Champions League Season 2007/2008

[Herr Matzat]

2007/08 UEFA Champions League

Third qualifying round draw

First leg: 14/15 August

Second leg: 28/29 August

FH Hafnarfjördur (ISL) / FC BATE Borisov (BLR) v FC Steaua Bucuresti (ROU)

Tampere United (FIN) / PFC Levski Sofia (BUL) v FC Astana (KAZ) / Rosenborg BK (NOR)

FC Spartak Moskva (RUS) v Celtic FC (SCO)

Werder Bremen (GER) v NK Domžale (SVN) / NK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)

FK Ventspils (LVA) / FC Salzburg (AUT) v FC Pyunik (ARM) / FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)

AFC Ajax (NED) v MŠK Žilina (SVK) / SK Slavia Praha (CZE)

Valencia CF (ESP) v Debreceni VSC (HUN) / IF Elfsborg (SWE)

KRC Genk (BEL) / FK Sarajevo (BIH) v FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)

Fenerbahçe SK (TUR) v RSC Anderlecht (BEL)

Rangers FC (SCO) / FK Zeta (MNE) v FK Crvena Zvezda (SRB) / FC Levadia Tallinn (EST)

Toulouse FC (FRA) v Liverpool FC (ENG)

SL Benfica (POR) v FC København (DEN) / Beitar Jerusalem FC (ISR)

S.S. Lazio (ITA) v FC Dinamo 1948 Bucuresti (ROU)

AC Sparta Praha (CZE) v Arsenal FC (ENG)

FC Zürich (SUI) v FC Sheriff (MDA) / Beşiktaş JK (TUR)

Sevilla FC (ESP) v AEK Athens FC (GRE)

Toulouse test awaits Liverpool

Friday 3 August 2007

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Last season's losing finalists Liverpool FC will have to overcome a stiff task by overcoming Toulouse FC if they are to reach the group stage of the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League, while UEFA Cup holders Sevilla FC must find a way past AEK Athens FC in two mouthwatering ties from today's draw in Nyon.

Toulouse test

Liverpool, the 2005 champions, will take on the French side less than three months after losing 2-1 to AC Milan in the Athens final as their bid to become European champions for a sixth time was ended. Both finalists had begun their campaigns in the third qualifying round, playing 19 games en route to the showpiece, and there are a host of clubs aiming to emulate them. Among them are three other former European champions entering at this stage - SL Benfica, AFC Ajax and Celtic FC.

Sevilla task

Having failed to reach the group stage last year, four-time champions Ajax will be looking to find a way past either MŠK Žilina or SK Slavia Praha, while Benfica meet the winner of the tie between FC København and Beitar Jerusalem FC. Celtic, meanwhile, are aiming to build on their impressive showing last season when they reached the UEFA Champions League knockout stages for the first time. Another side who impressed in last year's group stage, FC Spartak Moskva, stand in the Scottish champions' way and similarly thorny opponents await Sevilla as they embark on their first European Champion Clubs' Cup campaign in half a century.

Ties under way

In all, 46 teams were involved in today's proceedings with the 28 clubs still competing in the second qualifying round, to be concluded next Wednesday, joined by the 18 clubs entering at this stage. Seedings were used to determine the draw, and for those clubs in the second qualifying round with an individual coefficient which entitled them to be seeded in the third qualifying round, the potential winner of the match involving that club was automatically seeded.

Ultimate goal

After next week's action is concluded, the 16 third qualifying round ties will be played over two legs on 14/15 and 28/29 August. The winners will all go through to the group stage which kicks off in September, where the 16 teams who have automatically qualified await. Friday's proceedings were conducted by David Taylor, UEFA's general secretary, and Giorgio Marchetti, director of professional football. The final will be played in Moscow on 21 May next year – 292 days away.

Edited August 3, 2007 by Michael Matzat on a Plane

[new_era]

All British clubs will have a tough task of making. I wanna see how Arsenal are this season in the league without Henry, in Europe, this will be intersting. Liverpool, again tough, all French teams are bastards really, i think they'll make it through though at Anfield after a 1-0 loss away. Celtic, Spartak are a good team, especially at home. I remember a few years back when Ipswich played a Russian side in the Uefa Cup, they were so awkard to play away from home exactly like Moscow, if they get a result there they should make it, but i don't care about the Scottish teams Rangers have the easiest way in, but two rounds, they weren't that great last year were they? Boyd was, but out of Celtic and Rangers, i hope Rangers make through.

Edited August 3, 2007 by new_era

[Herr Matzat]

Indeed.

looks like zagreb will be the team to face bremen, they are not a big name but they did a lot of damage to big teams in the last cupple of years, stillwe are fav and need to win this. On the other hand Bremen has 11 (!!!) injured players right now.

[Baddar]

For some reason, I think Arsenal are gonna find Sparta very tough to beat. I think Liverpool have nothing Toulouse () - Nah, they should go through quite comfortably. As for the Scottish sides, well you never know what you're gonna get with them. Rangers seem to have the kinder draw, but who knows.

[Herr Matzat]

I don´t think this is a who knowes, Spartak has been in the Group stages several times before if i am not mixing up team names.

[Baddar]

I don´t think this is a who knowes, Spartak has been in the Group stages several times before if i am not mixing up team names.

