Champions League 2013/14

[Kaney]

Knew we'd end up with them again.

[Baddar]

Great draw. Jose gets Galatasaray, and there's a good chance Arsenal and City are fucked.

[Colly]

Galatasaray v Chelsea should be fun. Unless of course they sign Drogba in Jan...

[Sam]

Good draw for United with some of the bigger boys knocking each other out as well going into the Quarters which we should be able to reach now.

[Matt]

I think City have a chance if they turn up. Nice to see scum get an easy draw, an extra 2 games in March/April will hopefully be the difference between sneaking in the top 4 and not.

[Baddar]

Good draw for United with some of the bigger boys knocking each other out as well going into the Quarters which we should be able to reach now.

If I had to pick a game to be paired with for the quarters, so to speak, it'd probably be AC Milan-Atletico. I wouldn't mind either of them, whereas every other match has at least one top, top side that's best avoided if possible.

[Dan]

Atletico would wipe the floor with Man Utd, they're above Real Madrid and joint top with Barcelona in La Liga.

[TCO]

Saying you wouldn't mind Athletico is a bit silly. They're level on points with Barcelona, behind on goals scored and 5 ahead of Real Madrid. They've only conceded 9 goals this season too.

It's all well and good with Welbeck and Cleverly running wild on a woeful Aston Villa but Athletico would absolutely trounce Man United.

[Baddar]

I'm not saying we'd beat Atletico, I'd just be more comfortable playing them than winners of Man City/Barca, or coming up against Real again.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Saying you wouldn't mind Athletico is a bit silly. They're level on points with Barcelona, behind on goals scored and 5 ahead of Real Madrid. They've only conceded 9 goals this season too.

It's all well and good with Welbeck and Cleverly running wild on a woeful Aston Villa but Athletico would absolutely trounce Man United.

Atletico would wipe the floor with Man Utd, they're above Real Madrid and joint top with Barcelona in La Liga.

Oh dear

Anyway, probably about the perfect draw. Good tie for ourselves. Can't stand Galatasaray or Chelsea, so that's all good. City/Barca and Arsenal/Bayern is perfect too. If City and/or Arsenal pull it off, it means one or two of pretty much the top two clubs are gone. If they don't, no worries, it's a win/win.

Wouldn't be surprised to see City pull it off. It'll come down to whether Messi is available and fit at the time. Will be a bloody brilliant tie either way.

[METALMAN]

Aye, sport are really slapdash with stuff like that. When I'm bored at work sometimes I'll sneak in covertly and fix their errors.

I suppose they know it doesn't really matter because most sports fans can barely read.

[stokeriño]

Chelsea seem to have done fairly well with the matches we've got either side of our CL fixtures. Prior to the game in Turkey we're at home to Everton (tough but at least at home) and then on the return we're away at Fulham (...virtually at home ).

The second leg is followed by Arsenal's visit to the Bridge but at least it's a Tuesday - Saturday (or more likely Sunday) gap.

[Lineker]

Olympiacos will be forced to close part of their stadium for February's Champions League visit of Manchester United after being punished by Uefa for incidents during the match against Anderlecht, including racist conduct by their supporters.

The Greek club must close the lower tier of the north stand at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium for the last-16 first leg against United on 25 February and have also been fined 30,000 euros (£25,000).

Uefa imposed the penalties following incidents during Olympiacos' home Champions League Group C game against Anderlecht on 10 December.

[Lineker]

European champions Bayern Munich will subsidise the cost of their fans' travel to their Champions League last-16 first leg away to Arsenal where tickets are more expensive than at the Allianz Arena. The Bavarian giants said that their fans would pay only 45 euros (£37) instead of the roughly 75 euros (£62) charged by the Gunners. "This is intended to represent a small thank you for the great support of the followers in the past calendar year 2013," said Bayern, who charge home fans between 15 euros for a standing place and 70 euros for the most expensive seats in the Bundesliga.

[stokeriño]

Chelsea's squad changes for the knockout stages of the Champions League are a little bit funny.

OUT

Juan Mata

Kevin de Bruyne

Ryan Bertrand

(Michael Essien was never in the squad to begin with)

IN

Nathan Ake (18 year old defender)

Tomas Kalas (20 year old defender)

Henrique Hilario (HE'S STILL HERE!)

Mitchell Beeney (18 year old goalkeeper)

Bit of a flag that you're not taking a competition all that seriously this year when you bring in fourth and fifth goalkeepers.

[brenchill]

Wow, Hilario? I had no idea he was still a Chelsea player.

Is Jamal Blackman in the squad?

[Lineker]

Holy shit, Hilario must have been at Chelsea for what, a decade now?

[King Ellis]

I wondered if Mitchell Beeney was the son of Leeds' former keeper Mark and it is! Wonderful.

[stokeriño]

Jamal Blackman was already in the squad as the third goalkeeper, yes.

Hilario's been here nearly 8 years and has made 20 appearances (according to wiki).

[brenchill]

Hilarious.