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Due to their record breaking performance last season, Roma was rewarded with an automatic qualifying spot in this year's Champions League. While its still an honor to be included in the world's most elite club competition...oof, Roma were dealt a blow.
2014/15 @ChampionsLeague draw, Group E: @FCBayern, @MCFC, @PFC_CSKA_MOSCOW and @OfficialASRoma #HungryForGlory pic.twitter.com/qYIXBXl4uY
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) August 28, 2014
As if it wasn't bad enough waiting, and waiting, and waiting for Roma's name to be called--they were literally the last card pulled--they got dropped into what is unequivocally the group of death, pitted against CSKA Moscow, Manchester City and Bayern Munich. Three great clubs, three very different sorts of headaches.
Besides the prospect of facing a Moscow winter, the Russian club features several dangerous players, including Alan Dzagoev, Zoran Tosic and Seydou Doumbia; so while taking six points from them will be crucial to Roma's survival in this group, it won't be easy.
As for the other combatants in Group E, well, they need no introduction. Not only are Manchester City and Bayern Munich the heaviest of European heavyweights, they're both the reigning Champions of their domestic leagues.
So if you want to rundown some of the names Roma will face midweeks, take a look: Arjen Robben, Manuel Neuer, Franck Ribery, Mario Gotze, Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure, and Samir Nasri, among many other shiny names. If nothing else, these matches will be incredibly entertaining and should give Roma some incredible exposure on the global stage.
Oh, and we haven't even discussed the prospect of Mehdi Benatia returning to the Olimpico. That alone makes this group worth the stress.
Of course, part of what makes this the "group of death" is Roma's presence in it; the Giallorossi aren't your average pot 4 participant, so I'm sure the respective boards of City and Munich weren't hoping to draw Roma.
After all, as Gervinho says
group E @ChampionsLeague #CSKAMoscou #BayernMunich #ManchesterCity #Roma!! Big teams! That why we are in champion's league #forzaroma
— Gervinho (@GervinhOfficial) August 28, 2014
We'll cross each of these bridges as we come to them, but, hey, at least we're in the Champions League again!