Yeah, I wasn't saying I don't know them, I meant I was unsure if Rangers/Celtic would qualify or not. Celtic's draw is definitely a hard one...as hard as Arsenal's.

To be honest, I don't know anything about the possible teams Rangers are set to play though.

[Herr Matzat]

Lazio - Dinamo Bucuresti 1-1

Rangers - Crvena Zvezda 1-0

Benfica - København 2-1

Valencia - Elfsborg 3-0

Sevilla - AEK 2-0

Toulouse - Liverpool 0-1

Sarajevo - Dynamo Kyiv 0-1

Fenerbahçe - Anderlecht 1-0

Sparta - Arsenal 0-2

Zürich - Beşiktaş 1-1

BATE - Steaua Bucureşti 2-2

Tampere - Rosenborg 0-3

Spartak Moskva - Celtic 1-1

Bremen - Dinamo Zagreb 2-1

Salzburg - Shakhtar 1-0

Ajax - Slavia 0-1

[The Quasi Juice]

I'm pissed off about Ajax's result. Why do we always suck major ass in third round qualifiers!

[mikevandam]

at least they didn't do an own goal like last year (which send bloody FC Copenhagen in the champions league). Come on Benfica

[Herr Matzat]

Bremen won 3-2 (overall 5-3)

Ajax lost and therefore is out of the competition, this puts Bremen in pot two. 8-)

I did not keep trak of the other results. happy. yay.

The draw will be tommorow at 17:00 gmt, 18:00 cet, i have no idea how they will handle the sevillia athenes situation.

[Evafreak]

Fuck yes Celtic made it through on penalties two Scottish teams in Champions League for the first time in ages ^^

Edited August 29, 2007 by Evafreak

[Herr Matzat]

2007/08 UEFA Champions League

Group stage draw - 18.00CET, Thursday

POT 1

AC Milan (ITA, holders)

FC Barcelona (ESP)

Liverpool FC (ENG)

FC Internazionale Milano (ITA)

Arsenal FC (ENG)

Real Madrid CF (ESP)

Chelsea FC (ENG)

Manchester United FC (ENG)

POT 2

Valencia CF (ESP)

Olympique Lyonnais (FRA)

FC Porto (POR)

Sevilla FC (ESP) / AEK Athens FC (GRE)

PSV Eindhoven (NED)

AS Roma (ITA)

SL Benfica (POR)

Werder Bremen (GER)

POT 3

Celtic FC (SCO)

FC Schalke 04 (GER)

VfB Stuttgart (GER)

FC Steaua Bucureşti (ROU)

PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS)

Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR)

S.S. Lazio (ITA)

Olympique de Marseille (FRA)

POT 4

Rangers FC (SCO)

FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)

Beşiktaş JK (TUR)

Olympiacos CFP (GRE)

FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)

Fenerbahçe SK (TUR)

SK Slavia Praha (CZE)

Rosenborg BK (NOR)

I´ed really be happy if Bremen would not get Barca fort he third time in a row. I guess i´ed love to have Milan, they better bring hot Italian Chicks with them >_> For pot 3, everything but Moscow would do – Marseille is a very hard draw but it´s not arctic so i´ed rather go there even if that would make the grupe though. As for Pot 4… Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş… imagine a group that gets Fenerbahçe and Marseille from 3 and 4, that would be a pure massacre. I´ed rather not go to the bitter cold clubs but at least it’s not as bad as Moscow so actually everything would do but i´ed prefer a hotter region.

Draw is on

Cech is Club Goalkepper of the year

Maldini is Club Defender of the year

Sedorf is Club Midfielder of the year

CaCa is Club forward of the year

Matzat is Club player of the year

A

Liverpool FC

FC Porto

Olympique de Marseille

Beşiktaş JK

B

Chelsea FC

Valencia CF

FC Schalke 04

Rosenborg BK

C

Real Madrid CF

Werder Bremen

S.S. Lazio

Olympiacos CFP

D

AC Milan

SL Benfica

Celtic FC

FC Shakhtar Donetsk

E

FC Barcelona

Olympique Lyonnais

VfB Stuttgart

Rangers FC

F

Manchester United FC

AS Roma

Sporting Clube de Portugal

FC Dynamo Kyiv

G

FC Internazionale Milano

PSV Eindhoven

PFC CSKA Moskva

Fenerbahçe SK

H

Arsenal FC

Sevilla FC / AEK Athens FC

FC Steaua Bucureşti

SK Slavia Praha

draw ends, i am out of here yawn.

Edited August 30, 2007 by Michael Matzat on a Plane

[ONO]

Chelsea Vs Valencia is going to be two good games.

Happy about getting Madrid, Matzat?

Edited August 30, 2007 by Lost Soul

[Herr Matzat]

Fuck yeah

[Katsuya]

Bwahaha. United vs. Roma again? Well there's guaranteed points...and death, probably...

[TMM]

Cesc for midfielder or this thing is rigged ¬_¬

EDIT: It's rigged...

Edited August 30, 2007 by TMM

[Herr Matzat]

he can still be overall play of the year i guss

[Katsuya]

B = Group of Death? Chelsea, Valencia & Schalke is big.

[Herr Matzat]

schalke blows

[Herr Matzat]

there you have a group of death