[EU] Champions League 06/07 (49 Viewers)
- Thread starter ReBeL
- Start date
Draw for the 3th preliminary round of this years cl.
Sheriff Tiraspol/Spartak Moscow v Liberec
Shakhtar Donetsk v FH Hafnarfjordur/Legia Warsaw
FC Zurich/SV Red Bull Salzburg v Valencia
Levski Sofia/Sioni Bolnisi v Chievo
Hearts/Siroki Brijeg v AEK Athens
CSKA Moscow v Djurgardens IF/SCP Ruzomberok
Milan v Cork/Red Star
Galatasaray v Mlada Boleslav/Valerenga
Standard Liege v HIT Gorica/Steaua Bucuresti
Austria Magna v Benfica
FK Ekranas/Dinamo Zagreb v Arsenal
FC Copenhagen/MyPa v Ajax
Hamburg v Osasuna
FK Metalurgs/Dynamo Kiev v Fenerbahce/B36 Torshavn
Liverpool v Maccabi Haifa
Lille v Debrecen/Rabotnicki Kometal
Sheriff Tiraspol/Spartak Moscow v Liberec
Shakhtar Donetsk v FH Hafnarfjordur/Legia Warsaw
FC Zurich/SV Red Bull Salzburg v Valencia
Levski Sofia/Sioni Bolnisi v Chievo
Hearts/Siroki Brijeg v AEK Athens
CSKA Moscow v Djurgardens IF/SCP Ruzomberok
Milan v Cork/Red Star
Galatasaray v Mlada Boleslav/Valerenga
Standard Liege v HIT Gorica/Steaua Bucuresti
Austria Magna v Benfica
FK Ekranas/Dinamo Zagreb v Arsenal
FC Copenhagen/MyPa v Ajax
Hamburg v Osasuna
FK Metalurgs/Dynamo Kiev v Fenerbahce/B36 Torshavn
Liverpool v Maccabi Haifa
Lille v Debrecen/Rabotnicki Kometal
well here we go our first foray into eth Cl and our first time in teh european cup in 46 years and after winning the first leg comfortably 3-0 we can start to think about AEK athens.
how good are AEK these days i do know they were close to teh wall a few years again, so i am guessing they dont have as many big name players as they used to....however they have a pretty good record against scottish sides so this will be a tough task for my jambo's, however i do feel this is a favourable tie, when you see arsenal. liverpool, valencia,were all in teh pot.
here's hoping hearts can make the group stages and i can start to party
how good are AEK these days i do know they were close to teh wall a few years again, so i am guessing they dont have as many big name players as they used to....however they have a pretty good record against scottish sides so this will be a tough task for my jambo's, however i do feel this is a favourable tie, when you see arsenal. liverpool, valencia,were all in teh pot.
here's hoping hearts can make the group stages and i can start to party
, hope they do well against osasunaEastern promise leaves League elite on guard
PARIS — The heavyweights of European football rumble into action in the final round of Champions League qualifiers today but an Eastern bloc of upstarts are threatening to spring a suprise or two.
As recent former champions such as Liverpool, AC Milan and Ajax aim to put one foot in the money-spinning group stages, a record contingent of teams from Eastern Europe are aiming to join them in the next round.
A total of 10 clubs from some of the continent’s less fashionable leagues could end up in the 32-team first phase if results go their way.
And at least three of those clubs are guaranteed a place in the next round after being drawn against fellow sides from Eastern Europe.
Arguably the most romantic story surrounds Rabotnicki from Macedonia, who travel to French side Lille for the first leg.
No team from Macedonia has ever made it to the final qualifying round let alone the group phase, but Rabotnicki will not fear Lille after shocking respected Hungarian outfit Debrecen in the previous round.
History weighs against any team from Eastern Europe making it all the way through to next May’s final in Athens, however.
In the 50 years since Real Madrid defeated Reims in the first ever European Cup final, only two teams — Steaua Bucharest in 1986 and Red Star Belgrade in 1991 — have ever lifted the most coveted trophy in club football.
Both Steaua and Red Star are in action today, facing difficult ties against Belgium’s Standard Liege and Italy’s AC Milan respectively.
Red Star’s tie with Milan brings back memories of their meeting in the knock-out rounds of the 1989 tournament, eventually won by the Italians.
Red Star president Dragan Stojkovic cursed his side’s luck after being drawn against Milan, but insisted they could upset the six-time European champions.
