Thinkerman Posted August 28, 2003 Man Utd face Rangers Manchester United will face a Battle of Britain against Rangers in the first round of the Champions League. Premiership champions United and Rangers have also been drawn against VfB Stuttgart and Panathinaikos in Group E. There's no such thing as a small tie in the Champions League, but Rangers is the big one and it's excited everyone at United Man Utd chief executive Peter Kenyon Arsenal face two daunting trips to eastern Europe in Group B, having been paired with Inter Milan, Dynamo Kiev and Lokomotiv Moscow. Celtic's biggest challenge will come from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich with the Parkhead side also facing Lyon and Anderlecht. Chelsea were drawn against Italian giants Lazio and also face Czech outfit Sparta Prague and Turkish side Besiktas. Have your say on the 606 message boards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Group A 1. Bayern Munich 2. Lyon 3. CELTIC 4. Anderlecht Group B 1. ARSENAL 2. Inter Milan 3. Dynamo Kiev 4. Lokomotiv Moscow Group C 1. Deportivo La Coruna 2. PSV Eindhoven 3. AEK Athens 4. Monaco Group D 1. Juventus 2. Galatasaray 3. Olympiakos 4. Real Sociedad Group E 1. MANCHESTER UNITED 2. Panathinaikos 3. RANGERS 4. VfB Stuttgart Group F 1. Real Madrid 2. Porto 3. Marseille 4. Partizan Belgrade Group G 1. Lazio 2. CHELSEA 3. Sparta Prague 4. Besiktas Group H 1. AC Milan 2. Celta Vigo 3. Ajax 4. Club Brugge Opening group games 16/17 September. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lefty Posted August 28, 2003 Watch-out Christian Vierri if he's healthy and his whole squad of INTER MILAN. BTw..I can't believe Barcelona is not there this year. They should have qualified with all the great players they had last year. Anyway, R.Madrid and AC Milan are the two teams to beat but I like underdog teams like Inter's chance. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thinkerman Posted August 28, 2003 Yep. Lets hope Inter eliminate Arsenal from the first group and save us all from the histrionics from the english media, and then hopefully Inter will gte knocked out in the following stage, Valencia's manage didnt call them the death of footabll for no reason. I predict that porto will play some phaat footie, but i can see Juve going all the way this year, especially following the dissapointment of last june. Bayern are gonna be a bigg threat aswell with there german los golacticos type squad, but otherwise we should expect the usual suppects to be up there or abouts Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lefty Posted August 28, 2003 I forgot those german teams with their strong players. Bayern Munich is always a thread but why there're no other teams challenging them at the Bundesliga title. Bayern keeps winning it year after a year. Juva.. Everything just went their way last year til the last moment and if they hadn't lost NEDVED in the final game, they would have won the whole thing. However, this year is different since AC MILAN and R.Madrid are loaded than ever before. By the way, what happened to BARCELONA ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thinkerman Posted August 28, 2003 Uefa Mate.....along with the Magpies and the Talisman Alan shiterea Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baaniyal Posted August 28, 2003 quite a draw it is. It's time to shut the Calcio fans up when my beloved Arsenal come head to head against one of the most boring teams in the history of football,lol. The premiership runnersup against the Seria A runnersup. The sad thing bout this year's CL,is that shit teams like Celtic,Rangers,PSV..etc are within good chances of qualifying for the second round. Meaning less intriguing games as most likely these teams will end up facing a Real Madrid or an Ac Milan. Ac Milan and Juve have it the toughest this year,so who knows maybe one of them will do a Bayern this season. As usual Manure got the easiest draw,ain't it a wonder that Ferguson had the audacity to say that the quarterfinal draw last season was fixed,just cause they got matched up with Real Madrid. One match to watch for is former Bayern MUnich striker Giovane Elber's quick return to Munich,he will have much to prove to Ottmar Hitzfield. My prediction for this season has to be Bayern Munich or Real Madrid(only if they get Ayala). Hopefully we will do away with all the Italian teams early this season,lol. On with the Show! Am taking bets for a Henry hat trick at the San Siro! Anyone up for it?lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thinkerman Posted August 29, 2003 lol will see baay will see. Anyway just thought i'd remind you guys that there will be a champions league teaser on today -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ancelotti: Pace to beat Porto Friday 29 August, 2003 Carlo Ancelotti believes Milan are more than a match for tonight's European Super Cup opponents Porto. “My players have worked very hard all summer and know what they need to do,” commented the Coach. “We are ready to take on a dynamic side that plays very rapid and creative football. Porto’s counter-attacks are deadly, but we know what we can do.” The Rossoneri won The Double last season, but have struggled throughout the summer. “I admit there were a few problems,” added Ancelotti, “but we have sorted them out and will finally get back to the games that count.” The San Siro side lost the Italian Super Cup to Juventus at the start of August, but the Coach considers that to be a good performance. “We only lost that trophy on penalties and in my view played better than Juve. I’d be happy to see the same commitment and pace that we showed in New York.” Paolo Maldini had been ruled out for this match, but the veteran made a lightning recovery to start alongside Alessandro Nesta. “It is very important to have your captain on the field. Maldini may not be 100 per cent fit, but you’d never leave him out.” New signing