The UEFA Champions League is one of the most watched soccer tournaments across Europe as we see the top teams from each league compete to become the ultimate squad. Taking place during the summer of 2019 we saw the qualifying rounds of the 2019/20 season begin and after a short break the competition commenced with the group stages starting on the 17th September and due to end in December ready for the knockout phases to start in early 2020. As the group stages are well underway, we thought we would take a brief look at match day and the qualifiers of this season’s Champions League tournament. So, if you are interested in finding out more about the fixtures then keep on reading.
Champions League Qualifiers
The Champions League Qualifiers for 2019/20 started on the 25th June and ended on the 28th August 2019. Within these stages of the football tournament the final qualifying teams were determined for the competition.
7th July 2017. By Edward Stratmann. Having missed out on Champions League qualification for a second year running, Zenit FC's busy summer has given a strong indication that they don't want this worrying trend to continue for a third consecutive time.
Bringing in the highly experienced Roberto Mancini as manager, who's held the post at some of Europe's biggest clubs including Inter Milan, Manchester City, Lazio and Galatasaray was indeed a fine capture to signal their intent. While bringing in such a respected tactician like Mancini was an inspired selection, another component as to why the club's hierachy were so keen to secure his services was his reputation, which they believed would be crucial in attracting some star talent.
This was certainly the case in their acquisition of the exceptionally talented Leandro Paredes, who joined for an initial €23 million plus a potential four million in bonuses from AS Roma. "The coach was very important for my choice to come h
18th July 2016. By Edward Stratmann. After Russia's hugely disappointing Euro 2016 campaign, Oleg Shatov, one of their star men, has quickly gotten over the disaster courtesy of some timely distractions.
The birth of his second child was fantastic for him and his family, quickly putting things into perspective that it wasn't so bad after all. "We arrived back on the 21st, and then on the 22nd my wife gave birth to a second son, so our thoughts are only on this. For me, my family is the most important thing in my life," Shatov told the FC Zenit website.
"So I immediately switched my attention, not to forget about everything, but football went by the wayside."
He then added: "Those who look only to the past, will have no future. I am 25 years old and I like football, and the Russian team as a whole has a future there. From any bad experience you can learn a lesson and go forward."
Now almost a month on, his happiness on a personal level and his admirable
CSKA Moscow finished second in the Russian Premier League last season, falling seven points behind Zenit St. Petersburg after having clinched the title by just a point in 2013 2014. Now, 15 weeks into the 2015/16 Russian Premier League 30-game season, CSKA Moscow are six points ahead of the rest of the field eyeing a potential sixth Russian Premier League title. Will CSKA's Horses be able to keep their streak of solid performances alive during the second half of the season? Or will another contender-Zenit St. Petersburg, perhaps-come out of the woodwork and challenge the current leaders for the title?
Zenit St. Petersburg's Downfall
If another football club is going to push CSKA Moscow out of the top slot, it would stand to reason that the reigning RPL champions would be the top contenders. Zenit St. Petersburg, though, are not in the best shape in terms of domestic record. The Anti-Aircraft Gunners led the way
At only 29 years old, it seems like Radamel Falcao should still have a few more good years of football left in his senior career. But the Colombian striker has been in major decline for the past few years, culminating this season in a near-disastrous loan stint with an imploding Chelsea FC. Briefly, there were rumors swirling that Zenit St. Petersburg would seek to sign Falcao and save him from his ongoing nightmare in the English Premier League. Now, though, with Zenit officially removing Radamel from their target list, what might be next for this underutilized and underperforming soccer star?
Zenit St. Petersburg have never won a UEFA Champions League title, or even gotten very close to doing so. In fact, the Russian club's European success is pretty much limited to a UEFA Cup (Europa League) victory in 2008 and a UEFA Super Cup title the same year. After a dynamite start to the Champions League 2015 - 2016 Group H, it seems like Zenit St. Petersburg might have what it takes to go a long way in the tournament. The Anti-Aircraft Gunners are up three points in Group H after just two games. Spanish soccer club Valencia are in second, while Lyon (France) and Gent (Belgium) are trailing in the bottom two slots.
Potential Frontrunner Status
So could Zenit St. Petersburg be potential frontrunners or dark horse contenders for the 2015 2016 Champions League title? It's tough to say. On one hand, the first month of the tournament has been remarkably competitive, to the point where Zenit's two-win record is pretty notable.
Zenit St. Petersburg won the 2014 2015 Russian Premier League handily, besting their closest competitors-runners-up CSKA Moscow-by seven points in the final league standings. Now, three weeks into the 2015 - 2016 Russian Premier League season, the Anti-Aircraft Gunners haven't wasted any time returning to the top of the table. Both Zenit St. Petersburg and CSKA Moscow have started the season with three wins in a row, making them two of the five football clubs in the league with undefeated records, and the only two with a trio of wins.
Zenit's Perfect Season Start
The Anti-Aircraft Gunners have looked particularly unstoppable since first donning the Zenit St Petersburg home jersey 2015 2016 on July 19th. That date saw a home match against Dynamo Moscow, which the St. Petersburg squad won 2-1.
Hulk, who was the Russian Premier League's top goalscorer last season, was the star of this opening match as well.
After two years in a row of playing second fiddle to CSKA Moscow, Zenit St. Petersburg are poised to pick up their fifth-ever title in Russia's top flight football division. With four games left to play in the 2014 2015 Russian Premier League campaign, Zenit are leading the division with 60 points in the standings. Krasnodar is six points back in second place, while CSKA Moscow are 10 points down in third. Root for the Anti-Aircraft Gunners in the final month of competition, by picking up a new Zenit St Petersburg shirt from Soccer Box today!
At Soccer Box, we still have stock available of Zenit's 2014 2015 gear, including the blue Zenit home jersey 2014 2015, the white away shirt, a kids home jersey, and even branded soccer balls or backpacks. All of the club's merchandise is manufactured by Nike, and bears the club's trademark colors of white and sky blue.
Fans of the Zenit St. Petersburg football club have a lot to be happy about right now. Sure, they've only seen their team play six times since December, thanks to the extensive Russian football winter hiatus. But since then the soccer squad has won four of those five games-including three UEFA Europa League fixtures-all is undoubtedly well with the Anti-Aircraft Gunners. The club even won their first 2015 league game, beating Ural in a decisive 3-0 home fixture! Celebrate the success today, with a home or away version of the Zenit jersey!
Both versions of the St. Petersburg shirt are available for purchase at Soccer Box. And my, did Nike outdo itself with the club's jerseys this year. The Zenit St. Petersburg home shirt 2014 2015 is a stunning sky blue jersey with darker blue trim
The first half of the 2014 2015 Russian Premier League was a successful and profitable one for Zenit St Petersburg. Sure, the club missed out on a chance to progress to the next round of the UEFA Champions League. However that disappointment in international tournament play was more than made up for by the squad's resounding success during the first five months of the domestic season. Now, the Anti Aircraft Gunners look poised to claim their fifth Russian soccer championship title in 2015, and you can celebrate that fact today with a brand new Zenit St Petersburg Nike shirt!
You can find that Nike shirt, along with several other pieces of Zenit football merchandise, available at Soccer Box now. Check out the Zenit St Petersburg home jersey 2014 2015, a striking aqua blue home shirt
League fixtures-all is undoubtedly well with the Anti-Aircraft Gunners. The club even won their first 2015 league game, beating Ural in a decisive 3-0 home fixture! Celebrate the success today, with a home or away version of the Zenit jersey!
