2007/08 UEFA Cup Discussion

Discussion in 'Portugal: Clubs' started by Chess_Panther, Aug 31, 2007.

  1. Chess_Panther

    Chess_Panther Member+

    Apr 29, 2007
    Porto, Portugal
    Bayern Leverkusen vs U. Leiria

    Paços de Ferreira vs AZ Alkmaar

    Hammarby vs Braga

    Bayern München vs Belenenses


    Belenenses can show the same good performance against that friendly vs Real Madrid but their chances are remote.

    Alkmaar is well experienced and P. Ferreira lost Antunes to Roma in Italy and has an average team overall. I believe they're not going through.

    U. Leiria is dead meat against Lervekusen...

    Braga is the team I believe is going through. Let's hope they go far in the Uefa Cup, they have the team.
     
  2. Ricardo76

    Ricardo76 New Member

    Sep 18, 2004
    Lisboa
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    There goes our Uefa Coefficient down the hole. Not only are tough opponents, Germans and Deutsch and direct contesters to our ranking.
    It will be good if 2 come out alive from this draw!
     
  3. ---Z---

    ---Z--- Member+

    Cagalhao
    Nov 2, 2005
    CAMPEAO
    Club:
    Sporting CP Lisbon
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    We are screwed.

    Braga to go through, the rest will lose.
     
  4. um_chili

    um_chili Member+

    Jun 3, 2002
    Losanjealous
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    Incredibly tough luck here. Leverkusen and Bayern are Champs-League caliber opponents; to draw one of them in the first round of the UEFA Cup would be unfortunate, but to get both is ridiculously unlucky. AZ Alkmaar has been excellent in this competition recently and my guess is they'll go through against Pacos. Braga is the only team that's odds-on to advance in my opinion.

    That said, a result of three teams down at this stage could tank our UEFA Coefficient since we'll have to deal with a lot of dead weight at the outset. I'll say it again: until the talent in the superliga gets deeper, it's not to our advantage to have six or seven teams in there just for them to get blown away at the early stages.
     
  5. vilafria

    vilafria Member+

    Jun 2, 2005
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    The good news about these fixtures is that the tough games vs the Germans start away. A good defensive match is of paramount importance
     
  6. Chess_Panther

    Chess_Panther Member+

    Apr 29, 2007
    Porto, Portugal
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    B. Leverkusen 3 - 1 U. Leiria

    B. Munich 1 - 0 Belenenses

    Hammerby 2 - 1 Braga



    Leiria played well but didn't know how to finnish.

    Belenenses played fearless against the giants. Honestly, I see know why so much fuss about Bayern sucking lately. Who knows...maybe the blue and white can shock europe at home.

    Braga was disappointing to say the least. Having the 4th best team in Superliga they really have the obligation to win against these teams...
     
  7. vilafria

    vilafria Member+

    Jun 2, 2005
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    An horrible European week in terms of results, to say the least, for all clubs
     
  8. GoodDead

    GoodDead Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 8, 2004
    Toronto Canada
    Club:
    Sporting Braga
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    better week for us although 3 teams eliminated in the process of:
    2 wins 1 draw 1 loss.

    Forca Braga.
     
  9. Chess_Panther

    Chess_Panther Member+

    Apr 29, 2007
    Porto, Portugal
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    Definitely. Shame that Leiria couldn't pull it.

    Good luck to Braga, we need it.
     
  10. GoodDead

    GoodDead Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 8, 2004
    Toronto Canada
    Club:
    Sporting Braga
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    Both Leiria and Pacos were close to progressing.

    Leiria let up a goal to prevent extra time and Pacos couldn't score to get to ET as well. Both played well and deserved to progress.
     
  11. Força Sporting

    Sep 29, 2002
    Club:
    Sporting CP Lisbon
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    Braga gets a very passable group in the Group Phase of the UEFA Cup:

    Grupo F

    Bayern (Alemanha)
    Bolton (Inglaterra)
    SP. BRAGA (PORTUGAL)
    Estrela Vermelha (Sérvia)
    Aris Salónica (Grécia)

    No word yet on who Braga gets at home and who they visit. Overall, though, a very good group for Braga's continued European aspirations...
     
  12. vilafria

    vilafria Member+

    Jun 2, 2005
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    The only unknown it the Greek team. A tough group IMO, Sp. Braga will need to win the home matches to have any realistic chance of advancing.
     
  13. um_chili

    um_chili Member+

    Jun 3, 2002
    Losanjealous
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    This is actually a really tough group; of the four other teams, all but one were first or second in their pot. Still, with three of five teams advancing, it's still reasonable to hope we get by. Bayern will be tough, and both Red Star and Bolton will be challenges. We'll have to win against Aris to have a shot.
     
  14. Força Sporting

    Sep 29, 2002
    Club:
    Sporting CP Lisbon
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    Bayern Munich is without a doubt the toughest in the group, and one of the teams tipped to win this competition, so we'll take them out of the equation.

    Bolton is in a fight to stay in the Premiership, and I am certain that when push comes to shove, they will want to save their resources to save their Premiership lives.

    I don't know much about Aris, and while they did finish 4th last season in Greece, they are a mid-table team, and Koke (Sportinguistas will remember him, or better yet, want to forget him) is one of their strikers - that says it all.

    Besides being a former European Cup winner (over Benfica, I believe), I don't know much about Red Star. They are off the pace of first place and perhaps will put some stock into this competition without the fear of being relegated in the Serbian league.