“I don’t think we could have drawn tougher opponents,” he said. ”Then again, to be able to play against a giant like AC Milan is a spectacular opportunity.”
While Eastern Europe’s contingent aims to make their mark today, a trio of minnows — Israel’s Maccabi Haifa, Italy’s Chievo and Scottish debutants Hearts are also plotting an ambush or two.
Maccabi Haifa travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool against a backdrop of spiralling violence in their city as the Israel-Lebanon conflict escalates.
Maccabi Haifa manager Roni Levy admitted he was realistic about his team’s chances. “The odds are against us but sometimes when you catch a big club early on the season you can produce a shock,” he said.
Serie A side Chievo meanwhile are revelling in their first ever appearance in the Champions League, a remarkable achievement given that they were only promoted to the Italian top-flight in 2001.
The Italian club were elevated into the Champions League after the expulsions of Juventus and Fiorentina over the match-fixing scandal. Chievo travel to Bulgaria to face Levksi Sofia in the first leg.
Hearts meanwhile will be looking for a big crowd at Murrayfield, the home of Scottish rugby, as they seek to upset Greek side AEK Athens.
The Edinburgh club have moved the tie to the famous rugby stadium in order to meet demand for tickets as they attempt to become only the third Scottish club to reach the group stages.
“There’s no doubt that we can win this tie,” said Hearts skipper Steven Pressley. “They are definitely the favourites to go through at this moment in time but after beating Celtic on Sunday the confidence in our camp is high.
“With the right two performances against AEK then we can beat them and qualify for the group stages.”
A win for Hearts though will be another indirect victory for Eastern Europe — the Jambos are bankrolled by millionaire Lithuanian tycoon Vladimir Romanov.
(AFP)
PARIS — The heavyweights of European football rumble into action in the final round of Champions League qualifiers today but an Eastern bloc of upstarts are threatening to spring a suprise or two.
As recent former champions such as Liverpool, AC Milan and Ajax aim to put one foot in the money-spinning group stages, a record contingent of teams from Eastern Europe are aiming to join them in the next round.
A total of 10 clubs from some of the continent’s less fashionable leagues could end up in the 32-team first phase if results go their way.
And at least three of those clubs are guaranteed a place in the next round after being drawn against fellow sides from Eastern Europe.
Arguably the most romantic story surrounds Rabotnicki from Macedonia, who travel to French side Lille for the first leg.
No team from Macedonia has ever made it to the final qualifying round let alone the group phase, but Rabotnicki will not fear Lille after shocking respected Hungarian outfit Debrecen in the previous round.
History weighs against any team from Eastern Europe making it all the way through to next May’s final in Athens, however.
In the 50 years since Real Madrid defeated Reims in the first ever European Cup final, only two teams — Steaua Bucharest in 1986 and Red Star Belgrade in 1991 — have ever lifted the most coveted trophy in club football.
Both Steaua and Red Star are in action today, facing difficult ties against Belgium’s Standard Liege and Italy’s AC Milan respectively.
Red Star’s tie with Milan brings back memories of their meeting in the knock-out rounds of the 1989 tournament, eventually won by the Italians.
Red Star president Dragan Stojkovic cursed his side’s luck after being drawn against Milan, but insisted they could upset the six-time European champions.
“I don’t think we could have drawn tougher opponents,” he said. ”Then again, to be able to play against a giant like AC Milan is a spectacular opportunity.”
While Eastern Europe’s contingent aims to make their mark today, a trio of minnows — Israel’s Maccabi Haifa, Italy’s Chievo and Scottish debutants Hearts are also plotting an ambush or two.
Maccabi Haifa travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool against a backdrop of spiralling violence in their city as the Israel-Lebanon conflict escalates.
Maccabi Haifa manager Roni Levy admitted he was realistic about his team’s chances. “The odds are against us but sometimes when you catch a big club early on the season you can produce a shock,” he said.
Serie A side Chievo meanwhile are revelling in their first ever appearance in the Champions League, a remarkable achievement given that they were only promoted to the Italian top-flight in 2001.
The Italian club were elevated into the Champions League after the expulsions of Juventus and Fiorentina over the match-fixing scandal. Chievo travel to Bulgaria to face Levksi Sofia in the first leg.
