Champions League opponents

[bryan]

I predict:

Liverpool
Ajax
Brugge
Rosenborg

Real Madrid
Olympique Lyon
Olympiakos
Udinese

Milan
Panathinaikos
Sparta Praha
Rapid Wien

Bayern München
Porto
Rangers
Artmedia Bratislava


Cluster 2:

Manchester United
Villarreal
Anderlecht
Benfica

Barcelona
PSV Eindhoven
Schalke
Fenerbahçe

Internazionale
Chelsea
Lille
Real Betis

Arsenal
Juventus
Werder Bremen
Thun

[Per]

:D

That's a pretty heavy prediction.

If you nail it you can do all my betting from now on.

It's a promise ;)


My whish is:

Real Madrid (hyped, no team, we'll take 4 or three points)

Sparta Prague (In my book the weakest team in that group)

FC Thun (from what I saw against Malmö that would be 6 guaranteed points)

With this kind of group we would be almost guaranteed a spot in first or sedond and still gete to try some real heat against Real. No one would expect us to take them which would make it even more likely.

Towards the quarters!!

[Kowalczyk]

What if Bryan's prediction is exactly right...?

That would scare the hell out of me...

By the way: on the list I copied the bottom team in pot 4 is named FC Petrzalka. I thought: who the f*ck are they? Turns out it's the same team as Artmedia Bratislava (which is their official name). They're the lot that did Celtic (and Partizan Belgrade in the 3rd qualifying round). Not a bad side.

K.

[bryan]

Well, you have Pots, no two teams from the same country can be in the one group and UEFA prefers teams from the same country to play on seperate days for TV reasons. (ie Ajax on Tuesday and PSV on Wednesday)

So these draws are anything but random.

[Kowalczyk]

Well, you have Pots, no two teams from the same country can be in the one group and UEFA prefers teams from the same country to play on seperate days for TV reasons. (ie Ajax on Tuesday and PSV on Wednesday). So these draws are anything but random.

You're right: if there wouldn't be any restrictions, thousands of combinations would be possible. I remember that last season (or the one before) there were only 27 different scenarios or something, due to the things Bryan mentions.

But then again: if your predictions is exactly right you are one creepy motherf*cker...

;)

K.

[Philippe]

UEFA prefers teams from the same country to play on seperate days for TV reasons. (ie Ajax on Tuesday and PSV on Wednesday)

So these draws are anything but random.

I can see you do not trust the UEFA very much. Nothing phoney of course :faga1:

[DanK]

And which group would f*word fit into...oh hang on they didn't get a chance to qualify! :D :eusa_dance: :D

[Blind3]

Hope I'm totally, unequivocally, 100% wrong ,but I see us ending up with an Italian club and a long road trip. An Italian club because there's some hidden UEFA rule that says Ajax must have an Italian club in their group. I mean,Inter, Roma,AC,Juve in recent years.It seems inevitable.And a long road trip,i.e. Turkey or Russia, because we're about due for it. Still, I pray for Liverpool, Anderlecht or Brugge , and Rosenborg. :eusa_pray:

[Philippe]

my prediction is :

real Madrid

Ajax

Lille

Udinese

[carcajou]

my prediction is :

real Madrid

Ajax

Lille

Udinese

That will be Arsenal, Sparta Praha and FC Thun. The swiss will provide chocolate and easy points, Arsenal is so overrated and we'll kick Praha's ass. I couldn't have dreamed about a better group, honestly.

[Philippe]

there we are :

Arsenal (Eng)
AJAX
Sparta Praag (Tsj)
FC Thun (Zwis)

no big thrill, but we should make it; pretty good I would say

[Manneken Pis]

Full Draw:

Group A
Bayern Munich
Juventus
Brugge
Rapid Vienna


Group B
Arsenal
Ajax
Sparta Prague
Thun


Group C
Barcelona
Panathinaikos
Werder Bremen
Udinese


Group D
Manchester United
Villarreal
Lille
Benfica


Group E
AC Milan
PSV
Schalke
Fenerbahce


Group F
Real Madrid
Lyon
Olympiakos
Rosenborg


Group G
Liverpool
Chelsea
Anderlecht
Real Betis


Group H
Internazionale
Porto
Rangers
Artmedia Bratislava

[cdnajaxfan]

Ajax is in Group B.

Ajax
Arsenal
Sparta
Thun

Yay! I can see the Arsenal-Ajax games on TV no problem.

