...the look on Ronaldo's face - priceless :-D
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Looking forward to the match between FC Bayern and Arsenal. It should be interesting, as well as being a DFB reunion of sorts for Oezil & Mertesacker (who actually resigned from the National Team after the World Cup last year...) Unfortunately the other teams didn't fare too well in the draw; M'gladbach faces Juve & Man City...Good Luck! -- and Bayer Leverkusen faces AS Rom & Barca...Good Night.
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Leverkusen completely outplayed Lazio in both legs of the playoff and were unlucky to lose in Rome. I don't see any reason they can't outplay Roma, which underachieved at this level last year. Second behind Barca is no shame. Wolfsburg should also qualify from their Group, where PSV, the seeded team, looks like it might end up fourth.
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Interesting draw.
5 Spanish teams and of course the best ever Lionel, wins another POTY award.
Seeing Ronaldo fumble his brief answer and mope onstage was utterly predictable and priceless.
The English clubs get off relatively easy on paper and Group D looks to be the toughest but we can never know at this stage can we?
Barca get on paper a less challenging draw but Roma and Leverkusen will be tough as will any trip to Belarus.
Visca Barca!
5 Spanish teams and of course the best ever Lionel, wins another POTY award.
Seeing Ronaldo fumble his brief answer and mope onstage was utterly predictable and priceless.
The English clubs get off relatively easy on paper and Group D looks to be the toughest but we can never know at this stage can we?
Barca get on paper a less challenging draw but Roma and Leverkusen will be tough as will any trip to Belarus.
Visca Barca!
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Fogot to mention that City got a tough draw.
Isn´t this the European Champions League Trophy ?
What is an israeli team doing there ? Aren´t you supposed to play and
try to better relations between neighbours ?
No wonder the arrogance and racism.
What is an israeli team doing there ? Aren´t you supposed to play and
try to better relations between neighbours ?
No wonder the arrogance and racism.
Israel's been in UEFA for over 10 years now, do keep up.
IIRC only Beitar Jerusalem haven't signed Arab players (actually they did but their fans drove him out). Are you also upset with CSKA for Putin's invasion of Ukraine? Let's keep politics out of this.
IIRC only Beitar Jerusalem haven't signed Arab players (actually they did but their fans drove him out). Are you also upset with CSKA for Putin's invasion of Ukraine? Let's keep politics out of this.
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The Arab countries that dominate the Asian federation refused to play Israel, so UEFA took them in. It's political. But on whose globe is Kazakhstan in Europe? It's further east than a host of countries playing in the Asian confederation (Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan and on and on)
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So proud that an Israeli team is finally able to stand on equal terms with the greatest teams in Europe and hopefully win a few. The only racism I see here is your narrow-minded comment. When the Asian (Arab) teams, which are formidable ones themselves, are ready to play against a Jewish team, I am sure that the Israeli team will be very happy to comply and compete in Asia. It's because of comments like yours that anti-semitism still rears its head at stadiums all across Europe. Enough!
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Man City took it on the chin, almost an annual rite of fall. They're lucky that the German Pot 4 team they drew was Gladbach, who are likely ruing the sale of their top German midfielder Christoph Kramer to Leverkusen, and striker Max Kruse to Wolfsburg. This is a group with a LOT of central midfield talent, and they're depending on Granit Xhaka...a lot.
For the other English teams, qualification looks straightforward, and there's no reason why Chelsea and United shouldn't win their groups.
Leverkusen and Roma are playing for second behind Barca. No favors done for Real Madrid, but winning the group shouldn't be a problem.
As strong as Group D is, Group H is laughably weak, with even minnow Ghent dreaming of their chances.
Making
Pot 1 be made up of champions unbalanced the draw, badly. Barca, Bayern, Arsenal and Chelsea all playing on the same match day? Faux can't be happy, as they might have to preempt UFC or Nascar.
Many more teams ended up with no choice in groups to be drawn. As a whole, Pot 2 was far stronger than Pot 1. And for Arsenal, drawing Bayern was bad, but once Olympiakos showed up in Pot 3, they knew they were sidestepping the two tough German sides in Pot 4, while Man City knew they were getting one of them. They're lucky to get Gladbach and not Wolfsburg, who look much more dangerous, even if they do sell Kevin DeBruyne.
