2011/2012 UEFA Champions League

[IAceI]

Champions League play-off first leg results

Tuesday 16 August

Arsenal 1 - 0 Udinese

BATE Borisov 1 - 1 SK Sturum Gratz

FC Copenhagen 1 - 3 Plzen

FC Twente 2 - 2 Benfica

Lyon 3 - 1 Rubin Kazan

Wednesday 17 August

Bayern Munich 2 - 0 Zurich

Dinamo Zagreb 4 - 1 Malmo

Maccabi Haifa 2 - 1 Genk

Odense BK 1 - 0 Villareal

Wisla Krakow 1 - 0 APOEL Nicosia

I'll stop muscling in one Lineker's area now, but figured I'd get the results up since the first legs have all been completed. On to the second legs shortly, Munich look safe (they were wasteful against Zurich but got it done), Lyon look safe as I don't think Rubin will have it in them to get the 2-0 win they need and Zagreb look safe.

Villareal have it all to do, Benfica v Twente will be an interesting match, Arsenal should be okay as Udinese will need to control and dictate the match, which isn't there style, but it's in Udine so it would be silly to write them off. Copenhagen, too, have dug themselves a bit of a pit as well.

Unfortunately Roy Carroll is no longer at Odense, though, he was released at the start of the year - his Champions League adventure not realised.

[mikevandam]

Odense have done well against Spanish teams before. Here against Real Madrid anno 1994 (Madrid were up 2-0 from the first game in Odense) Would love to see them qualify instead of Copenhagen ^_^

Edited August 18, 2011 by mikevandam

[Lineker]

tbf I don't really give too much of a shit about the Champions League this year

[iiMarco x]

tbf I don't really give too much of a shit about the Champions League this year

Same because knowing Arsenal they will be knocked out early

Edited August 18, 2011 by iiMarco x

[HailtotheYo]

At least we're there ....

[Lineker]

Not quite.

[iiMarco x]

At least we're there ....

If you're talking about Arsenal we have to play the 2nd leg of the qualifier.

[Starvinho]

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger charged over Udinese game

Arsene Wenger will face disciplinary action for communicating with Arsenal's bench while serving a touchline ban, Uefa have confirmed.

The incident took place in Arsenal's Champions League play-off with Udinese.

Arsenal say Wenger thought he could pass messages to assistant Pat Rice via a coach, but he was told at half-time this was not allowed.

Uefa said Wenger has been charged with "not abiding by the decisions of the Uefa control and disciplinary body".

European football's governing body's added: "According to the Uefa disciplinary regulations, a manager may not communicate with his team during the match for which he is suspended and may follow the game from the stands only.

"Wenger was serving the suspension which the Uefa control and disciplinary body handed down following the English team's round of 16 match at FC Barcelona in the same competition last season."

The case will be discussed on Monday 22 August and any penalty is likely to take the form of a fine rather than another ban.

After the game on Tuesday Wenger insisted: "It was very difficult because you don't know really what the rules are.

"They told us first that, through my assistant, he can communicate. And after half-time, it was not like that."

Wenger cut an agitated figure throughout the second half and did not attend the post-match media conference, insisting his one-match suspension also prevented him from conducting media duties.

Arsenal officials were puzzled by Uefa's stance, having left the pre-match briefing sure that Wenger could send messages to the coaching staff via a third party, in this instance first team coach Boro Primorac.

[Lineker]

Arsene Wenger has been handed a two-match ban by Uefa after being found guilty of breaching the terms of a previous Champions League sanction.

The north London club has also been fined 10,000 euros (£8,742) for improper conduct by their officials.

The Arsenal boss received the ban after he was found guilty of contacting the bench while serving a touchline ban during the first leg of Arsenal's tie against Udinese on Tuesday, 16 August.

Arsenal will appeal against the ban.

The ban will take effect immediately, with Wenger set to sit in the stands on Wednesday during the second leg of the Gunners' group stage play-off match against the Italian side.

A Uefa statement said: "The Uefa control and disciplinary body has suspended manager Arsene Wenger from carrying out his duties at Arsenal's next two Uefa competition matches.

"Today's decision was taken in relation to the Arsenal manager not abiding by the decision of the control and disciplinary body during the English club's Champions League play-off game against Udinese.

"Wenger is therefore suspended for Arsenal's second-leg match against Udinese in Italy on Wednesday and then the next Uefa competition fixture for which he would be eligible."

The Gunners boss believed he had not done anything wrong after the club had told him he could pass messages to assistant Pat Rice via a coach during the first leg at Emirates Stadium. He was then told at half-time that this was not allowed.

Wenger said it was frustrating because the club had asked Uefa before the match for clarification of the rules and that he had stuck to them.

"That's why I'm quite surprised they need an inquiry because they gave us the rules and we observed strictly what they told us," he said on Friday.

European football's governing body said Uefa regulations meant the manager "may follow the game from the stands only".

[Starvinho]

lol can anything else go wrong for Arsenal? Wenger should just do a Mourinho and not even turn up to the stadium during his ban, that way he can't get into any more trouble.

[Matt]

lol can anything else go wrong for Arsenal? Wenger should just do a Mourinho and not even turn up to the stadium during his ban, that way he can't get into any more trouble.

Mourinho was actually banned from the stadium though, wasn't he? I don't think it was a case of not bothering to turn up.

[Starvinho]

From what I remember he just didn't turn up.

Edit:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/world-football/2011/05/04/champions-league-semi-final-second-leg-barcelona-1-real-madrid-1-barca-win-3-1-on-agg-86908-23106258/

Says something about it in that article a few paragraphs down.

Edited August 22, 2011 by Starvinho

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Genk

[Starvinho]

Uefa Champions League Qualifying

Apoel Nicosia 3-1 Wisla Krakow (agg 3-2)

FC Zurich 0-1 Bayern Munich (agg 0-3)

Genk 2-1 Maccabi Haifa (agg 3-3) (Genk win 4-1 on penalties)

Malmo 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb (agg 3-4)

Villarreal 3-0 Odense BK (agg 3-1)

Is the group stages draw this week sometime?

[EddieG]

If they are, my guess would be Friday afternoon.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Draw is Thursday, should be some tough groups with some of the names in certain pots, really hoping to avoid Dortmund, though that would be a cracking match.

[Starvinho]

Wenger will be allowed on the bench for tonight's game after appealing his 2 game ban.

[IAceI]

Apparently a possible group is: Barcelona, AC Milan, Manchester City and Dortmund.

[Starvinho]

Napoli and Dortmund are both in Pot 4 so chances are there is gonna be atleast one 'group of death', just hope we avoid it. And try avoid all German, Spanish and Italian clubs altogether whilst we're at it!

[Lineker]

Man City will probably try to sign the likes of Gotze if they draw Dortmund