Champions League Draw Discussion [R]

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Okay. So the teams for the quarters are set.


Porto
Bayern Munich
Barcelona
Villareal
Liverpool
Manchester United
Arsenal
Chelsea


I would like to avoid English teams, save for Arsenal, until the semifinals.

Here is who I would like to see first:


Villareal - We have the measure of Spanish teams, and I would rather have them then Barcelona. They like to give us time/space on the ball and can't handle the pressure.

Porto - Probably the worst team left, but they shouldn't be underestimated.

Bayern Munich - They dominated Sporting and they scored a lot of goals, but they also did it against Sporting. They are a good team, and I would like to avoid them.

Barcelona - Don't want to play them, end of.


Either way, I am not too worried about who we draw, Rafa has the team playing incredibly well in Europe.

[Grinners89]

Im in and lets hope for a big team to knock out!

Usually with these rigged draws they try to either place you against someone new, or if there are rivalries within the squads then they will also try to incorporate it (eg Torres vs Atletico). Its all for TV.

Here is my deduction (conspiracy theory) of who we will get...

Firstly, I dont think we will get another Spanish team...we just played and comprehensively beat Madrid. That rules out Villarreal and Barca.

We had Arsenal in the quarters last season, so I doubt that we will get them again.

That leaves Porto, Bayern and the 3 English teams.

Maximum, only two of the other English teams could play against each other (either Chelsea vs Arsenal, Chelsea vs Man Utd or Arsenal vs Man Utd) while the remaining two (Liverpool and ?) will play the other continental teams. However I think they will save any possible all-English matches until the semi's.

Also...Man Utd will definitely avoid Villarreal as the previous 4? matches have been 0-0 draws...not very entertaining draws either.

The two weakest teams, Villarreal and Porto, will not play against each other.

Therefore...im expecting Bayern (due to Klinsmann debacle with G&H).


The two quarter final sections...

Bayern vs Liverpool
Porto vs Man Utd

Chelsea vs Barcelona
Villarreal vs Arsenal


You read it hear first :D:rolleyes::confused:

[usscouse]

PPPffft. 3 more matches. Line em up. Bring em on ....!

They can only field 11 players. 11 pairs of feet, 11 (hopefully) pairs of testes.

[Grinners89]

PPPffft. 3 more matches. Line em up. Bring em on ....!

They can only field 11 players. 11 pairs of feet, 11 (hopefully) pairs of testes.

I heard that Dirk has 11 pairs of the latter :cool:

[el-capitano]

Shall we see the Uefa conspiracy theorists, stopping an all English semi by pitting them altogether now. ;)

[IllinoisGooner]

I hope we avoid you. Praying for a Man USA v. Liverpool draw.

[FatAndUgly]

Not trying to intentionally sound naive, but do you really think the draws are rigged? If so, on what basis do you draw that conclusion?

[Vasu]

Here's my order of preference:

1. Porto
2. Villareal
3. Arsenal
4. Chelsea
5. Manchester United
6. Barcelona
7. Bayern

Then again, I am a Bayern fan too, so my opinion may be slightly biased. ;)

[Aztattooedsean777]

Is it this round or the semi's where they stop keeping same country teams from playing each other? I know up to this point, you couldn't but I wasn't sure if it was the quarters or the semi where all is fair game.

[liverbird]

Okay. So the teams for the quarters are set.


Porto
Bayern Munich
Barcelona
Villareal
Liverpool
Manchester United
Arsenal
Chelsea


I would like to avoid English teams, save for Arsenal, until the semifinals.

Here is who I would like to see first:


Villareal - We have the measure of Spanish teams, and I would rather have them then Barcelona. They like to give us time/space on the ball and can't handle the pressure.

Porto - Probably the worst team left, but they shouldn't be underestimated.

Bayern Munich - They dominated Sporting and they scored a lot of goals, but they also did it against Sporting. They are a good team, and I would like to avoid them.

Barcelona - Don't want to play them, end of.


Either way, I am not too worried about who we draw, Rafa has the team playing incredibly well in Europe.

I'm in. My preference is one of your first 3, but what I really want is the second leg at fortress Anfield

[newterp]

I'm in. My preference is one of your first 3, but what I really want is the second leg at fortress Anfield

this is the correct answer.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

I'm in. My preference is one of your first 3, but what I really want is the second leg at fortress Anfield

Agreed!

[usscouse]

OK then.
Manure vs Liverpool
LeArse vs Chavsea
Villareal vs Barca
Porto vs Bayern

Let's get it settled now!!!

Funny, all serie A get, is to watch the final on TV in Rome.
That's always seemed such a sterile stadium to me. That running track isolates the crowd from the match and they always sound so distant.

My wife says IF they get into the final she'll get me a ticket. Anyone else interested???
(Not my wife buying you a ticket, that is..:))

[AndSomeAreAngels]

Funny, all serie A get, is to watch the final on TV in Rome. That's always seemed such a sterile stadium to me. That running track isolates the crowd from the match and they always sound so distant.

Maybe, but our record in Rome isn't too bad!

[usscouse]

No, not too bad..:)

Just a little helpful info:
Quarterfinal Draw
The 2008/2009 Champions League Quarterfinal and Semifinal Draw takes place in Nyon, Switzerland, the UEFA headquarters, on Friday 20th March. There’s no country protection, any team can be drawn against any team and the semi-final draw will be made at the same time so we will have plenty of permutations and predictions to make from next week till April.

The quarterfinal ties will be played on 7/8 April and 14/15 April, with the semifinals being played on 28/29 April and 5/6 May. The final is to be played on Wednesday 27 May at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

[blanconi]

I thought there was some sort of country protection in the Q-final draw. Did that dirty frenchman platini change that in fear of the competition getting dominated by the English?


Here's the draw I'd like to see:


Liverpool vs villareal
arsenal vs porto
chelski vs bayern
man u vs barca (simply out of curiosity to see how barca measures up to one of the big boys)

If the 3 English teams go through then it might just be the first time ever, that I'd like to see chelski win a game, simply to have an all English (English/russian if you want to get technical) semi final. :)

[AndSomeAreAngels]

I thought there was some sort of country protection in the Q-final draw. Did that dirty frenchman platini change that in fear of the competition getting dominated by the English?

Well, that wouldn't make sense, since two teams from England playing each other would eliminate one of the English teams. And as far as I know, it's not any different than last year, when we drew Arsenal in the quarters.

I'd love to draw Arsenal again. That was a really fun tie last year.

[Bobinhood]

Well the head says Villreal or Porto, Bayern would be another big name to toss on the pile kinda fun, but im with usscouse: Lets do the Mancs. This would be a good place in time, before the semis or finals cause too many knife fights and such.

A Mancs....Bayern...path would be a pretty satisfying if tough draw. Or Bayern...Mancs if you must.

[Large G&T]

I would like Bayern Munich, simply beacuse we haven't played against them and they would be another nice scalp. Save ManU for the final!

[newterp]

Well, that wouldn't make sense, since two teams from England playing each other would eliminate one of the English teams. And as far as I know, it's not any different than last year, when we drew Arsenal in the quarters.

I'd love to draw Arsenal again. That was a really fun tie last year.

in 3 weeks time I actually DON'T want arsenal - they are getting very healthy at the right time. That said - we shouldn't fear anyone.