Manchester’s Top contenders in Europe

BARCELONA
Who’s in charge? Pep Guardiola. A Treble in his first season has set the bar sky-high. Repeating the European leg would be a fantastic achievement for the 38-year-old, who has no need to tinker with a winning formula.What’s new? Barça’s big summer signing will have surprised many United fans, thoroughly underwhelmed by Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s appearance at OT with Inter last term. Still, he scored 25 goals in Serie A and someone thinks he’s worth €70million.

Main man
Lionel Messi. Little argument there; the Argentinian offers eye-popping sleight of foot, plus ball-on-a-string control. And as Rio and Edwin will ruefully attest, he’s not bad in the air either.How they got here By winning the league nine points clear of second-placed Real – with 105 goals to boot.Last time out Er… they did OK. Beat Wisla Krakow to qualify, topped Group C, crushed Lyon and Bayern, edged past Chelsea in the semis then… oh, let’s move on, shall we?Verdict Holders, favourites and a team others will want to avoid.

REAL MADRID
Who’s in charge? Former president and Galacticos godfather Florentino Perez was re-elected Bernabéu president this summer. Perez duly appointed Chilean Manuel Pellegrini as head coach after five years piloting the Yellow Submarine of Villarreal. However, he won’t have that long to deliver trophies in Madrid.What’s new? Unprecedented summer spending, even by Galactico standards. Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso, Raul Albiol, Alvaro Arbeloa and Esteban Granero arrived in arecruited from AZ Alkmaar (with whom he’d won the Dutch Eredivisie) after Bayern sacked beleaguered Jürgen Klinsmann towards the end of a disappointing (ie they didn’t win it) 2008/09 Bundesliga.

What’s new? Bayern flexed their muscles this summer, spending €30m on Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez and €14m on Russian midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.

Also in:
forward Ivica Olic, midfielders Danijel Pranjic and Alexander Baumjohann, and defender Edson Braafheid. The biggest coup of all, however, was keeping Franck Ribéry.

Main man
Ribéry's been Bayern’s best player in the last two years and will be again. Keep an eye on Gomez, too – he has a phenomenal scoring record. How they got here Parallels with Juve: sacked their manager in the season run-in, appointed a caretaker, rallied to finish second and qualify outright. Last time out Topped their group, demolished Sporting Lisbon in the first knockout game, then a drubbing by Barcelona.

Verdict
Recruited well on the pitch and in the dugout; likely to be in the quarters again.

AC MILAN

Who’s in charge?
Leonardo – former Brazilian international who lit up the San Siro between 1997 and 2001 – steps into the position vacated by Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti. Leonardo has no direct managerial experience, but has worked as technical director at Milan so knows the gaffer’s brief.What’s new? Klaas-Jan Huntelaar arrived for €14.5m from the Dutch firesale at Real, but after a dire pre-season (featuring defeats by Chelsea, Inter, Bayern – twice – and Benfica), there have been howls for further reinforcements.

Main man
Andrea Pirlo. Pin-point passer and creative heart of the Milan side was subject to west London overtures, but remains at the San Siro; he’ll be vital.How they recruited from AZ Alkmaar (with whom he’d won the Dutch Eredivisie) after Bayern sacked beleaguered Jürgen Klinsmann towards the end of a disappointing (ie they didn’t win it) 2008/09 Bundesliga.

What’s new?
Bayern flexed their muscles this summer, spending €30m on Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez and €14m on Russian midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.

Also in: forward Ivica Olic, midfielders Danijel Pranjic and Alexander Baumjohann, and defender Edson Braafheid. The biggest coup of all, however, was keeping Franck Ribéry.

Main man
Ribéry's been Bayern’s best player in the last two years and will be again. Keep an eye on Gomez, too – he has a phenomenal scoring record.How they got here Parallels with Juve: sacked their manager in the season run-in, appointed a caretaker, rallied to finish second and qualify outright.Last time out Topped their group, demolished Sporting Lisbon in the first knockout game, then a drubbing by Barcelona.

Verdict
Recruited well on the pitch and in the dugout; likely to be in the quarters again.

INTER MILAN

Who’s in charge?
Jose Mourinho, whose relationship with the Italian press is a volatile marital hell: one week they love each other, the next they're at each other’s throats. On the pitch, Jose has achieved domestic dominance, but not cracked Europe.What’s new? As makeweights go, Samuel Eto’o is pretty heavy. His arrival as part of the Ibrahimovic deal looks a coup – after all, he’s scored decisive goals in two Champions League finals.

Main man
The arrival of Brazilian centre-back Lucio, from Bayern, bolsters a defence including Marco Materazzi, Cristian Chivu and Walter Samuel meaning Inter will be no pushovers. How they got here Unbeaten at home in Serie A in 2008/09, the Nerazzurri strolled to the title, 10 points clear of Milan and Juve. Last time out Sneaked out of the group to face United, but were bossed by Michael ‘il magnifico’ Carrick at the San Siro and dumped out by early goals in each half at OT.Verdict

So far, so feeble for Jose’s men. They’ll need to improve dramatically to challenge for the trophy. But Jose shouldn’t be written off.