Realistic goals for 10 major European clubs this season

For most clubs that play in the various leagues across the world, staying in the top division is perhaps their biggest aim, considering the resources that they have. At best, they can hope for a good cup run, and if they go on and win it, it would be a miracle that would be celebrated with vigour. However, for the big clubs, success means an entirely whole different thing. Here we look at 10 of the biggest clubs in Europe and how they would define success for themselves this season.

#1 Manchester City

Goal – Retain the Premier League

For Manchester City, the minimum requirement would be retaining their league title, considering they have already been knocked out of the FA Cup and the League Cup. Their dream would be to go far in the Champions League and ideally win it, but it’s hard to see that happening, especially since they take on Barcelona in the next round.

or all the troubles that the Spanish club seem to have had this season, it will be a brave soul who would bet against Barca against a City side that have not done well in Champions League campaigns.

While City are not in a pretty position to win the league as of now, being 5 points behind leaders Chelsea, there are still a lot of games to play in the campaign and they can still reel in the points to overtake Chelsea. Otherwise, they are in danger of going empty handed this season, which could very well spell the end of Pellegrini’s time at the club.

#2 Chelsea

Goal – Win the Premier League and Champions League

Jose Mourinho spent the whole of last season saying that the team that he had was not his and one that he inherited and so was not complete to win any silverware. However, he got his signings this season and now he has no excuses.

For Chelsea also the minimum requirement would be a league win, but Mourinho himself would want to win the Champions League with the team that is closest to his heart. The signings of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa have made the team more lethal, and they will fancy their chances of going far in Europe.

While the League Cup will be a distraction, their focus would be more on winning the league itself, and that would be their minimum requirement, become champions of England again.

#3 Arsenal

Goal - Finish in the top four and retain the FA Cup

You see the name Arsenal, and you already know where this is going. Finishing in the top four will once again be their minimum requirement, but the fans would want more than that. After the FA Cup win last season, the hunger for trophies has gone up, and with some of the tough teams getting knocked out of the competition, this is a great chance for Arsene Wenger’s men to retain the trophy.

They also got a favourable draw in the Champions League, but nobody really expects Arsenal to win it anytime soon, and so a Top four finish and FA Cup is what will be looked at as basic requirement at the end of the season.

#4 Manchester United

Goal – Finish in the top four

For a club the stature of Manchester United, the two seasons since Sir Alex’s retirement haven’t been fun at all. After a bad start to the campaign, they, however, seem to have steadied the ship and are sitting pretty in 4th place for now. While Southampton are above them and Arsenal barking at their heels for that top four place, it will be a tough battle to keep themselves in the reckoning for a Champions League spot for next year.

But that is the bare minimum requirement for Louis van Gaal this season. The board and the fans wouldn’t worry too much about not winning the FA Cup this season, but not finishing in the top four for the second season in a row would be disastrous.

#5 Real Madrid

Goal – Win the La Liga

The defending champions of Europe would be itching to become the first team to retain the trophy since the present format began, but that is a long road ahead, especially since La Decima came after such a long wait. But for the Spanish giants, the La Liga title would be a bare minimum, and with the kind of team they have, it would be a big failure if they can’t take the title back from their city rivals, who have fallen behind.

With a team of stars, and out of the Copa del Rey, the league will be looked at as a must win trophy this season. If they were to go without any silverware, expect Carlo Ancelotti to be sacked despite guiding the club to the much awaited La Decima.

#6 Barcelona

Goal – Win La Liga and Copa del Rey

For a manager who is already on very thin ice, lack of silverware this season would prove to be the end of the road for Luis Enrique. They are within touching distance of Real Madrid in the league and also have the upper hand over Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey. Irrespective of how things go in the Champions League, both the La Liga and the Cup competition are must-win scenarios for the club.

Whether or not its acknowledged outside the club, Lionel Messi does have a great influence on proceedings, and the possibility of losing the Ballon d’Or to Cristiano Ronaldo another year in a row will not go down well with the Argentine, and also the manager.

#7 Atletico Madrid

Goal – Finish in the top three and win Copa del Rey

After the highs of last season, where they won the league title and were runners-up in the Champions League, Atletico Madrid predictably lost a few important players, especially Diego Costa, which has hurt the team badly. While them repeating the same kind of performance this year may not be possible, they would definitely be looking at the Copa del Rey for some respite.

However, the bare minimum requirement for Atletico would be to finish in the top 3 and have another Champions League campaign next season. Sevilla, Valencia and Villarreal are hot on their tails, but its hard to see them finishing above the Madrid side. Even if Atletico does lose out on the top four, there wouldn’t be too many repercussions for the manager himself though the club would be in danger of free falling downwards rather than going forward.

#8 Bayern Munich

Goal – Win the Bundesliga

For Pep Guardiola, winning the Champions League would be the aim, especially after Bayern got knocked out last season by Real Madrid in the semi-finals in such emphatic fashion. For Bayern Munich fans though, the bare minimum would be winning the Bundesliga, of which there seems to be no doubt since they already have an 11 point lead in the standings.

They would also be expected to win the DFB Cup, but it would be curtains for Guardiola if the club were to somehow lose the huge lead they have in the league, irrespective of what happens in the cup competitions, both domestic and European.

#9 Borussia Dortmund

Goal - Finish in the top six

It has been a disastrous campaign for Borussia Dortmund this season, languishing in the relegation zone halfway through the season. Their decline has been hard to explain, and the least the fans would expect from the manager and the team would be to haul themselves out of the bottom three and have a run of games that will see them finish in the top six at least, if not in the Champions League spots.

Relegation would surely mean the end of the road for Klopp, but it will be hard pressed to think that he would lose his job if he were to manage to keep the club in the top division at the end of the season, even if the campaign ends with disappointment.

#10 Juventus

Goal - Win the Serie A title

For the champions of Italy, it has become a familiar fight against Roma, and Juventus continue to win the race. The expectations will be the same for the Italian champions this season, and the least the fans would expect is that the club retain the title. With a 5-point lead over Roma and no other team close enough to challenge, it doesn’t look like Allegri has too difficult a task at hand.

But if they were to somehow contrive to give away the lead to Roma, then Allegri could well see himself out of a job. The Italian champions have adapted well to his tactics, and it would be interesting to see where they finish in the Champions League.