So here's the full draw for the Group Stage of the Champions League:
Full Champions League draw:
Group A
CHELSEA
Roma
Bordeaux
CFR Cluj
Group B
Inter Milan
Werder Bremen
Panathinaikos
Anorthosis Famagusta
Group C
Barcelona
Sporting Lisbon
Basel
Shakhtar Donetsk
Group D
LIVERPOOL
PSV Eindhoven
Marseille
Atletico Madrid
Group E
MAN UTD
Villarreal
CELTIC
Aalborg
Group F
Lyon
Bayern Munich
Steaua Bucharest
Fiorentina
Group G
ARSENAL
Porto
Fenerbahce
Dynamo Kiev
Group H
Real Madrid
Juventus
Zenit St Petersburg
Bate Borisov
The first thing obviously is Man UTD and Celtic being drawn in the same group. That should bring two great nights and it's always good when two British teams draw each other, but especially good when it's an English and a Scottish team.
Liverpool have the toughest draw by far of the English teams. If they play the way they have in the first few games of the season they won't make it out of the group.
Arsenal have got some long trips, Kiev in November is never much fun for playing football!
I think Chelsea got the best draw of all the English teams and should qualify top of their group.
So what'd you guys make of the draw and how do you see things going?
Peace
Duckman
Im going out on a limb. Is Zenit Saint Petersburg keep Arshavin, Im picking them.
Liverpool's group is hard - BUT we've played PSV and OM recently and beaten them both. Atletico Madrid are a little bit more of an unknown to us.
Playing shitty right now but people are forgetting that we played these games without Mascherano in midfield and he is probably our most important midfielder. He allows Gerrard to do his thing and frankly Alonso has been inconsistent for the last two years. We'll get through the group stages.
Quote from: Cory on August 28, 2008, 06:38:58 PM
Im going out on a limb. Is Zenit Saint Petersburg keep Arshavin, Im picking them.
Worst.Comment.Ever.
Arshavin I've said it once and i'll say it again. He is another "tournament" player. They've bought Danny from Brazil for like 17m. Arshavin has said he's resigned to not leaving St Petersburg, there is no way on gods green earth that Arshavin is good enough to get them out of their group stages, nevermind the final and win it.
Thats what was said last year, and they beat Bayern Munich in UEFA Cup.
Thats the sodding UEFA cup, no one gives an actual shit and they beat Rangers in the final.
This is THE Champions League. Cory i hope you are a gambling man, because i will bet you £10, or the equivalent with exchange rate and i will send it you if you've got paypal and you can quote me on this. If St Petersburg WIN the champions league i will happily give you £10.
There is absolutely no chance whatsoever of them winning the tournament, at all.
We're talking about the best cup in the world with the best players in the world playing in it. Arshavin doesn't have shit on half the players in the tournament. Trust me, hes a flash in the pan, otherwise we would have seen him come to prominence WAY before he was 27. Hes a good player playing in an average team, in a nothing league. They have MADE him THE man in their team and the media have sensationalized him.
I always like to pick a dark horse.
"There is absolutely no chance whatsoever of them winning the tournament, at all."
FC Porto? I think is the identically the same. Cept switch unheard of Portuguese players coached in a great system to Russian players coached in a great system.
Im not saying they're gonna surprise and demolish every team. Looking at their group, I think they'll finish 3-2-1, and will edge out Juventus, who have never really looked the same since the cheating bullshit. ZSP losing both matches against Real, and drawing Juve once.
Porto weren't a bad side and Mouriniho was coach.
However i do see the parallels you are drawing, they also won the UEFA cup the year before. Difference is they where a team, not a bunch of individuals.
Before anyone says it, the Man U game today, you cant really take anything from that, its a nothing cup.
on a side note, no Roma Man U this year? My bros team is Roma, and I loved the 7-0 thrashing two years ago.
I wouldn't dismiss the Russian clubs at all. Especially Zenit.
English clubs never travel well to Russia, we always do badly over there. However i dont think most other clubs do as badly over there and they dont really set the world on fire over here.
I honestly dont understand how you all think Zenit are going to do so well? They're seasons also start at different times to us so towards the middle of European Cups they get knackered.
Quote from: Jimmy Chisel on September 01, 2008, 12:38:37 PM
I wouldn't dismiss the Russian clubs at all. Especially Zenit.
Quoted for truth.
There's a ton of money in these teams and some very good players.
Peace
Duckman
They beat Man U. I know it's a nothing cup, but a little ol' team from Russia beating arguable the worlds most famous soccer club, they must suck baygawd.
Half way through the tourny these sides will faulter. Trust me, i dont need to elabourate anymore!