The working class has never been so numerous in Heaven. In fact, to find an aristocratic massacre like the one witnessed in the two days of the third round of the Champions League group stage, one must go back to an era that probably never existed.
The list of nobles of Europe shot down by squads of lower social extraction if not by real Cinderellas it is in fact very long, and it would be almost complete if Manchester United and Barcelona hadn't saved themselves in extremis from a sensational home defeat against Sporting Braga and Celtic.
Let's start in order, from the first warnings on Tuesday: Juve imagine a Danish walk against a team founded in 1992, winners of only one national title, currently fourth in a league that is certainly not first tier, and instead only comes from a comeback draw, with the first goal and first point scored by Nordjaesland in the Champions League. A comeback that failed for defending champions Chelsea, defeated in Ukraine by the ever more convincing Shakhtar Donetsk of the Brazilians (no less than 5 on the pitch), who after drawing better than Juve in Turin, fly to the top of the group and are a candidate to be one of the revelations of the tournament.
In the same evening Barcelona (saved in the 94th minute by Jordi Alba) and Manchester United see it very bad between friendly walls, which dates back to a 0-2 draw against Portuguese side Braga thanks to a brace from the revived Hernandez. But all this was still nothing compared to the crazy Wednesday which saw the capitulation, in the iron circle which promises to be increasingly surprisingly uncertain, Mourinho's Real Madrid at the home of the German champions Borussia Dortmund (impeccable so far and leading the group with 7 points after also snatching a draw in Manchester) and above all Mancini's City, overwhelmed in Amsterdam by Ajax after Nasri's illusory advantage.
While for the blancos the defeat is remediable (they are second with 6 points), a flop-encore is looming for the English champions after the elimination suffered last year by Napoli, still in the group: in fact, the standings see them mercilessly at 1 point, even behind Ajax who have 3. Even the repechage in the Europa League is at risk, therefore.
Finally on the day of the "guillotine" there is also room for the Milan debacle in Malaga (who flies to the top of the group with full points and zero goals conceded), which to tell the truth surprises up to a certain point given the disastrous performance of Allegri's team so far, especially in the league; and for the Arsenal's internal knockout against Schalke 04, with goals from Huntelaar and Afellay.
It is therefore one of the most uncertain Champions Leagues in history that which is taking shape in the middle of the elimination rounds: so far we would put our hand on the fire only for Barcelona, Manchester United, Malaga and Porto, the only teams with full points and almost certain to make it , While even Bayern are embroiled in a fight that sees three teams tied on 6 points (Valencia and Bate Borisov the others). The situation of the two Italians was particularly difficult, forced to change gears: Milan are currently second with 4 points, but have Zenit breathing down their necks with 3 and will most likely have to say goodbye to first place, while Juventus are forced to redemption at home with Nordjaesland and then to score against the battleships Chelsea and Shakhtar.
In the year of the nobles that decay, it might not even surprise too much that for the first time in history no Italian qualifies for the round of XNUMX.