For the other English teams, qualification looks straightforward, and there's no reason why Chelsea and United shouldn't win their groups.
Leverkusen and Roma are playing for second behind Barca. No favors done for Real Madrid, but winning the group shouldn't be a problem.
As strong as Group D is, Group H is laughably weak, with even minnow Ghent dreaming of their chances.
Making
Pot 1 be made up of champions unbalanced the draw, badly. Barca, Bayern, Arsenal and Chelsea all playing on the same match day? Faux can't be happy, as they might have to preempt UFC or Nascar.
Many more teams ended up with no choice in groups to be drawn. As a whole, Pot 2 was far stronger than Pot 1. And for Arsenal, drawing Bayern was bad, but once Olympiakos showed up in Pot 3, they knew they were sidestepping the two tough German sides in Pot 4, while Man City knew they were getting one of them. They're lucky to get Gladbach and not Wolfsburg, who look much more dangerous, even if they do sell Kevin DeBruyne.
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Man Utd got a Fergie draw, almost an annual rite of fall. They surely have the talent to win the group, but unless this is the season van Genius really turns the ship around I think they've got a survival fight on their hands. I think they'll go through, but with a fair bit of squeaky bum time.
Man City also surely have the talent to win the group, but somehow it's hard to see that, even with Juve weakened. Interesting that with 5 La Liga sides in the CL only Sevilla fell into pot 3, and I don't think there would be a team in the Cup glad to see them in their group.
And in yet another annual rite of fall the Arse will go through, yet again. In second, yet again.
Man City also surely have the talent to win the group, but somehow it's hard to see that, even with Juve weakened. Interesting that with 5 La Liga sides in the CL only Sevilla fell into pot 3, and I don't think there would be a team in the Cup glad to see them in their group.
And in yet another annual rite of fall the Arse will go through, yet again. In second, yet again.
On talent, you'd take City as the best players. But Kompany is just coming back from a year in dreadful form, and they are an Aguero injury away from being bereft at striker, where they've worn out Dzeko, Jovetic, Negredo and now Bony, making every single one of them look markedly worse than when they arrived. Not sure if De Bruyne comes where/how he fits in. It's a team with trouble sharing the ball at times, and fullback is a real issue. Sagna is still solid, but has lost a step, and Kolarov is suspect on the defensive end, and Clichy is fading, fast.
And they're old. I could se
Pogba having his way with them, even with Juve diminished. Gladbach is off to a miserable start, and selling Kramer and Kruse going *into* CL play is a head scratcher. And Lucien Favre doesn't always play Patrick Herrmann, his best player the last two years. They look like bottom to me, but the other three should be a wild scramble. Somehow I think Juve will win the group, and City will find a way to end up in the Europa League.
Even if they sell DeBruyne, Wolfsburg are no mugs. I really like Daniel Caliguiri, whose playing time was squeezed by DeBruyne and Ivan Perisic. And if Dieter Hecking gives him the chance, Maxi Arnold is a rising star in central midfield. United better not need a result in match day 6 in Germany. The really soft draw was for the Specially Mercenary One and Chel$ki. And Group H is ridiculously soft, with any of the teams thinking about advancing.
And they're old. I could se
Pogba having his way with them, even with Juve diminished. Gladbach is off to a miserable start, and selling Kramer and Kruse going *into* CL play is a head scratcher. And Lucien Favre doesn't always play Patrick Herrmann, his best player the last two years. They look like bottom to me, but the other three should be a wild scramble. Somehow I think Juve will win the group, and City will find a way to end up in the Europa League.
Even if they sell DeBruyne, Wolfsburg are no mugs. I really like Daniel Caliguiri, whose playing time was squeezed by DeBruyne and Ivan Perisic. And if Dieter Hecking gives him the chance, Maxi Arnold is a rising star in central midfield. United better not need a result in match day 6 in Germany. The really soft draw was for the Specially Mercenary One and Chel$ki. And Group H is ridiculously soft, with any of the teams thinking about advancing.
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