I think I have that right. Looks like UEFA is doing the draws for the CL and the Europa league on separate days this year. Liverpool - for a change - are in. Now it's a matter of who we play. I know that we can't be drawn in the same group as anyone from the same country, and since we are in the top 8 in the UEFA coefficient - I think we can't draw any of those teams either. Here's who is in so far: BarcelonaTH Chelsea Liverpool Manchester United Milan Sevilla Bayern Munich Internazionale Real Madrid CSKA Moscow Porto AZ Juventus Rangers Marseille Dynamo Kyiv Bordeaux Beşiktaş Wolfsburg Standard Liège Rubin Kazan Unirea Urziceni4 waiting on 10 teams to be decided today and tomorrow. You can pencil in - Atletico, Lyon, Zurich, Maccabi, and some other team today.
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST There are at least 5 of the ten matches that look in the bag for the teams ahead on aggregate. Olimpique Lyonnaise 5-1 FC Zurich 3-0 VfB Stuttgart 2-0 w/ match at home Arsenal 2-0 w/ match at home Olimpiacos 2-0 w/ match at home
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST I'd like the Huns from the second bucket but with our luck its likely to be Real
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST almost sure it will be Real in either the group stage - or if we make the knockouts - then a rematch - just for the drama and tie-ins.
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST We can easily end up in the group of death.
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST Whatever provides the most amount of media hype/coverage. UEFA would never want the draw to be boring/easy.
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST here are the "Pots" as they stand this morning - another 5 teams to round out the draw today (thanks RAWK): Pot 1 Confirmed Teams: FC Barcelona (ESP) 121.853 Liverpool (ENG) 118.899 Chelsea (ENG) 118.899 Manchester United (ENG) 118.899 AC Milan (ITA) 110.582 Sevilla (ESP) 100.853 Bayern München (GER) 98.339 ------------ Pot 2: Olympique Lyon (FRA) 91.033 *(eligible for Pot 1 only if Arsenal lose to Celtic) Internazionale (ITA) 87.582 Real Madrid (ESP) 78.853 CSKA Moscow (RUS) 71.525 FC Porto (POR) 68.292 AZ Alkmaar (NED) 64.826 Juventus (ITA) 63.582 ---------------------------- Pot 3: Glasgow Rangers (SCO) 56.575 ** (eligible for Pot 2 only if Sporting and Panathinaikos are eliminated) Olympique Marseille (FRA) 48.033 Dinamo Kiev (UKR) 46.370 Atletico Madrid (ESP) 41.853 Girondins Bordeaux (FRA) 40.033 Beşiktaş (TUR) 32.445 -------------------------- Pot 4: VfL Wolfsburg (GER) 21.339 Standard Liege (BEL) 21.065 Maccabi Haifa (ISR) 17.050 FC Zürich (SUI) 14.050 Rubin Kazan (RUS) 9.525 Unirea Urziceni (ROM) 8.781 Debrecen (HUN) 1.633 ----------------------- Remaining Clubs: Arsenal (ENG) 106.899 * Sporting CP (POR) 68.292 ** Olympiakos (GRE) 52.633 *** VfB Stuttgart (GER) 45.339 *** Fiorentina (ITA) 42.582 *** Celtic (SCO) 40.575 *** FC København (DEN) 26.890 **** Timisoara (ROM) 7.781 **** APOEL (CYP) 4.016 **** Sheriff (MOL) 1.333 ****
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST I hope our pot 4 team is Sheriff, so when Nando scores a hattrick he can say "I shot the Sheriff"
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST Can't have Real and Atletico in the same group, right? So we'll probably swap Inter for Real....
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST Arsenal, Fiorentina, Olimpiacos, APOEL, and Stuttgart go through to round it out. Rangers move to pot 2. APOEL with the "upset" of the day coming from 2-0 down to beat Copenhagen 3-2. Fiorentina with a goal to go through on away goals.
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST Real Madrid would be ok, i think it would be fun to slap them upside the head a couple more times. Real Rangers and Standard would be tough but entertaining. Jose would be fun to beat also. or we could do Juve Peskitas and the Green Team (still the best save riena ever made) in "Old foes week".
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST Well if Platini's in charge then I expect our group to be Scumchester, Chel$ki and the Arse
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST It would be nice to see Benayoun playing against Haifa...
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST So its: Pot 1 Barcelona (ESP) Liverpool (ENG) Chelsea (ENG) Manchester United (ENG) AC Milan (ITA) Arsenal (ENG) Sevilla (ESP) Bayern Munich (GER) Pot 2 Olympique Lyon (FRA) Internazionale (ITA) Real Madrid (ESP) CSKA Moscow (RUS) FC Porto (POR) AZ Alkmaar (NED) Juventus (ITA) Glasgow Rangers (SCO) Pot 3 Olympiakos (GRE) Olympique Marseille (FRA) Dinamo Kiev (UKR) VfB Stuttgart (GER) Fiorentina (ITA) Atletico Madrid (ESP) Girondins Bordeaux (FRA) Besiktas (TUR) Pot 4 VfL Wolfsburg (GER) Standard Liege (BEL) Maccabi Haifa (ISR) FC Zurich (SUI) Rubin Kazan (RUS) Unirea Urziceni (ROM) APOEL (CYP) Debrecen (HUN) http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N165578090826-2240.htm
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST Although it would be interesting for us to play Real again, I think the powers of UEFA would love a Manure v Real group matchup- the cvnt taking on this old team!
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST My favored draw would be this... Rangers - Easiest draw. No travel. Would love to beat the shit out of the huns. O. Marseille - Not too much travel, not an overly difficult team if our head is there. Zurich - Not too much travel. Support and arena isn't too ridiculous. I want to avoid teams with ridiculous supporters (ie Besiktas). Those are dangerous games.
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST What are the odds of us having that kind of luck. I want the toughest group to be honest, I want this team to really be tested every single game. The more pressure on the players the better for the development of the team.
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST I have to say, I wouldn't mind being in a 'group of death'. if we lost, no harm done as it would force/allow Rafa to concentrate on the league. however, i'd not mind an easy draw as it would allow us to make some additional money in the knockout stages. what is a boy to wish for? Lyon, Stuttgart and Liege
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST so from From Pot 2-4 - we can play anyone, right? Pot 3 - with Atletico, Bordeaux, Fiorentina, Marseille, etc. is pretty strong.
Re: CL GROUP STAGE DRAW - August 27, 2009 - 12pm EST/9am PST with our luck we'll get 2 Juve / Real 3 Kiev / Besiktas 4 VfL Wolfsburg