Official Champions League thread - 2008/2009

[nuune]

The Draw is today in Monaco at about 4 or 5pm, don't miss it.

 

 

English sides dominate the seedings for the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League group stage draw which will take place from 18.00CET on Thursday at Monaco's Grimaldi Forum.

 

 

Qualifying concluded

 

Sixteen teams gained automatic entry to the competition proper and the same number came through the third qualifying round on Tuesday and Wednesday. Making their debut in the group stage are UEFA Cup holders FC Zenit St. Petersburg, CFR 1907 Cluj of Romania, the first Belarussian qualifiers, FC BATE Borisov, and the inaugural Cypriot entrants Anorthosis Famagusta FC. In all, 17 nations are represented in the draw, the ceremony for which will include the UEFA Club Football Awards.

 

Top seeds

 

As usual the 32 sides are split into four seeding pots, with one from each being drawn into the eight groups, though no team can meet another from the same association. All four English clubs are included in Pot 1 – holders Manchester United FC, last season's runners-up Chelsea FC, five-time winners Liverpool FC, and Arsenal FC – and alongside them are FC Barcelona, Olympique Lyonnais, FC Internazionale Milano and the competition's most successful side, Real Madrid CF.

 

Contenders

 

Among the teams in Pot 2 are both German entrants, FC Bayern München and Werder Bremen, 2004 winners FC Porto, and Juventus, back in the competition after a two-year absence. Placed in Pot 3 are former European champions Olympique de Marseille, FC Steaua Bucureşti and Celtic FC, plus Zenit and last term's quarter-finalists Fenerbahçe SK. Pot 4 features Club Atlético de Madrid, ACF Fiorentina and the two survivors from the first qualifying round, BATE and Anorthosis. Matchday 1 will be on 16/17 September, with fixtures continuing on 30 September/1 October, 21/22 October, 4/5 November, 25/26 November and 9/10 December. As usual the top two sides will progress to the first knockout round draw on 19 December while those finishing third will enter the UEFA Cup Round of 32.

[N.O.R.F]

I had no idea!

 

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

Group H looks tasty,,,,

 

I won't watch until the qtrs.

[nuune]

Cracking games tonight, the first round kicks in.

 

 

Results are repdictable though.

 

 

 

A Chelsea 20:45 Bordeaux

A Roma 20:45 CFR

B Panathinaikos 20:45 Internazionale

B Bremen 20:45 Anorthosis

C Basel 20:45 Shakhtar

C Barcelona 20:45 Sporting

D PSV 20:45 Atlético

D Marseille 20:45 Liverpool

[Viking]

Roma lost to a team from Transylvania!

[nuune]

Roma is not Roomadii hore,

 

Classic stuff by Gerrard, and Marseille played fantastic game, kudos to them.

 

Liverpool defensive were in tatters!

[N.O.R.F]

Didn't see the game but a win is a win.

[NGONGE]

^^ As ever with Liverpool, you couldn't relax until the ref blew his whistel. Lucas is no good. Dossena is also no good. Babel looked better playing upfront but he's still a wasteful so and so.

 

Liverpool hardly excite me anymore, saaxib. It's not healthy supporting a team that does not excite you.

[Fabregas]

^^

 

Everytime I see liverpool, its like they have all these new players that ive never heard off: " dossena, skartel, barbelow and all these other milayacni guyz. Dossena cost like 7 million or something? any decent winger will ave him! Benitez should look to buying a few excellent or good players, which will make the team look world class. Although the left winger looks good.

 

the second goal was amazing.

[nuune]

Alonso was missed last night, I like when Alonso and Mescharano are paired, that is a very tight midfield and controlled.

 

Ngonge, you are right, I didn't liked watching it at all, it was pressure under pressure for the whole game, wasteful indeed, no xaraarto.

 

 

Manchester United against Villareal I fear for United

[N.O.R.F]

^^Don't mind seeing that tonight.

 

Just saw the highlights at www.footyfilms.com

 

Ngonge, as I have told you before, its still early. Come November you will be singing a different tune.

 

What was with no sponsors last night.

[NGONGE]

^^ Alcohol advertising is banned in France.

[Kelya_Xariif]

salaam akhiyaarta ...

[N.O.R.F]

Originally posted by NGONGE:

^^ Alcohol advertising is banned in France.

UK should do the same

[poolwizard]

The Gunners will face Dynamo Kiev tonight, it should be an easy win for us...like AW said its good to start with a good beat!

[Oz]

Lamps and the blue lads, were outstanding one touch passes, Obi Mikel made his best game for the Blues and * we didn't miss makelele at all* No bookings for this game, Anelka scored his first CL goal with us, Joe Cole this is season is off to a good start both country and league always impressive.

 

Terry's appeal victory angered Ferguson