i have no intention of muscling in on the milan board's champions league thread so i'll reply quickly. you highlight what you did last season and previous seasons. yet you've lost simao, beto, manu fernandes and miccoli. have these players been adequately replaced? i don't think so, hence why i said i believe you have regressed as a team.
Man, please stop saying that Beto was a great loss for Benfica. Everyone hated him and he IS a bad player. Just because he scored with a deflected shot against M. United doesn't make him the world's best... As for regressing or not (and sorry for discussing this in the milan forum), Benfica lost Miccoli but N. Gomes or Di Maria can make his role easily as long there's a striker upfront. M. Fernandes even though it's a great loss of talent can be replaced with someone that has similar characteristics to a lesser extent. Simão was a leader though. I'm not going to say to fear Benfica or anything but it is quite dangerous to analyse the team due its performance last year or the both games against kobevhan. The new coach is there for one week and there's inumerous reasons why this team haven't found itself yet. Benfica is in fact stronger when it comes to depth and some players haven't played yet or there isn't still team chemistry for obvious reasons. No matter how Benfica is, Milan still has the obligation to win no matter where they go but i'm pretty sure it's not going to be easy.
hmm, it isn't the toughest draw there is, but it would be a walk in the park like some people think. I mean Celtic is probably one of the best pot 3 teams and they gave us a hard time last year. Benfica is a very solid team, and though they lost some players, they still have some talent and made some great signings (i have seen cardozo play in Newells and he is incredible). Also Shaktar has Lucarelli, and we all know he is a great player, and it could be harder if it is really cold over there on that day we play them (remember half our team is brasilian lol) Last year's group was also 'easy' and we had a difficult time with Lille and AEK. If you ask me, Benfica and Celtic are better than those teams
Here is Milan's CL roster: www.ACMilan.com Digao and Ba are the only two players ineligible for the CL in our first team squad.
Not shocked to be honest with you, but saddened Ba doesn't have the bleached hair still. I guess you can't have it all.
I think, it is rather obvious that Milan should progress. Of course, they will have a tough game in Glasgow and Donetsk, but over the 6 matches, they should advance in first place. The second place will be determined in a fierce competition between Celtic, Benfica, and Shakhtar. To tell you the truth, it is very rare to see such an even field (aside from Milan, that is)