Hearts meanwhile will be looking for a big crowd at Murrayfield, the home of Scottish rugby, as they seek to upset Greek side AEK Athens.
The Edinburgh club have moved the tie to the famous rugby stadium in order to meet demand for tickets as they attempt to become only the third Scottish club to reach the group stages.
“There’s no doubt that we can win this tie,” said Hearts skipper Steven Pressley. “They are definitely the favourites to go through at this moment in time but after beating Celtic on Sunday the confidence in our camp is high.
“With the right two performances against AEK then we can beat them and qualify for the group stages.”
A win for Hearts though will be another indirect victory for Eastern Europe — the Jambos are bankrolled by millionaire Lithuanian tycoon Vladimir Romanov.
(AFP)
Discussion continued from La Liga thread,
It could be anyone but I think Ancelotti will tend to his favourite Christmas tree formation 4-3-2-1. It will piss Berlusconi but it will bring in results.
Who will be the striker? Inzaghi or Gilardino? I think it will be Pippo mainly actually, Gilardino won't mind playing from the bench.
vlatko said:
could be, but who they have left to replace such a striker? sobis? 
either way i think their attack will be poor this season as i don't think gilardino was ever as good as he was hyped up to be. inzaghi? he can deliver goals, but he's old and injuries are getting to him. anyway i really don't see who is left for milan to fill shev's spot. i figured it would either be rvn or zlatan, crespo perhaps. now i have no idea.
either way i think their attack will be poor this season as i don't think gilardino was ever as good as he was hyped up to be. inzaghi? he can deliver goals, but he's old and injuries are getting to him. anyway i really don't see who is left for milan to fill shev's spot. i figured it would either be rvn or zlatan, crespo perhaps. now i have no idea.
Who will be the striker? Inzaghi or Gilardino? I think it will be Pippo mainly actually, Gilardino won't mind playing from the bench.
ancelloti is not gonna leave gilardino on the bench, at least i think not. anyway i doubt pippo is the kind of striker for that formation. when you play like that you need a more technically gifted forward, pippo is a rebound striker, he works best when someone is up there with him and he just puts them in. i don't think he could operate as a lone striker, even if he has kaka behind him. plus, as i said, he is injury prone. i don't see any solution but to find another world class striker, just don't know who.
i really think that pippo would have a very good year this year and even would be out of injuries for a while.Am guessing the berlusconi is waiting for the official qualification to he group stage of the CL before he makes his move to the big name striker....which they will most defiantly bring in.
They keep forgeting their old defense, i dont know why
They keep forgeting their old defense, i dont know why
Mourinho is the man
Just read his words about Inter!!!
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Mourinho baffled by Champions League seedings
Jose Mourinho insists a Champions League draw which could easily pit Chelsea against Barcelona in the group stage must be flawed.
Mourinho's Premiership champions have a one-in-five chance of being grouped with Barca when the draw is made in Monaco tomorrow.
Chelsea will be in the pot of second seeds and, if they avoid the champions of Spain and Europe, they are likely to face AC Milan, Inter Milan, Real Madrid or Valencia.
Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal, if the latter qualify, will all be among the first seeds but cannot be drawn with another English team in the groups.
Mourinho still cannot understand how the domestic champions can be ranked beneath three of the teams they beat to the title.
The Chelsea boss said: 'The way the groups are made is wrong, the criteria to be seeded in the groups. For example, the English champions Chelsea are lucky to be second seeds.
'For me, being champions is more important than the past for seeding.
'Inter Milan for example get more coefficient points for the Champions League than us even though Chelsea are champions of England and Inter Milan are only third in Italy.'
UEFA seed the teams based on a coefficient calculated from the performances of the clubs in Europe over the last five years combined with the coefficient of the country they come from.
This system puts new football powers like Chelsea behind the traditional heavyweights of European football.
Liverpool had to qualify this season by beating Maccabi Haifa and Arsenal must finish off Dinamo Zagreb to reach the group stage but they will both be seeded ahead of Chelsea because of their superior coefficient.
Mourinho said: 'How can a team who has to qualify be in front of a team who goes straight into the group?'
Chelsea will expect to qualify from any group because the top two teams progress but, if they are plunged into a tough group and can only finish second, they will face one of the group winners in the first knock-out round.
This happened last season, when the Blues finished behind Liverpool in the group and were then drawn against Barcelona in the second round.
Frank Rijkaard's team won an epic clash and Mourinho's European dream was over in early March.
