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| Champions League | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Aug 1 2008, 07:30 AM (4,238 Views) | |
| raconteur | Dec 8 2008, 07:58 PM Post #121 |
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I am sure Simon will give us a more detailed preview but here is Reuters' outlook on the three remaining second round positions up for grabs,
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| Simon | Dec 9 2008, 05:52 AM Post #122 |
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There's not really much to add to Raconteur's Reuters link. Here are the fixtures: Tuesday, 9 December 2008 Chelsea v CFR 1907 Cluj-Napoca, Gp A, 19:45 Roma v Bordeaux, Gp A, 19:45 Werder Bremen v Inter Milan, Gp B, 19:45 Panathinaikos v Anorthosis Famagusta, Gp B, 19:45 Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk, Gp C, 19:45 Basle v Sporting Lisbon, Gp C, 19:45 Marseille v Atletico Madrid, Gp D, 19:45 PSV Eindhoven v Liverpool, Gp D, 19:45 Wednesday, 10 December 2008 Celtic v Villarreal, Gp E, 19:45 Manchester United v AaB Aalborg, Gp E, 19:45 Steaua Bucharest v Fiorentina, Gp F, 19:45 Lyon v Bayern Munich, Gp F, 19:45 Dynamo Kiev v Fenerbahce, Gp G, 19:45 FC Porto v Arsenal, Gp G, 19:45 Juventus v BATE Borisov, Gp H, 19:45 Real Madrid v Zenit St Petersburg, Gp H, 19:45 I thought I'd post on some of the general themes of the competition so far. We've heard about how only 3 spots in the next round are undecided, which is disappointing for the neutral. Especially as just last season the group phase was so dramatic and exciting - most notably with Liverpool scoring 16 goals in 3 games to come back from the dead, those clashes between Real Madrid and Olympiakos, United's great play against Sporting, Kiev and Roma, Arsenal's match-ups with Sevilla and their demolition of Slavia Prague, we saw Inter and Barcelona looking really good, Rosenborg twice beating Valencia, as well as Fenerbahce, Celtic, Schalke and Olympiakos all advancing. We don't seem to have had as many noteworthy stories this year? Several big clubs have dropped points and qualified in fits and starts, I'm thinking of Inter, United, Arsenal, Real Madrid etc, while Chelsea and Roma have stuttered and aren't quite there yet. It would be a troubling development if the big clubs now don't even need to get into top gear in order to advance through the groups. The other thing is that if we're talking about 'haves and have nots', you can look at the transfer budgets of these big eastern European teams and place them in the first category. But as we keep asking, when will the challenge from the east properly emerge? Far from having eastern bloc teams in the running to win the CL itself, again this year we had 6 eastern European teams in the group phase and they've all been knocked out with a game to spare. Zenit St Petersburg's one win in five games has been a particular disappointment, and even that was against another eastern team. |
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| gaviota | Dec 9 2008, 08:18 AM Post #123 |
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I agree with Simon's analysis of the general trend of the Champions League. I hope this is just a one year happening and not a sign of things to come because the lack of any real drama in this season's group stage has been disappointing. It is almost as if the teams are going through the motions waiting to get to the elimination stage when the tournament will really begin. |
| CHAMP13NS | |
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| enganche | Dec 9 2008, 04:33 PM Post #124 |
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Tuesday's results and goalscorers:
Roma, Chelsea and Panathinaikos assured their 2nd round classification today. Poor Anorthosis who did so well until these last few match days but their loss today combined with Werder Bremen's win puts Bremen in the UEFA Cup and ends Anorthosis' European adventure. |
| Prefiero morir de pie que vivir arrodillado | |
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| raconteur | Dec 9 2008, 08:26 PM Post #125 |
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That is too bad about Anorthosis, they did have a great run but over 6 games team depth plays a part and Anorthosis just lack that. No real surprises in the 16 teams which have qualified, maybe Panathianikos finishing ahead of Werder Bremen is a minor surprise but the rest followed form. |
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| Manzanares | Dec 9 2008, 08:43 PM Post #126 |
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Atletico Madrid decided to rotate some players against Marseille, it was not as extreme as Barcelona playing it's second team versus Shakhtar but Atletico decided finishing first or second was not as important to them as keeping players fresh for league play. But with no European play now until late February, was that really necessary? Now Atletico runs the risk of getting drawn with a group winner like Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Inter, Juventus or Arsenal instead of possibly playing a second place finisher like Panathinaikos or Sporting Lisbon. |
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| SuperEagle | Dec 10 2008, 08:45 AM Post #127 |
