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yes?
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Lets hope for a good draw!
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I AM Strachan
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repost from last thread
BlantyreKev
Thank God, makes sense now, dont see myself as pessimist but i really feared the worst there.
Paul
Nerves shattered from last night, no nails left, no hair left, excitment starting to build for CL draw and you drop that one!!! take care today Paul we're fragile
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Gonnae just gies us Madrid!
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Don't want any of the English, as I really can't be bothered listening to their arrogance again!
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What time is the draw?
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What time is the draw?
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Madrid
PSV
The Tic
Prague
AC Milan
Valencia
Stuttgart
Darnel
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do we know the dates for the games yet ?
( easyjet / ryanair window open at the ready )
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Prefer to knock them out later :o)
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Please not Chelsea! And please make us on opposite days!
I'll not ask for anything else... Honest!!!
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Is the draw on TV or radio, or is it a CQN exclusive?
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Last post on previous thread.
I came across this on the 11 a side blog. It captures the ebb and flow of last night far better than any of the paid media did.
A good read as we awit news of the draw.
Celtic v Spartak: A game for the ages
Shane Breslin
09:00:00
30/08/2007
It was the most exhilarating couple of hours you will see this season, a game for which the phrase “end-to-end football” could have been invented. This was football pared down to its finest particles: its beauty, its vitality, its essence to the millions who pay every week to follow their team, its exposure of brilliance and limitations on a grand scale.
Celtic knew they were in for a test of wills when they were paired with Spartak Moscow, the Russian league leaders, in the draw for the Champions League’s final qualifying round. Spartak was the crocodile in the hat, the one unseeded side none of the big guns fancied.
That Gordon Strachan’s side came through was a glorious success in itself, the equal of any of those European nights of the recent past when Henrik Larsson bestrode the Parkhead turf. There are some, indeed, who would place Wednesday night’s occasion on the same plateau of elation felt at any time during the Jinky Johnstone or Billy McNeill era. Okay, there was no silverware at stake at Celtic Park on Wednesday night, but for many clubs in the Champions League era, tangible success can only be found in the group stages of this competition and beyond. Failure to reach that goal, especially in the wake of Rangers’ progress 24 hours earlier, would have brought a depression to the green half of Glasgow from which it may have been impossible to escape for the rest of the season.
But the essence of Wednesday night was much, much more than bare advancement. It was the manner of the game which took the breath away, in every instant, from its heartfelt applause in recognition of the deceased Sevilla and Spain midfielder Antonio Puerta, through the 60,000-voice rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” at the first whistle, until the final penalty was struck more than two and a half hours later.
This was football in its most essential form. “The game that had everything” is a cliché so hackneyed that it cannot do justice to the events which unfolded at Parkhead last night. Another oft-used phrase, “end-to-end football”, could have been coined from just such a match. Strachan labelled it as the “best game you could wish to see”. There was something back to basics about it, with all of the fear but none of the caution which blights so much of top-level football.
Spartak’s quality was there for all to see. They possess a midfield orchestrator in Mozart, a young forward of real substance in Roman Pavlyuchenko, pace and power in the Brazilian Welliton. All had their moments in a first half of intense beauty. But the winger Vladimir Bistrov was, to borrow a phrase from American sport, the go-to guy. Having clearly identified Lee Naylor as a potential weak point in the Celtic armoury, the visitors brilliantly isolated the Englishman repeatedly in the opening exchanges. Bistrov provided a cutting edge which glistened in comparison to the blunt instruments on show on most Premiership Saturdays.
The sides were level at the end of the first 45 minutes, with Scott McDonald snaffling one of two clear chances which fell his way, but Spartak were well ahead on points. Bistrov outstripped Naylor time and again, requiring last ditch blocks from the awesome pair of goalkeeper Artur Boruc and captain Stephen McManus. Pavlyuchenko missed a penalty when the game was scoreless, the award by referee Roberto Rosetti, after the ball had fizzed back off Boruc and struck the prone Gary Caldwell on the arm, the inverse opposite of a “home-town decision”. The big Russian forward sent the Pole the wrong way but could only find the inside of the post and the ball spun across the face of the goal and away. But Pavlyuchenko, who will have had scouts furiously scribbling in their notebooks, made amends a minute before the break, controlling a corner kick in a crowded penalty area and volleying low past Boruc before the ball reached the ground. The half ended with a spat between Boruc and Naylor after the defender had once more been burned by Bistrov’s acceleration.
All too often, as the clock ticks on and teams retreat into the hard case of their protective shell, the latter stages of such a tie will disappoint. But as the stakes rose here, so did the pulse of the tie. Whoever came up with the away goals rule would have envisaged games like this. Celtic, evidently panicked by the thought that another Spartak goal would leave them needing to score twice, sought pre-emptive strikes by consistently taking the game to the Russians. The same knowledge kept Spartak on the front foot – one more goal, they were thinking, should be enough.
