Champions League Analysis: Two Negative Records Could Be Broken

Michael Yokhin evaluates the chances of Maccabi Haifa and Debrecen to write their name in history in an undesired way.

Nov 23, 2009 3:00:55 PM

CL: Fernando Torres, Liverpool - Debrecen (PA)

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CL: Fernando Torres, Liverpool - Debrecen (PA)

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Michel Platini might be happy with his revised qualification system for Champions League group stage, but coming into the 5th week of the tournament, two teams who enjoyed relatively easy road to glory are still looking for their first points. Debrecen, champions of Hungary, can hardly hope to get anything tonight against the wounded Liverpool side, desperate for a win to keep their slim hopes alive. The same goes for Israeli champions Maccabi Haifa, who visit Bayern Munchen on Wednesday, fully aware that the Germans can’t afford to slip after their double defeat at the hands of Bordeaux.

What’s more, Debrecen and Haifa are on their way to smash the negative records of the group stages.

The Israeli side played decent football in all their defeats against Bayern (0-3), Bordeaux (0-1) and Juventus (0-1 twice), but the fact remains they are yet to score a goal in the competition. Maccabi can blame their hard luck on Gianluigi Buffon who made some stunning saves, and yet if they don’t find the net in two remaining games (the last one at home to Bordeaux), they will become only the second team with zero goals in the history of Champions League group stages.

If you don’t remember who owns this unwanted record exclusively for now, here comes a huge surprise. That particular team is none other than Deportivo La Coruna. The Spaniards failed to score in any of their group games in 2004/2005 season, against Monaco, Liverpool and Olympiakos. They finished with 2 points to their credit, thanks to two goalless draws, but signed off with an embarrasing 0-5 home thrashing versus the Monegasques.

Amazingly, disaster struck for Deportivo just a few months after their biggest European achievement ever. The Galicians reached Champions League semi-finals in 2004, beating Juventus and staging a great 4-0 comeback against AC Milan on their way there, before coming unstuck versus eventual winners Porto.

Another team that came agonizingly close to finish the group stage with no goals was Anderlecht in 2005. The Belgians escaped on the last day, Vincent Kompany’s strike giving them 1-0 win away to Real Betis. A little weird to think of Betis playing Champions League football 4 years ago, now that they are midtable in Segunda Division, losing 0-3 at Elche this weekend.

While Maccabi Haifa will be desperate to score that elusive goal, Debrecen are on the verge of becoming the worst defensive side in the history of group stages. The Hungarians were proud to lose just 0-1 at Anfield on the opening day, but then came 0-4 reverse against Lyon, and two goal-feasts versus Fiorentina (3-4 and 2-5). The minnows have now conceded 14 goals in 4 games in their maiden Champions League season, while the all-time high stands at 19.

Two teams share that unwanted record, and one of them is, ironically, the previous Hungarian representatives to play in the competition – namely Ferencvaros in 1995. Their overall record, though, was not too bad – Fradi finished with 5 points in a tough group, and even managed a home draw against Real Madrid. That can’t be said of Dinamo Kyiv who let in 19 goals in 2007, versus Manchester United, Roma and Sporting Lisbon, losing all the games in the process.

Debrecen’s current ratio is 3.5 “goals against” per game, and if they continue in the same fashion against Liverpool and away to Lyon on the final day, the record will be broken.

Luckily, the worst goal difference record, 1-18 belonging to Spartak Moscow in 2002, is unlikely to be matched this season. Nevertheless, it’s fair to say that some of the competitors who got through the new-look qualification are not exactly setting the Champions League alight. That might be a point UEFA president should pay attention to.

Michael Yokhin, Goal.com

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