    All in all, I believe that if the Braga that we all know shows up on the pitch, they could very well finish 2nd in this group. If they manage to get Bolton and Red Star at home, that would be an advantage IMO as it would mean that the hardest match to play on the road is the one that no-one feels that they would/could win anyways, which is the Munich trip, so playing the other two tougher opponents at home would be a plus...
     
  15. Força Sporting

    Sep 29, 2002
    Club:
    Sporting CP Lisbon
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    Here is a link to the UEFA Cup group phase schedule:

    http://www.uefa.com/multimediafiles/download/uefa/others/600441_download.pdf

    Braga host Bayern Munich (Matchday 3) and Red Star (Matchday 5), and travel to Bolton (Matchday 1) and Aris (Matchday 4) - not bad. Their bye-week is Matchday 2. I still believe that this is a passable group for Braga...
     
  16. vilafria

    vilafria Member+

    Jun 2, 2005
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    That's not a very kind schedule. I would trade the Greek trip for a German one .
     
  17. kastro0418

    kastro0418 New Member

    Jul 7, 2006
    Toronto
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    I posted in the Braga forum, but I guess this would be the more appropriate thread to post in in regards to the draw. So I'll just regurgitate what I pointed out in the other thread.

    Bolton are really struggling this year and are tied with Derby as the bottom feeders of the Premiership in terms of points with one win in 9 games.

    Aris Salonika are currently sitting in the middle of the table (8th) in the Greek Super League with only one win to their name in 4 games. Not much offense to this team but defensively seem sound, as they've only scored twice in their matches but have only conceded once.

    Red Star currently sit in fourth in the Serbian Superliga with 3 wins in 7 matches but have yet to lose a game. Notably though, they have the stingiest defense in the league with only 3 goals conceded in their respective games.

    And lastly, Bayern is having a good year and are the current leaders in the Bundesliga with 7 wins in 9 matches and have only conceded 3 goals as well while finding the back of their opponents' nets 25 times. Obviously the toughest match in this group.

    Im picking Braga to finish third in this group behind obvious front runners Bayern and surprise darkhorse Red Star.
     
  18. GoodDead

    GoodDead Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 8, 2004
    Toronto Canada
    Club:
    Sporting Braga
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    Red Star has some Revenge coming there way. Bolton will be tough any EPL team can turn into contenders when they have nothing else to play for (they are done already for the league) Bayern are difficult but it would be a major achievement and confirmation to Europe that we are contenders if we beat them. As for the Greek team they are the unknowns so they are dangerous but they shouldn't be too much of a problem.

    In all this is actually one of the most difficult groups on paper but we should be able to advance at Either Bolton or Red Star's expense....be great if it were both :p
     
  19. ---Z---

    ---Z--- Member+

    Cagalhao
    Nov 2, 2005
    CAMPEAO
    Club:
    Sporting CP Lisbon
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    Its a tough draw, I dont think Braga will pass.

    Bayern has one of the spots on lock

    and I dont think Braga will get the second spot.
     
  20. GoodDead

    GoodDead Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 8, 2004
    Toronto Canada
    Club:
    Sporting Braga
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    Top 3 move on ;)

    We will beat Red Star, we will beat the Greeks. Bolton would be a win at home but away probably a loss but I think if we play well and Paulo Santos and Joao Tomas are back 100% we can win or draw.

    Bayern are almost sure to be #1 but if they play the way the did vs Belem we have a shot.
     
  21. ---Z---

    ---Z--- Member+

    Cagalhao
    Nov 2, 2005
    CAMPEAO
    Club:
    Sporting CP Lisbon
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Re: UEFA Cup Draw Discussion

    ok my mistake, I thought it was only top 2 go on.

    if top 3 move on, than I think Braga have a good chance to pass :cool:
     
  22. GoodDead

    GoodDead Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 8, 2004
    Toronto Canada
    Club:
    Sporting Braga
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Matchday 1 Result:

    Bolton 1-1 Braga.

    A game we could of won but played poor in the second half and could of lost the whole thing. Jailson tied it in the 87th after Diouff made it 1-1 in the 66th.

    Eslewhere in the Group Red Star (Crevna Zvezda) beat Bayern Munich 2-1. The Greek team was off.

    So far Red Star in first Barga second (Away goals) Bolton third and Bayern last.

    Match day 2 Braga is off and we return on match day 3 vs Bayern. We very well be dead last heading into match day 4 but I believe we will win the last two games.
     
  23. um_chili

    um_chili Member+

    Jun 3, 2002
    Losanjealous
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This is a very good result for Braga. Bolton is a solid team and taking a point from them on the road is nothing to sneeze at. Things are still tricky, but even if Braga loses to Bayern at home (not something that's certain my any means) they still have strong chances to take points against Aris away, and then from Red Star at home (esp b/c by then Red Star will likely have locked up qualification and will have nothing to play for).
     
  24. um_chili

    um_chili Member+

    Jun 3, 2002
    Losanjealous
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Reports of Bayern's death were greatly exaggerated.
     
  25. GoodDead

    GoodDead Moderator
    Staff Member

    Aug 8, 2004
    Toronto Canada
    Club:
    Sporting Braga
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Yeah I believe I saw the Halftime score and jumped the gun as most other games were at full time.

    So to correct:
    Bayern with a 3-2 win to top the group Braga second, Bolton third Aris fourth and Red Star last.

    In truth a much better result for us as Bayern are a sure thing to go on so no need for Red Star to get any points ;)
     

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