As Bistrov and Pavlyuchenko waned, Celtic found dominance from somewhere but they were unable to convert any of the chances which came their way. Aiden McGeady, providing an end product throughout, threaded a perfect pass to McDonald but the little Australian shot straight at Stipe Pletikosa. The crescendo continued to rise through three glorious chances for Shunsuke Nakamura in the space of 60 seconds. He was unable to grasp any, with Pletikosa saving twice – including from a one-on-one from the halfway line – before the Japanese blazed over with his third.
The breathlessness continued. Spartak were reduced to ten men. The game ticked into extra-time, where Boruc extended his entire length to tip a Kalinichenko chip away from harm and, heartbreakingly, Vennegoor of Hesselink smashed a penalty off the bar after Kovac blocked a Scott Brown shot with his hand. In the last seconds of extra-time and with destiny at his boots, substitute Boyarintsev raced onto a long pass but blazed his shot over Boruc’s bar.
It is to Celtic’s credit that players such as defender Gary Caldwell, Vennegoor of Hesselink again, impressive substitute Derek Riordan and the peripheral Maciej Zurawski all stepped up to the mark in the shoot-out. Nakamura’s night of near misses continued when his kick struck the underwide of the bar and bounced barely six inches outside the line. It was left to Boruc to emerge as the hero with saves from Titov and Kalinichenko.
Celtic advance but Spartak’s part in a glorious occasion should not be understated. It was a game for the ages, a night when the memory-bank was the real winner.
Well done Shane Breslin. Have you been taking lessons from Estadio?
'GG
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Bryce - for those of us overseas, it's a CQN Exclooooosive
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Paul67,
Speaking purely hypothetically, could the Champs League draw have a direct bearing on any possible transfers/loan deals that could be in the pipeline? By that, I mean, would Celtic being drawn in the same group as a team they hoped to do business with, be enough to sink a deal? I assume any loan deals would carry the caveat that loaned players could not play against their own club, which would limit that players usefulneess to the other club?
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Bryce: you can view/hear it here by clicking the audio or video link at the bottom of the page.
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Bryce, live coverage online at skysports.com
uefa.com
Channel67
Also I believe on BBC Radio Five Live
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PS: David Deans at arsenal has jus sold his 14.5% share to a Russian Billionaire for £70m according to SSN
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Apologies, Should have read £75m.
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I think anyone anywhere can follow the draw on uefa.com
It's quite attractive the way the drawn club spins into the middle of your screen and then floats into position in one of the group boxes.
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celtic_first, that's correct, but it is prone to Buffer at times.
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If anyone is watching it on the skysprts flash presentation it gives a brief history of each club, stadium capacity and their star player.
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CLUB FOOTBALL AWARDS??????
JUST GIVE US THE DRAW!
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Arsenal
PSV
Rosenborg
Thats the draw to get us into the last 16
nakagod
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Rangers star player Kris Boyd?????
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OttoKaiser's CL Predictions:
Inter Milan
Werder Bremen
CELTIC
Slavia Prague
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HELP!!!
what channel can i get it on???
dont get sky sports news -ntl
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Declan, :-)
Bryce, we won the exclusive UK rights for giving Platini ‘First’ on the next twelve articles.
Gallanz, interesting thought, no idea.
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mike - every other teams history is also about their european success. Rangers is about Walter stabilising their domestic challenge...
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'The Darnel' always makes me smile.
Please not Chelsea, thug fans.
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Is Maldini a nominee for Keeper of the year after his stop against us at the San Siro?
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That divvy on Radio Scotland (Daryl King?!) just went on about how Celtic "got a doin'" last night. Apparently we only played "kamikaze" football because we dont have the versatile personnel that Rangers have. Ah!
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TheRags...
Aye... "Where silverware is the norm"
Since when??????
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Stop yapping Taylor ya mug and jiggle the balls
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We're actually getting to teh draw now after 15 minutes talk, and a moments silence.
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My predictions -
Celtic, Milan, Barcelona, Seville.
Rangers, Dumbarton, Cowdenbeath, Brechin
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Fighting the Fuzz
The bigger the Rangers bubble grows, with the help of our wonderful sports media, the louder and messier it will be when it pops.
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oh well, at least he's been talking so long, the heated balls will have cooled down again. ;-)
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Nightmare Scenario...
Chelsea
Valencia
CELTIC
Shaktar
Dream Scenario....
Arsenal
Benfica
CELTIC
Slavia Prague
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Right, got my Easyjet, Ryan Air and Wizz air windows open.
It's "stave your finger time"
hail hail
Estadio
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AC Milan are in group D
-
why did Taylor agre to AEK staying in pot 2?
