Champions League opponents

[Manneken Pis]

Yeah, Holland played Moldova there a while ago (and almost f*cked it up). It's brand-new, ultra modern and very pretty, but no-one from the area can afford to go there... Very corrupt country. Pretty dangerous, too.

K.

Yes, that was the really wierd thing....it's a breakaway region of the country...doesn't officially exist....technically at war with the state of Moldova and yet the national team (from the official part of the country) plays it's games there as it's by far the best stadium around. (Is it time for an "Official Political Geeks" thread yet??? :D ;)

Sorry but have to disagree with you there. Was in Moldova last year to watch Scotland play. The game was played in Chisnau, the capital as were Moldova's WC qualifiers against Italy and Norway round about the same time. The reason being that the Moldovan government could not guarantee the safety of anybody going to Tirasapol. Basically they have a brand new stadium paid for by very dubious money, the best in the country by far but which is not now being used for Internationals.

Moldova is a very poor country it has to be said and it is definitely like taking a trip back into Communist times with very heavy handed policing. Plus points are the alcohol is very cheap and of excellent quality, esp the wine and the vodka, plus the woman are absolutely stunning.

If you're interested in Moldovia, I strongly recommend "Playing the Moldovians at Tennis" by Tony Hawks. About a bloke who bets his mate he can beat the Moldovian Football team at tennis....very funny book.

[AsgAarD_xxx]

Teams to feel happy about:

Wisla Krackovia: polish outfits have not been very lucky in this competition, the last team i remembered that made it to the group stage rounds was Legia Warzovia I believe in the 95 or 96. Don´t think there gonna change that trend now.

I rather say, that it will be almost impossible. Wisła Kraków sold the best polish striker (Maciej Żurawski went to Celtic Glasgow) and they also don't have typical playmaker (Szymkowiak went to Trabzonspor last season). They have bought players, which cannot replece that real polish stars- Marek Penksa (32-year-old Slovakian striker) and Konrad Gołoś (tallented polish midfielder, but he is not good and experienced enough to create Wisła's game now). The only good news for Wisła is come back of right winger- Kalu Uche, who returned to Kraków from Bordeaux.


PS: The last polish club in Champions League was Widzew Łódź, not Legia Warsaw ;)

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

Sorry for the slip up AsgAard_XXX, thanks for the correction :xyxthumbs: .

Now looking at the first couple of games played yesterday we have some Big surprises, lookie here:

Dinamo Tbilisi 0-2 Brøndby
:D Dynamo Kyiv 2-2 Thun
:worshippy: Anorthosis 3-1 Trabzonspor
Anderlecht 5-0 Neftchi
Vålerenga 1-0 Haka
Kaunas 1-3 Liverpool

Keep in mind that Anorthosis is a team from Cyprus and that FC Thun draw against Dynamo was as visitors in freezing Ukrane. Even FC Haka´s result ain´t so bad they still have the return leg at home.

For todays game´s i´m keeping my fingers crossed for Malmo( GO JARIIII !!!!),Debrecen,Cska Sofia,Robotnicki, Steaua Bucharest and Sherrif.

At present time Rapid Vienna just won 6-1 against Dundelange

[jakobg]

For todays game´s i´m keeping my fingers crossed for Malmo( GO JARIIII !!!!)

Jari ain't playing yet. He's not really fit from his last injury, but will probably participate in Malmö's next game.

Btw, Malmö FF are up 3-2 against Maccabi Haifa with some 20 minutes to go.

[Kowalczyk]

Btw, Malmö FF are up 3-2 against Maccabi Haifa with some 20 minutes to go.

That's quite tricky: two goals conceded at home... Not necessarily a good result.

K.

[Blind3]

The shocker has to be Celtic being humped, 3:0 last look, by Artmedia of Slovakia.

[jakobg]

But what the hell is going on in Slovakia?

FC Artmedia Petrzalka - Celtic 4-0!

[ZoefdeHaas]

4-0? Celtic do have the worst defence in this competition :yes:

Intertoto: Vdv Gives hamburg the lead :bis:

[jakobg]

And it's 5-0! Talk about humiliation. :eusa_liar:

[jock cloggie]

that was one hell of a result for celtic!

how they kept the score down to 5-0 i will never know?????

:D :D :D :D :D

and they ask me why i go to holland to watch football ?????? i wonder

PS i support the FIRST team to wear green in scottish football?

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

Man what a spanking... who would have thought ????? Im in shock. Jesus and to think that this is Artmedia´s first try at the champs league.

Now the question to be asked is should we cross our fingers to avoid this team??? or are they just a one hit wonder ???.

Amazing none the less.

[Kowalczyk]

PS i support the FIRST team to wear green in scottish football?

Umm... Hearts!

Or was it the other one from that town...? :hypocrite:

Now the question to be asked is should we cross our fingers to avoid this team??? or are they just a one hit wonder ???

Depends... They're probably a one hit wonder, but if we get them they will probably be a two hit wonder. We always seem to f#ck up against that kind of side...