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Hold on manzanares, maybe Atletico Madrid are crazy like a fox. Inter's loss yesterday meant Panathinaikos won their group with Inter second. And tonight we will learn whether Manchester United and Bayern Munich finish first in their respective groups. The 16 remaining teams are all now determined but how they finish in their groups is not yet decided and already some heavyweights are dropping down into 2nd place. More could join them tonight. |
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| enganche | Dec 10 2008, 03:33 PM Post #128 |
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Wednesday's results and goalscorers:
Group winners: AS Roma, Barcelona, Liverpool, Panathinaikos, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Juventus and Porto Second placed teams: Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Olympique Lyon, Real Madrid, Sporting and Villarreal |
| Prefiero morir de pie que vivir arrodillado | |
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| Yogi | Dec 10 2008, 04:08 PM Post #129 |
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Looks like some teams didn't care if they finished first or second as these past few days we saw many teams playing weakened lineups. As Supereagle wrote, there are some powerful teams who finished second. Sets up the possibility of some titanic matchups in the next round, say Barcelona-Inter, Manchester United-Real Madrid or Bayern-Chelsea. Of course we also could get Panathinaikos-Sporting Lisbon too. |
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| gaviota | Dec 10 2008, 04:23 PM Post #130 |
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Good first game in charge for Juande Ramos at Real Madrid. Arjen Robben was in great form playing on the right wing ala Lionel Messi as Madrid easily beat Zenit 3-0. As Yogi writes there is the possibility with the number of powerful teams in 2nd place for some really good matchups. Barcelona for instance are guaranteed a tough series as they can not play Sporting the 2nd place team from their group nor can they face the three other Spanish teams who finished in 2nd place in their particular groups. So that means Barcelona's only possible opponents in the draw, set for 19 December, are Chelsea, Arsenal, Inter or Lyon! |
| CHAMP13NS | |
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| historyman | Dec 10 2008, 10:43 PM Post #131 |
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So it's the same old faces who have reached the last sixteen. Last night's series of games was a little flat and devoid of much excitement since so many issues had already been settled. Still, no doubt the knockout rounds will redeem the tournament. For me the CL doesn't really start until February. I watched the Porto/Arsenal game and it was yet another example of Arsenal dominating possession but failing to turn that into goals. Wenger played many of his 'youngsters' and they experienced a steep learning curve last night. Their passing was atrocious at times, and Bendtner had one of those evenings that he'd rather forget. Porto should have won by four or five goals. |
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| Mr. Pither | Dec 10 2008, 11:08 PM Post #132 |
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As others already commented, this week's games took place without much drama but the potential 2nd round matchups look very mouth watering. Panathinaikos have qualified before for the next round of the tournament but it has been several years since that has happened so I would say they are the one outsiders in this group. They probably are the team most would hope to get drawn with but they are the outsiders last hope in this tournament. |
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P-I-T-H-E-R ...as in Brotherhood, but with PI instead of the BRO and no HOOD | |
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| Johnbuildr | Dec 11 2008, 10:43 AM Post #133 |
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So, now nothing more until the end of February? The usual, but too bad to have to wait that long..... |
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Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum | |
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| raconteur | Dec 12 2008, 05:05 PM Post #134 |
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Just the internecine warfare that is league games! |
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| historyman | Dec 19 2008, 04:45 AM Post #135 |
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The draw for the secound round has just been made: Chelsea v Juventus Villarreal v Panathinaikos Sporting Lisbon v Bayern Munich Atlético Madrid v Porto Lyon v Barcelona Real Madrid v Liverpool Arsenal v Roma Internazionale v Manchester United Ties to be played on February 24 and 25, and March 10 and 11. So now we can begin to savour some of the mouth-watering ties that await in the spring. One sub-plot to the second round is three Anglo-Italian clashes. Could this be an opportunity for Serie A to strike back against the Premier League? |
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