Let's hope Seville win on tuesday.
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Arsenal are in group H
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irish.dano,
you are right about the nightmare scenario, although it might not be us losing the sleep ;-)
Fear noone - because we are Celtic.
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ManU are in group F
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Barcelona are in group E
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Real Madrid are in group C
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Inter Milan are in Group G
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Who is there from Celtic in Monaco?
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Liverpool are in Group A
therefore Chel$ki are in group B
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First Teams..
A - Liverpool
B - Chelsea
C - Real Madrid
D - AC Milan
E - Barcelona
F - Man Utd
G - Inter Milan
H - Arsenal
Group A,C or H would be preferable!
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Top Seeded Teams:
Group A: Liverpool
Group B: Chelsea
Group C: Real Madrid
Group D: AC Milan
Group E: Barcelona
Group F: Manchester United
Group G: Inter Milan
Group H: Arsenal
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mcmanus69, I haven't seen anyone, but no doubt it'll be the sharp suited gentleman and the Operations Exec (Peter Cully?)
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Defender of the year....
Balde, Telfer and Pressley not in consideration??
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Top Defender Award
Maldini!!!!!
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In this year specifically I want to be in the same group as Inter Milan!
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Maldini gets defender of the year. Still think he should have been keeper of the year rather than Cech.
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test
-
wow - that presenter can speak 50 languages.
impressive
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......or to play them in the final!
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PSV are in group G
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Valencia are in group B
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Would like group G, along with Rosenborg!
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group B looking the group of death already with Chelsea and Valencia
Werder Bremen are in group C
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Sevilla/AEK are in group H
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Group B is clearly to be avoided
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Lyon are in group E
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The Arsenal and Sevilla/AEK group would do me
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Estadio
You still looking for Milanese shoes?
'GG
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Benfica are in group D
Porto therfore in F
and Roma in A
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group e and b need to be avoided
group g looks decent
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sorry, jumped the gun there.
Roma in group F
Porto in group A
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please for once give us luck, group g rangers for group b
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Group A:
Liverpool
FC Porto
Group B:
Chelsea
Valencia
Group C:
Real Madrid
Werder Bremen
Group D:
AC Milan
Benfica
Group E:
Barcelona
Lyon
Group F:
Manchester United
Roma
Group G:
Inter Milan
PSV Eindhoven
Group H:
Arsenal
Sevilla/AEK Athens
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Second Teams Drawn...
A - Liverpool. Porto
B - Chelsea, Valencia
C - Real Madrid, Werder Bremen
D - AC Milan, Benfica
E - Barcelona, Lyon
F - Man Utd, Roma
G - Inter Milan, PSV
H - Arsenal, Sevilla/AEK
Please not group B!!!
Group G or D would be good...
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Group H please!
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GG
Sussed!
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group g or d
mike sevilla are a good good side!
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group g please
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I want group B!
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Best Club Midfielder From
Gattuso
Gerrard
Lampard
Pirlo
Scholes
Seedorf
Seedorf Wins
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antsman
Arsenal aren't!
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Please Group G!!!!!
nakagod
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Not a lot between the 8 groups so far. B, D and F possibly better avoided.
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don't kid yourself arsenal are a better slicker team than spartak!
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or group A!!!!
nakagod
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ok, here comes the interesting bit...
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Aye but there's no beef about them and they blow hot & cold.
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Scahlke are in group B
DODGED THE BULLET!
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CELTIC are in group D
-
Damn.
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Yes! Shalke got Chelsea!
-
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Payback time
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Thats ok we know what were up against
nakagod
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Lazio are in group C
-
decent draw, remember simao has left benfica
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Glad we avoided B but we could do with a weak pot 4 team.
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Sporting Lisbon get group F
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We'll need Gudjonson (sp?) to get out of that group :)
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CSKA Moscow are in group G
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So far so good; Milan and Benfica, we know what we are facing and it does not really affect our Pot 3 status.
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Stuttgart are in group E
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benfica have made big changes
in - David Luiz - from EC Vitória
Fábio Coentrão - from Rio Ave FC
Marc Zoro - from FC Messina Peloro
Oscar Cardozo - from CA Newell's Old Boys
Gonzalo Bergessio - from Racing Club de Avellaneda
Hans-Jörg Butt - from Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Ángel Di María - from Rosario Central
Andrés Díaz - from Rosario Central
Freddy Adu - from Real Salt Lake
Gilles Binya - from MC Oran
Luis Filipe - from SC Braga
Cristian Rodriguez - from Paris Saint-Germain
Maximiliano Pereira - from Defensor Sporting
Edcarlos - from São Paulo
Out:
Gustavo Manduca - to AEK Athens FC (800.000 €)
Beto - to FC Sion (500.000 €)
Amoreirinha - to CFR Cluj (1.000.000 €)
Carlitos - to FC Basel (1.500.000 €)
Giorgos Karagounis - to Panathinaikos FC - Released
Rodolfo Lima - to FC Vihren Sandanski - Released
Rui Nereu - to Académica - Released
Simão Sabrosa - to Atlético Madrid (20.000.000 € + 2 players in the next 5 years)
Anderson - to Olympique Lyon (4.000.000 €)
Azar Karadaş- to Brann (350.000 €)
Manuel Fernandes - to Valencia CF (9.000.000 €)
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I'd say that's a decent draw. We know Milan. They couldn't beat us in normal time last season. We know Benfica too, and we have improved since then.