Giuseppe Pancaro will take the left-back role from the injured Kakha Kaladze, while “Martin Laursen and Alessandro Costacurta also have some fitness worries.” Milan take on UEFA Cup holders Porto in Monaco this evening, but in that same city the draw for the Champions’ League Group phase was held. “We already know Ajax well,” explained the tactician, “certainly more than Club Brugge, but I think that overall the groups are relatively balanced.” Probable line-up: Dida; Cafu, Nesta, Maldini, Pancaro; Rui Costa, Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf; Inzaghi, Shevchenko- --------------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted September 2, 2003 just lookin forward to the arses goin to russia and ukrain in mid winter (i hope) talkin about the CL, a top scorer, Robert Jardel is now at Bolton, he looks like a sumo wrestler, what the **&^%.Talk about goin down hill in yr career, he was the best header of a ball ive seen! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tony_Montana Posted September 3, 2003 I think Arsenal will win this year Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tony_Montana Posted September 4, 2003 The draw for the 2003/04 UEFA Champions League group stage has been made at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. Eleven former champions Eleven former European Champion Clubs' Cup winners and three clubs who have never featured in a group stage before were among the 32 teams drawn into eight four-team groups. Milan-Ajax rematch Holders AC Milan, the top seeds, will once again face Dutch outfit AFC Ajax, who they beat in the last eight en route to the final last season, in Group H. Also drawn in this testing section are RC Celta de Vigo and Club Brugge KV, conquerors of 1997 European champions BV Borussia Dortmund in the third qualifying round. Attractive Group F Group F is one of the most attractive sections, with three former European champions present: nine-times champions Real Madrid CF, 1987 winners and UEFA Cup holders FC Porto, and Olympique de Marseille, the first team to win the Champions League following the restructuring of the competition for the 1992/93 season. FK Partizan, who knocked out Newcastle United FC last night, complete the group. Juventus in Group D Last season's runners-up and two-times winners Juventus FC are in Group D alongside Galatasaray SK of Turkey, Olympiacos CFP of Greece and Real Sociedad de Fútbol from Spain. Meanwhile, FC Bayern München, who have won club football's greatest prize on four occasions, were joined by Olympique Lyonnais of France, Scotland's Celtic FC and Belgium's RSC Anderlecht in Group A. Intriguing group Arsenal FC, Internazionale FC, FC Dynamo Kyiv and FC Lokomotiv Moskva contest Group B, while an intriguing Group G will see S.S. Lazio, Chelsea FC, AC Sparta Praha and Besiktas JK vie for supremacy. English champions Manchester United FC can look forward to a meeting with their Scottish counterparts Rangers FC in Group E, which also includes Panathinaikos FC and VfB Stuttgart. Competitive section Finally, a competitive Group C will see RC Deportivo La Coruña of Spain, PSV Eindhoven from the Netherlands, AEK Athens FC of Greece and the French club AS Monaco FC competing together. Match dates Prior to the draw the 32 teams were placed in four pots in accordance with seedings based on UEFA club coefficients. Clubs from the same national association could not be paired together. During the group stage each team will play three matches on a Tuesday and three on a Wednesday, starting with the first of six matchdays on 16/17 September. The remaining dates are: 30 September/1 October, 21/22 October, 4/5 November, 25/26 November, 9/10 December. Final in Gelsenkirchen The top two teams in each group progress to the last 16 knockout stage, with the third-placed team moving into the third round of the UEFA Cup. The final will be played at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on 26 May next year. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baaniyal Posted September 4, 2003 sorry to burst the bubble northerner,but Arsenal's games in ukraine and russia will be on September 30 and October 22. I know for sure that it's still not winter in Ukraine in september,but Russia may have some flurries at most. Nothing like the november,december weather they get down there. All in all am looking forward to the knockout stages-->very confident indeed! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted September 5, 2003 I'm just hopin to get my sky sports hooked up in time, i know that itv r still showing games, but listening to that Ron Atkinson is depressing, he thinks hes commentating on the old 1st division games in the early. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thinkerman Posted September 18, 2003 The harsh reality of Life in teh champions league i hope will ahve brought the bitter truth pill for all arsenal fans to consume Italian football is teh best in the world and teh resutls of all 4 teams is testimount to that. Forrzia Calcio Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted September 18, 2003 loooool, they got rushed! But when they beet sum1 like southampton next week, we will hear the same old arsenal fans saying sumthin along the lines of, we the best team in europe,lol! 8 seasons in CL and never been to the QF, what are the odds that they wont qualify AGAIN, i'm gonna check out Ladbrokes for favourable odds! But as they say football is funny old game, they still have time to turn it around! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thinkerman Posted September 19, 2003 Yep. (1)Lets hope Inter eliminate Arsenal from the first group and save us all from the histrionics from the english media, (2)and then hopefully Inter will the knocked out in the following stage, Well the 1st part has come to fruition lol arsenal remain very predictable in Europe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
