Champions League Draw

[public enemy]

It's on Sky Sports News, channel 408 for Sky subscribers. Basically just a preview show at the minute but the live draw is soon to come. Anyone watching?

Reds could face Chelsea rematch

Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United are among the top seeds for the draw for the Champions League group stage in Monaco and are guaranteed to avoid most of the strongest sides in Europe.

But there is the possibility of reigning European champions Liverpool being picked in the same group as Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, one of the eight second seeds.

Liverpool beat Chelsea over two legs to make the final of Europe's elite club competition last season but manager Rafael Benitez will be keen to avoid a rematch in the Champions League group stage.

The Reds have 'no country protection' after being given special admittance into the qualifying rounds of the competition to defend their trophy, but will definitely avoid Arsenal and Manchester United at least until the knockout rounds because all three are top seeds.

The seedings mean that Arsenal, United and Liverpool are guaranteed to avoid the likes of Real Madrid, AC Milan or Barcelona.

There is a strong possibility of an England v Scotland clash with Rangers ranked among the third seeds.

Football managers insist there are no easy sides in the Champions League but few coaches will complain if they are drawn with Swiss side Thun, Rapid Vienna of Austria or Artmedia Bratislava from Slovakia, even though they put out Celtic.

There are some strong sides among the fourth seeds to avoid though including Real Betis of Spain and Italian side Udinese, who beat 2004 finalists Monaco in the final qualifying round.

The draw in Monaco will see 32 clubs drawn into eight groups. Each group will contain one top seed, one second seed, one third seed and one fourth seed.

[lazy_arse]

I'm watching. Chelsea and Liverpool is the same group would be gay. Chelsea should have been seeded.

[therockbox]

It'd be interesting for Liverpool and Chelsea to be in the same group, but I'm hoping it doesn't happen. I can see that game in the Premiership.

[Guest Red Devil]

Anyone know what time the draw is supposed to start? I'm thinking of watching it.

[Visionary]

That fact that Man Utd are seeded first and Chelsea aren't is ridiculous in my opinion. I mean Chelsea came second in the prem above Utd two years ago and won it last year while reaching the semis two years in a row too. Man Utd I believe have won one FA Cup in that time period?

Edited August 25, 2005 by Visionary

[lazy_arse]

Anyone know what time the draw is supposed to start? I'm thinking of watching it.

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[public enemy]

Top Seeds

Liverpool (holders) (no country protection)

Real Madrid (ESP)

AC Milan (ITA)

Barcelona (ESP)

Manchester United (ENG)

Inter Milan (ITA)

Bayern Munich (GER)

Arsenal (ENG)

2nd Seeds

Porto (POR)

Juventus (ITA)

PSV Eindhoven (NED)

Lyon (FRA)

Panathinaikos (GRE)

Chelsea (ENG)

Villarreal (ESP)

Ajax (NED)

3rd Seeds

Club Brugge (BEL)

Anderlecht (BEL)

Olympiakos (GRE)

Schalke 04 (GER)

Sparta Prague (CZE)

Rangers (SCO)

Lille (FRA)

Werder Bremen (GER)

4th Seeds

Benfica (POR)

Rosenborg (NOR)

Real Betis (ESP)

Udinese (ITA)

Fenerbache (TUR)

Rapid Vienna (AUT)

FC Thun (SUI)

Artmedia Bratislava (SVK)

The actual draw starts at 3.00 I think...

EDIT:

That fact that Man Utd are seeded first and Chelsea aren't is ridiculous in my opinion. I mean Chelsea came second in the prem above Utd two years ago and won it last year while reaching the semis two years in a row too. Man Utd I believe have won one FA Cup in that time period?

Edited August 25, 2005 by public enemy

[Guest Red Devil]

Thanks. I'm just hoping we avoid Juventus. That's the only team outside the top seeds that worry me.

[Turbo Yannis]

In Chelsea's group, I'd like it to be

Chelsea

Real Madrid

Rangers

Thun

That'd make me a happy camper

[public enemy]

Bah, turns out the draw isn't until another half-hour.

The skysports schedual is as follows;

3pm UEFA Club Football Awards

3.30pm Champions League Draw

4.00pm Reaction

. . . And to add a bit of humour to the thread yet still moderately keeping on topic (>_>), something I just seen on the football365 forums.

[Turbo Yannis]

For fuck sake. Dragging it out or what...

[lazy_arse]

Dudek to win best goalkeeper. Ha Ha.

[Turbo Yannis]

WHOO!! Go Big Pete!!

I thought Buffon would win that

Someone tell Kaka to speak English

Haha, Van Bommel looked like he was about to cry

Edited August 25, 2005 by Turbonegro

[FLiam]

We can get Juventus? Great.

We are so going to get them, it is just fate.

[public enemy]

These awards are a load of bollocks, hurry up with the main show already!

[lazy_arse]

Stevie Gerrard is Most Valuable Player. I'm well chuffed for him. He totally deserves it. I was suprised that he wasn't on the midfield shortlist, but maybe that's because he won this.

[Herr Matzat]

i still havent found my voice after last nights game, i am willing to take any group that there is, bring it on europe~!

[fineintent]

These seedings are gay - Chelsea have been to two semi-finals in the last two years, while Arsenal have done fuck all. Here's hoping for a decent draw for every English side though, I still dream of an all-English final.

[GA!]

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It's funny because they suck!

I think it'd be really cool if Liverpool ended up in a group with Chelsea and Rangers for some reason. It'd be a good scrap and even better if it's Chelsea that comes 3rd or 4th. I'm hopeful that the draw will leave Man Utd and Chelsea in the shit.

[Turbo Yannis]

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It's funny because they suck!

I think it'd be really cool if Liverpool ended up in a group with Chelsea and Rangers for some reason. It'd be a good scrap and even better if it's Chelsea that comes 3rd or 4th. I'm hopeful that the draw will leave Man Utd and Chelsea in the shit.

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