the start. But we do feel different having won it. We used to start every campaign being asked when on earth would we win it.

“It was a frustrating question and we always batted it off in the same way, saying, ‘we’re confident’ and, ‘we’ll try again’. And finally we did it.

“It’s fantastic to have it in the bank — but you can’t relax on that. If we want to be a club and a team that makes a real mark then we have to have the attitude, ‘we’ve done one, we want to do more’.”

Lampard can at least take comfort from Chelsea’s long-term Champions League record which has seen them reach two finals and six semis over nine seasons, making them probably the most consistent team in Europe.

And that is the mountain facing Manchester City, who have spent as big as their rivals to try and forge a short-cut to Europe’s top table but who found last year, when they went out in the group stage, that the Champions League is about more than cheque books and wage slips — especially when you face Real, Ajax and Borussia Dortmund in the group stages and start your campaign at theBernabeu, as Roberto Mancini’s men do tonight.

“It’s not going to be easy,” admitted winger James Milner. “To get a group of champions including Real is a bit unlucky. But we know we can beat anyone on our day.

“We were unlucky last year. Maybe we didn’t play our best football but we got 10 points in the group stage and that would probably have got us through in any other group. It’s important that this is our second year — and going in as champions is a huge confidence boost.”

It will be interesting to see if City can rise to the occasion; but thehistory of their rivals down in west London proves it is not easy, no matter how much money is thrown at the project.

Perhaps for that reason Manchester United, a team that have been there and done it before, begin the campaign as more realistic challengers in the eyes of bookmakers and pundits — at least until 10pm tomorrow night.

By that time we will know if United have learned the lesson of last season when poor results at Old Trafford cost them any chance of lifting the title; a 3-3 home draw against Basle and a wasteful 2-2 draw against Benfica saw them knocked out at the first stage before losing 2-1 at home to Ajax in the Europa League, too.

“Our home form wasn’t good enough last season,” admitted midfielder Michael Carrick. “It wasn’t what you expect from a Manchester United side and we have to put that right.”

If United can overcome Galatasaray it should set the tone for an improved display, especially as their other group rivals, Cluj and Braga, should pose fewer problems. But with United’s biggest passion saved for winning back their Premier League title it may be worth looking elsewhere for contenders.

Arsenal certainly fit the bill in terms of desire — their long wait for a trophy is well documented and perhaps the pressure will be less in Europe than back home in the Premier League. They also have a winnable group, starting with an away trip to Montpellier today before facing Schalke and Olympiakos. But if you had to pick one hot tip, ahead even of Barcelona, it would have to be Real Madrid; because like Chelsea, the Spanish giants have a holy grail in sight — and like Chelsea they are built on Mourinho’s passion and mental strength.

Having lost to Bayern in the semi-final last year, and having won La Liga weeks later, the Champions League is undoubtedly Real’s primary target a decade after they last lifted the famous trophy.

Doing so is the only way they can truly escape the shadow of Barca, the only way Cristiano Ronaldo can truly shake off Lionel Messi; the only way Mourinho can complete his mission in Spain.

And sometimes, as Di Matteo’s men proved, intensity of desire counts for an awful lot.