I think that we could even win our group maybe. All 3 other teams are not easy but I have said for many years that Arsenal are probably one of the most overated teams in the world. I have no clue why so many love them so much. They are the only seeded team never to even reach the CL finals! They have not done too well against us in the past and beat us for the first time in a long time at the Amsterdam Tournament, even then only winning at he end.

I think that Thun could be a dark horse so we had better not take them lightly. However, their pitch has probably flooded away with all the rain they have had!

Sparta are always tough as well but they tanked last year. All in all I am satisfied, it could have been much worse.

[Per]

My whish is:

Real Madrid (hyped, no team, we'll take 4 or three points)

Sparta Prague (In my book the weakest team in that group)

FC Thun (from what I saw against Malmö that would be 6 guaranteed points)

With this kind of group we would be almost guaranteed a spot in first or sedond and still gete to try some real heat against Real. No one would expect us to take them which would make it even more likely.

Towards the quarters!!

Man was I close :D

Dream group in my opinion. First or second place is definetly in our reach.

[__earth]

Man, not Arsenal again.

HAve you guys realized how many times have Ajax played Arsenal in the past recent years?

[Philippe]

I agree with you, Arsenal sound really boring, but I am sure we can beat them. Their best players are over the hill, including dear Henry.

[cdnajaxfan]

Man, not Arsenal again.

HAve you guys realized how many times have Ajax played Arsenal in the past recent years?

I hear you but they struggle in the Champions League EVERY year the past few years, even though they seem to have always had a fairly easy group to qualify from, until now.....

Not too worried about them, their most consistent striker is bound for Jail!

[carcajou]

Man, not Arsenal again.

HAve you guys realized how many times have Ajax played Arsenal in the past recent years?

In the Champions League, in the Tournament, in the World Cup, in the Eredivisie..... Seems that we play'em every week end. But Vieira's not playing there anymore so it should be easier for us.

[Philippe]

their most consistent striker is bound for Jail!

consistent ? :drecul2:

[Kowalczyk]

I think this is a great group. Very nice indeed.

Arsenal
Great team, obviously, but the never seem to perform in Europe and they were the 'weakest' side in pot 1. Okay, we've been to Highbury already and we play them almost every year at the Amsterdam Tourney, but it could have been worse. I'm just glad we don't have to go to Italy.

Sparta Prague
Beautiful, traditional club, fantastic city to visit and they play offensive, open football (so do Arsenal, by the way).

FC Thun
The ultimate outsider. Could have been Real Betis, Fenerbahce or Udinese. I'm very, very pleased with this one.

Yep - I'm extremely pleased, actually. Liverpool instead of Arsenal would have been nice, but well, okay. Highbury it is.

K.

[carcajou]

Man, not Arsenal again.

HAve you guys realized how many times have Ajax played Arsenal in the past recent years?

I hear you but they struggle in the Champions League EVERY year the past few years, even though they seem to have always had a fairly easy group to qualify from, until now.....

Not too worried about them, their most consistent striker is bound for Jail!

AHAHAHAHA I hadn't even thought about it.... Van Persie at the ArenA will be something....

[Philippe]

AHAHAHAHA I hadn't even thought about it.... Van Persie at the ArenA will be something....

he does not have good memories from his last visit during the previous Amsterdam tournament.

"consistent" , that was a good laugh :dance

[Apostata]

C'mon, guys knock-off the v.Persie jokes. He's not guilty until a trial says so. He's a bloody talented striker for his age (think Holland vs. Finland).

[bryan]

Liverpool are getting knocked out in the first round.

Ha!

Where the fuck is Thun? (Ok, I'll scroll up and read the thread)

[cdnajaxfan]

C'mon, guys knock-off the v.Persie jokes. He's not guilty until a trial says so. He's a bloody talented striker for his age (think Holland vs. Finland).

Sorry, I guess could not help it. Maybe it was just that he was booed every time he touched the ball last weekend against Chelsea. But you have to think it looks pretty bad to rape someone in a country where prostitution is legal and very available, especially when you make the kind of cash he does!

They would not have held him in jail for 2 weeks if it was not serious. Why do you think that Arsenal just recalled that Aleidere (whatever his name is, the French striker that Ajax were apparently looking at) guy?

Talent yes, brains, no! That is why Feyenoord got rid of him.

On another note, I guess you and I will get to see the Arsenal - Ajax games up here! No chance on the Sparta of Thun games though. All in all, I am happy that Ajax will most likely easily advance to the next round and I will get to see one or 2 games.