K.

[carcajou]

Depends... They're probably a one hit wonder, but if we get them they will probably be a two hit wonder. We always seem to f#ck up against that kind of side...

I love that, you like a child trying to exorcise nightmares by talking about it...

Come on !! Are we fucking FC Tirana or what ? We'd kick their ass BIG time and you KNOW that !!

[Kowalczyk]

Come on !! Are we fucking FC Tirana or what ? We'd kick their ass BIG time and you KNOW that !!

After eliminations by Lausanne, Copenhagen and Celtic, plus devastating CL defeats against Maccabi Tel Aviv and Club Brugge (all of this in the last six years) I am not too sure about it... Sad but true.

K.

[ZoefdeHaas]

The CL qualifications are hard, look at Juve's first leg last season.
But ofcourse, Ajax will make it :eusa_pray:

[Kowalczyk]

If we make it to the groups stage we'll be in pot 4 for the very first time ever. Which means: no 'weak opponent' in our group. The 'weak opponent' will be Ajax themselves this time. But let's look at the upside: the fact that we're in pot 4 means that we won't get a 'six point' opponent this time, like Club Brugge or Maccabi Tel Aviv... So, no 'pot 4 opponent'? I guess it won't make much of a difference anyway.

That's the most optimistic thought I can squeeze out of my body at the moment. Sorry.

K.

[Kowalczyk]

Ajax Netwerk have published the list of opponents we may be paired with based on the seedings list!

The options are...

Slavia Prague (Cze)
Real Betis Balompié (Spa)
FC Basel (Swi)
Wisla Kraków (Pol)
Udinese Calcio (Ita)
Everton (Eng)
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr)
Partizan Belgrade (S&M)/Sheriff Tiraspol (Mol) (1-0)
Malmö FF (Swe)/Maccabi Haifa (Isr) (3-2)
Shelbourne (Ire)/Steaua Bucharest (Rom) (0-0)
Dinamo Tbilisi (Geo)/Brøndby (Den) (0-2)
F91 Dudelange (Lux)/Rapid Vienna (1-6)
Tirana (Alb)/CSKA Sofia (Bul) (0-2)
Debreceni VSC (Hun)/Hajduk Split (Cro) (3-0)
Anorthosis Famagusta (Cyp)/Trabzonspor (Tur) (3-1)
Vålerenga (Nor)/Haka Valkeakoski (Fin) (1-0)

And that's it. Mind you: according to Ajax Netwerk we can't get the Slovakian side who destroyed Celtic. They are an unseeded side, but if an non-seeded team eliminate a seeded team in the second preliminary round they take over the seeded status of the team they eliminated!

K.

[Kowalczyk]

My preferences are:

1. winner of Vålerenga/Haka
2. Everton
3. Anorthorsis Famagusta (from Cyprus), who are about to strangle Trabzonspor.

K.

[jakobg]

My preferences are:

1. winner of Vålerenga/Haka
2. Everton
3. Anorthorsis Famagusta (from Cyprus), who are about to strangle Trabzonspor.

K.

You'd take Everton over Anorthorsis Famagusta?

(Isn't Famagusta by the way the 'ghost city' that was destroyed and left untouched?)

[ZoefdeHaas]

Whoever it is lets hope it isnt Real Betis, Joaquin would rip Ajax apart..

[jamcocteau]

and it is ajax v D. Tbilisi / Brøndby

[jakobg]

So it's probably gonna be Brøndby. Not the easiest of draws. Ajax will have to play some really good football to win this one. We are the favourites, but should not underestimate the Danish team. They are good.

I'm not sure if I'm happy or not with this draw. It could have been worse, but also much better. Well, we'll just have to show that Ajax belong in the CL.

Other thoughts:

Inter will have a hard time against Shakhtar.
ManU will be playing CL footie this season.
If Malmö win against Maccabi Haifa, they might just have a chance to make it all the way.
Everton-Villareal, tough one.
Liverpool will probably make it as well.
Sporting-Udinese, also a tough one.
Betis-Monaco, interesting game.

[carcajou]

A quick thought : Either Everton or Villareal will make it to the actual Champions League... Talking about loss of prestige....

[Kowalczyk]

Villarreal will piss it against Everton. Absolutely no way Everton are going to make it.

As for our draw: I'm reasonably happy. We were in the bowl for a long time and eventually there were only three opponents left: Betis Sevilla, Wisla Krakow and Tbilisi/Brøndby. I guess we shouldn't complain.

It will be Brøndby, I guess. They won the away game (0-2) and should be able to finish it off at home. But I know Brøndby are good. They play a bit like Ajax and have a great team. Also, Michael Laudrup's coaching them, right? They're a good side and it won't be easy.

K.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Ya baby Riquelme will rape Evertons ass back to Meryside.

Ajax do have a good chance, and if they dont make stupid mistakes as often as they usually do, I think we can squeeze through with ease