The Chelsea manager believes the seeding system has a detrimental effect on the overall quality of the competition because so many of the best teams meet in the early stages.
Mourinho said: 'It is the best competition in the world but you don't see the best clubs in the semi-finals.
'For me the competition is not correct and you are in a lucky situation if the best team in Europe wins the competition.
'Compare the semi-finals with the earlier rounds, the last eight or last 16. Compare Arsenal against Villarreal with Arsenal against Juventus, Chelsea against Barcelona or Milan against Bayern Munich. It does not compare.
'Liverpool were champions and over 30 points behind Chelsea in the league, not even in the top four in the Premiership. Arsenal got through to the final but the best they could do [in the league] was fourth.'
Mourinho is chasing his third successive Premiership title with Chelsea this season and the club's first Champions League trophy.
He finds it hard to prefer one above the other but believes he is fighting an uphill battle in Europe because of the coefficient system.
Mourinho said: 'The Premier League is an even competition. The Champions League is not.
'When you decide there is a head of the group, they start in front of the others.
'They are ahead of the group and there are a lot of advantages. If you are second there are a lot of disadvantages. You don't start from zero.
'To win the Champions League when you are not head of the group is a big, big achievement.'
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=376840&campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=4716
Just read his words about Inter!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Mourinho baffled by Champions League seedings
Jose Mourinho insists a Champions League draw which could easily pit Chelsea against Barcelona in the group stage must be flawed.
Mourinho's Premiership champions have a one-in-five chance of being grouped with Barca when the draw is made in Monaco tomorrow.
Chelsea will be in the pot of second seeds and, if they avoid the champions of Spain and Europe, they are likely to face AC Milan, Inter Milan, Real Madrid or Valencia.
Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal, if the latter qualify, will all be among the first seeds but cannot be drawn with another English team in the groups.
Mourinho still cannot understand how the domestic champions can be ranked beneath three of the teams they beat to the title.
The Chelsea boss said: 'The way the groups are made is wrong, the criteria to be seeded in the groups. For example, the English champions Chelsea are lucky to be second seeds.
'For me, being champions is more important than the past for seeding.
'Inter Milan for example get more coefficient points for the Champions League than us even though Chelsea are champions of England and Inter Milan are only third in Italy.'
UEFA seed the teams based on a coefficient calculated from the performances of the clubs in Europe over the last five years combined with the coefficient of the country they come from.
This system puts new football powers like Chelsea behind the traditional heavyweights of European football.
Liverpool had to qualify this season by beating Maccabi Haifa and Arsenal must finish off Dinamo Zagreb to reach the group stage but they will both be seeded ahead of Chelsea because of their superior coefficient.
Mourinho said: 'How can a team who has to qualify be in front of a team who goes straight into the group?'
Chelsea will expect to qualify from any group because the top two teams progress but, if they are plunged into a tough group and can only finish second, they will face one of the group winners in the first knock-out round.
This happened last season, when the Blues finished behind Liverpool in the group and were then drawn against Barcelona in the second round.
Frank Rijkaard's team won an epic clash and Mourinho's European dream was over in early March.
The Chelsea manager believes the seeding system has a detrimental effect on the overall quality of the competition because so many of the best teams meet in the early stages.
Mourinho said: 'It is the best competition in the world but you don't see the best clubs in the semi-finals.
'For me the competition is not correct and you are in a lucky situation if the best team in Europe wins the competition.
'Compare the semi-finals with the earlier rounds, the last eight or last 16. Compare Arsenal against Villarreal with Arsenal against Juventus, Chelsea against Barcelona or Milan against Bayern Munich. It does not compare.
'Liverpool were champions and over 30 points behind Chelsea in the league, not even in the top four in the Premiership. Arsenal got through to the final but the best they could do [in the league] was fourth.'
Mourinho is chasing his third successive Premiership title with Chelsea this season and the club's first Champions League trophy.
He finds it hard to prefer one above the other but believes he is fighting an uphill battle in Europe because of the coefficient system.
Mourinho said: 'The Premier League is an even competition. The Champions League is not.
'When you decide there is a head of the group, they start in front of the others.
'They are ahead of the group and there are a lot of advantages. If you are second there are a lot of disadvantages. You don't start from zero.
'To win the Champions League when you are not head of the group is a big, big achievement.'
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=376840&campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=4716