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I want to pray to Estadio's GOD.
Not the worst draw for us.
'GG
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Steaua are in group H
so Marseille are in group A
-
Wonder who the jammy ones get????
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Group A:
Liverpool
FC Porto
Marseille
Group B:
Chelsea
Valencia
Schalke 04
Group C:
Real Madrid
Werder Bremen
Lazio
Group D:
AC Milan
Benfica
Celtic
Group E:
Barcelona
Lyon
Stuttgart
Group F:
Manchester United
Roma
Sporting Lisbon
Group G:
Inter Milan
PSV Eindhoven
CSKA Moscow
Group H:
Arsenal
Sevilla/AEK Athens
Steaua Bucharest
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group B is just waiting for ranjurs.
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Rangers will draw A or possibly G. So no allowance for the possibility of AEK beating Seville? I will be raging if it happens, although is unlikely admittedly.
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I bet the jammy huns will get Group H! :-(
Please give them Group B or E........
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Missed the start. Was Artur nominated for best goalie?
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Best Club Forward
C. Ronaldo
Drogba
Kaka
Rooney
Totti
Villa
And the winner is: Kaka
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The Lassie Beattie
Here's hoping! I'd love that!
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ragners will get group G
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Bryce.
Not a mention mate
-
recap:
grp A
Liverpool
Porto
Marseille
grp B
Chel$ki
Valencia
Schalke
grp C
Real
Bremen
Lazio
grp D
Milan
Benfica
Celtic
grp E
Barcelona
Lyon
Stuttgart
grp F
ManU
Roma
Sporting Lisbon
grp G
Inter
PSV
CSKA Moscow
grp H
Arsenal
Sevilla/AEK
Staeua
The Darnel can only be drawn in Groups E-H...
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Rosenborg plz!!! if it is last 16 here we come!!!!
nakagod
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so far so good, we're going to get Dynamo now methinks
HH
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Havnt benfica had a terrible start to the season????
nakagod
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Lets hope Rangers get group B or E although to be fair, they all look pretty daunting for such a poor Rangers side.
I'm hoping for Rangers or Slavia to join us, certainly want to avoid Shakhtar.
However, last year we were seeded above Benfica. We knocked them out, they dropped into the UEFA Cup and are now seeded ahead of us. The system has to change - one win the UEFA Cup can't be equal to a win in the Champions League. But with this being the case, would finishing 3rd, having a run in the UEFA Cup and boosting our co-efficients be such a bad thing? We've set standards now and will be disappointed if we don't make the last 16 but in the long term it could be a blessing in disguise, particularly when you consider the five year Artmedia Curse.
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Olympiakos get group C
ouch
-
Rangers are out!
-
Ranjoors neel pwah!
-
Would Barcelona welcome the hunnish hordes back there????
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Sorry, meant Rosenborg B.K.
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Darnel get group E
that's them pumped
-
only worry is lyon lost malouda and have a dodgy coach
-
Kiev get group F
Besiktas get group A
Rosenborg get group B
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we get Shakhtar :-(
-
ha - bye bye Wattie
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Shakhtar it is then.
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Celtic's Group...
Milan
Benfica
CELTIC
Shaktar
Not the best pot 4 team but think we have a good chance of getting out of the group providing we can at least ONE POINT AWAY FROM HOME!
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Group A:
Liverpool
FC Porto
Marseille
Besiktas
Group B:
Chelsea
Valencia
Schalke 04
Rosenborg
Group C:
Real Madrid
Werder Bremen
Lazio
Olympiacos
Group D:
AC Milan
Benfica
Celtic
Shaktar Donestsk
Group E:
Barcelona
Lyon
Stuttgart
Rangers
Group F:
Manchester United
Roma
Sporting Lisbon
Dynamo Kiev
Group G:
Inter Milan
PSV Eindhoven
CSKA Moscow
Fenerbache
Group H:
Arsenal
Sevilla/AEK Athens
Steaua Bucharest
Slavia Prague
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Shaktar is a bit annoying.
Chance for revenge though.
