Champions League opponents

[__earth]

I'll go for liverpool. liverpool shares similar trait with arsenal - overrated =)

[Manneken Pis]

It will be Villareal or Barça.

I preffer the former to the latter.

[Kowalczyk]

It will be Villareal or Barça.

Well... Statistically we have the biggest chance of getting a Spanish opponent (because the Italians can't be paired with each other, etc.). But it could still be any of the seven, of course.

K.

[bluedaddy19]

I'll go for liverpool. liverpool shares similar trait with arsenal - overrated =)

sara also wants liverpool, but i think thats just because she's an everton supporter

quoth sara: "AJAX can beat the red shite... trust me" :xyxthumbs:


as for me? i just don't want a serie blAh club... especially not juventus

[aveslacker]

Liverpool would be my favorite. Juventus wouldn't be bad, Ajax supporters would probably outnumber Juve supporters in both legs. But generally, no Italian teams is a good idea.

[The Purple Cow]

Well I'll just agree with everybody else. We won't beat any of those teams, so we may as well go with the entertainment factor, in which case I'll choose ABTFI. (Anything but the fucking italians).

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

I'll go with Villareal,Liverpool or in the worst case scenario Lyon. Just like a lot of you have said: NO FUCKING ITALIANS PLEASE :D

[Kowalczyk]

Well I'll just agree with everybody else. We won't beat any of those teams, so we may as well go with the entertainment factor, in which case I'll choose ABTFI. (Anything but the fucking italians).

You are right: we won't beat any of these teams, so let's go for the entertainment factor. I agree. Except that I wouldn't like it if my team got seriously ripped to shreds. We're talking 6-0 on aggregate or worse. The only teams that are both capable of outplaying us like that and will probably feel like actually doing so as well, are Barcelona and Lyon.

The rest of the teams will also eliminate us without problems, but they will probably not completely destroy our dignity. Either because they are not interested in scoring more than one or two goals (Italians) or because they are not that superior to Ajax (Liverpool, Villarreal).

That's basically why I prefer Liverpool or Villarreal: they are better than us, but not a million times better. If there are two teams we'd stand a modest little chance against, it would be those two. And even if they eliminate us, it should at least be possible to leave the competition in a dignified way.

So: Liverpool or Villarreal, please. If I have to choose one favourite opponent it would be Villarreal: unusual destination, nice trip, nice weather and great food. I'm up for it! :yes:

K.

[Frans]

I'll go for liverpool. liverpool shares similar trait with arsenal - overrated =)

Frankly I think Liverpool is underrated. Unbeaten in 4 champions league games with Chelsea over two years. Defending european champions. Very quickly establishing themselves as the only team with a chance of challenging Chelsea in the premier league. The thing is, they do it all so quietly, without any fuss, that noone takes any notice. Sure they may not appear to be a really strong outfit, but they are starting to produce some good results. Also, they have an extremely good coach. Calm, astute, consecutive european trophies, with different teams. Benitez knows his stuff.

[AjaxPDX]

Liverpool has also won seven league matches in a row, and more impressively, they haven't allowed a single goal in all competitions for the last eleven matches. They're on a bit of a roll at the moment.

I still would rather face them than Barcelona or Lyon, but I think Villareal would be my first choice if I had to pick an opponent.

[jakobg]

Okay, so we're getting close. I must say, I can only see us beating one of these teams, and that's Villareal. They are good, but not that good.

The second team Ajax could possibly stand a chance of beating is AC Milan. But they have now probably lost the chance of winning the Serie A already, and will now focus 100% on the CL. Personally I wouldn't want Milan for other reasons. Just don't like them.

Liverpool on the other hand, I would not like. They've been very good lately, and AjaxPDX said, haven't conceded one single goal in the last eleven games. If their strikers gets the real confidence they need, Liverpool might get far this time as well. They're better this season than they were last year.

Juve and Inter would be very tough ones. I feel Juventus would be mission impossible. No way we'll beat them. Vieira and Emerson would eat our midfield alive, and Zlatan-Trezeguet are doing very well together. Inter with Adriano in good form will be very hard as well, but we might have a tiny chance of an upset here. Maybe.

Lyon and Barcelona would be very nice games both. But also mission impossible. We might, as Ko made clear already, be crushed here.

[Ayman]

Here is my perspective:
The No's to the left:- The Aye's to the right:-
-Barcelona Liverpool
-Juventus Inter
-Villareal AC Milan
Lyon

Anyone who thinks those four can destroy us, are overestimating the opposition. Inter and AC Milan are not that strong compared to Juve, and the league speaks for itself. Liverpool might be the reigning champions but if there is any team that can undo them its Ajax. Lyon have Gerard Houllier, ok so they are going to win their 5th consecutive league title, but they are not a real convincing team compared to the 3 No's.

[Philippe]

Well I'll just agree with everybody else. We won't beat any of those teams, ....

Come on guys, don't be so pessimistic and have a little faith : we can possibly beat most of them in a direct elimination format.

After all, it's football and we are Ajax.

[jakobg]

Lyon have Gerard Houllier, ok so they are going to win their 5th consecutive league title, but they are not a real convincing team compared to the 3 No's.

I beg to disagree. Lyon is a very good team. They might not have as good players as Juve or Barca, but I have a feeling they can make it real far this year. I see them as one of the three or four competitors for the title this season.

[Philippe]

here we are :

Inter Milan ......... shit

[Cedric]

Inter Milan ......... shit

Amen... Another F***** italian team. :fundamentje:

[Kowalczyk]

Well, okay, Inter it is then.

Plane tix for the away game on the 14th have been booked.

K.

[jakobg]

Three teams left. Villareal is one of them. Liverpool another. But of course it would be Inter.

Oh well, tough games for sure, but if the team can be at its best in February/March I think we have a small chance.

[The Purple Cow]

Fucking Inter Milan again.

yawn, yawn, yawn, fucking yawn.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Chelsea V Barca, PSV V Lyon, AJAX V Inter???

DA FUCK.

[aveslacker]

Could be worse: it could have been Barca. I'd love nothing more than to beat an Italian team. Here's hoping.

[akieden]

Will Maxwell move to Inter during winter break? Seems that he has not played for us this season, so can he play for Inter against us? If so, that's another silly Zlatan case we faced Juve last season

[__earth]

Somebody must have cursed Ajax over something.

Thy shall play the Italian (and Arsenal) forever.

Blergh... :shithappens:

[Kowalczyk]

Here's a little something about the draw, people...

http://www.ajax-usa.com/news/2005-2006/ ... xteen.html

K.

[Manneken Pis]

I'm not optimistic, but not depressed either.

Not an "interesting" draw, but we shouldn't get embarassed 6-0.

Given it's Inter (the most screwed up of the big three), we may (and I stress may) cause an upset.

Fingers crossed..... :eusa_pray: