2012/13 UEFA Champions League thread

[Dan]

Group A: Porto, Dynamo Kiev, Paris St Germain, Dinamo Zagreb.

Group B: Arsenal, Schalke, Olympiakos, Montpellier.

Group C: AC Milan, Zenit St Petersburg, Anderlecht, Malaga.

Group D: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund.

Group E: Chelsea, Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus, FC Nordsjaelland.

Group F: Bayern Munich, Valencia, Lille, BATE Borisov.

Group G: Barcelona, Benfica, Spartak Moscow, Celtic ().

Group H: Manchester United, Braga, Galatasaray, CFR Cluj.

Bold are the qualifiers, Underline go to Europa League

Oh, didn't realise that was decided today too.

[Berober]

Group A: Porto, Dynamo Kiev, Paris St Germain, Dinamo Zagreb.

Group B: Arsenal, Schalke, Olympiakos, Montpellier.

Group C: AC Milan, Zenit St Petersburg, Anderlecht, Malaga.

Group D: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund.

Group E: Chelsea, Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus, FC Nordsjaelland.

Group F: Bayern Munich, Valencia, Lille, BATE Borisov.

Group G: Barcelona, Benfica, Spartak Moscow, Celtic ().

Group H: Manchester United, Braga, Galatasaray, CFR Cluj.

Bold are the qualifiers, Underline go to Europa League

Oh, didn't realise that was decided today too.

I forgot to say predictions didn't I.

[EddieG]

It doesn't get decided, but third place in the group go to Europa. I don't care about other groups, but I see Malaga in 2nd over Zenit, and Ajax to finish with a big fat 0 points.

[Cheeky Hughes]

Thinking about it, when was the last time a Champions League group was full of league champions?

[Pesci]

Not a bad draw in the end. Highlight is obviously Man City's group - when Ajax are the weakest team in there you know it's a good one. Other groups I'm looking forward to are Porto/Dynamo/PSG/Zagreb, Arsenal's group, Chelsea's group and Bayern/Valencia/Lille/BATE.

I'll predict too, why not:

Group A: Porto, Dynamo Kiev, PSG, GNK Dinamo

Group B: Arsenal, Schalke, Olympiakos, Montpellier

Group C: AC Milan, Zenit, Anderlecht, Malaga

Group D: Real Madrid, Manchester City, Ajax, Dortmund

Group E: Chelsea, Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus, Nordsjælland

Group F: Bayern, Valencia, Lille, BATE Borisov

Group G: Barcelona, Benfica, Spartak Moscow, Celtic

Group H: Manchester United, Braga, Galatasaray, Cluj

Edited August 30, 2012 by Pesci

[Robsturgh]

Dortmund and Real to get out of that group of death I think. I genuinely think Dortmund are dark horses this year.

[Cheeky Hughes]

I think Real will top group D, with us taking second. I doubt we'll be as complacent this year.

[Jimmy]

Hughes, do you think Mancini's job will be in danger if he doesn't get out of the group stages this year?

[Lineker]

No way! He won the league - not to mention he only signed a new long-term contract earlier this summer!

[Monkey D. Lars]

Poor Ajax

[Cheeky Hughes]

Hughes, do you think Mancini's job will be in danger if he doesn't get out of the group stages this year?

I think the Sheikh might just have a bit of empathy. What with the group of absolute shitting death on our hands.

[Pesci]

I can see Mancini getting the sack if he doesn't make it out given how poor his Champions League record is as a whole.

[Dingle]

I'm with Ryan here, I doubt it'll lead to him getting sacked. I'm not privy to the backstage goings on, but if anyone needs to lose their job it's the transfer guy. He's such a cock block. It'll probably be more down to performance than anything else, but I don't really have any real worries about finishing second in that group. Dortmund could beat anyone in the group, same for Madrid, but I also see the same for City. Either way, I'm mostly interested in seeing some absolutely quality matches between the four top sides in Europe in their respective leagues.

[Blaze09]

C'mon now, we're not Chelsea...

yet...

[Jam]

Do Arsenal play Olympiakos every year? Just seems to be one of them games that pop up every year. Real Madrid Vs Ajax is another

[Lineker]

BREAKING NEWS: Manchester City place £40 million bid to switch Champions League groups with Arsenal.

[Gazz]

BREAKING NEWS: Champions League refuses to sign new deal with Arsenal. Man City make revised bid of £8m.

[GoN_]

I'm fairly happy with United's group. But then again, I was ecstatic with last year's and look how that turned out

Well, I think Braga won't be as easy as most people think, but Man Utd have a better team this year and will most likely get at least 15 points. But I really think Braga can get the second place.

About Group G, Barcelona will crush us but I think we can get easily past Celtic. I don't know the russians so well, but they seem to have a few talented brazilians.

[Starvinho]

I'm not taking anything for granted this year after our performances in Europe last season. Not looking forward to Galatasaray away mind. If we win our home games then I think we should be ok though.

[EddieG]

Poor Ajax

What a shame.