Draw - Champion's League

[The Coon Dog]

The draw has just been completed for the knock out phase of the European Champion's League.

The first knockout round ties will take place on 19 and 20 February, with the return legs on 4 and 5 March (the Liverpool v Inter Milan return leg will be played on 11 March to avoid a stadium clash with the AC Milan v Arsenal tie).

First leg to be played at team first named.

Celtic v Barcelona
Lyon v Manchester United
Schalke v Porto
Liverpool v Inter Milan
Roma v Real Madrid
Arsenal v AC Milan
Olympiacos v Chelsea
Fenerbache v Sevilla

[The Underdog]

The draw has just been completed for the knock out phase of the European Champion's League.

The first knockout round ties will take place on 19 and 20 February, with the return legs on 4 and 5 March (the Liverpool v Inter Milan return leg will be played on 11 March to avoid a stadium clash with the AC Milan v Arsenal tie).

First leg to be played at team first named.

Celtic v Barcelona
Lyon v Manchester United
Schalke v Porto
Liverpool v Inter Milan
Roma v Real Madrid
Arsenal v AC Milan
Olympiacos v Chelsea
Fenerbache v Sevilla

Some massive games there.
Liverpool vs Inter and Arsenal vs AC Milan obviously the pick.
As a Madrid fan I'm not unhappy with Roma. It's always going to be tough but it could have been worse.

[Topdog]

Some very juicy matchups.

I'm actually most looking forward to Lyon vs Man Utd. Should be a very attacking two legs.

Chelsea got very lucky.

[The Coon Dog]

So, let's see who can correctly select the most teams to progress.

My tips in bold.

Celtic v Barcelona
Lyon v Manchester United
Schalke v Porto
Liverpool v Inter Milan
Roma v Real Madrid
Arsenal v AC Milan
Olympiacos v Chelsea
Fenerbache v Sevilla

[Topdog]

Celtic v Barcelona
Lyon v Manchester United
Schalke v Porto
Liverpool v Inter Milan
Roma v Real Madrid
Arsenal v AC Milan
Olympiacos v Chelsea
Fenerbache v Sevilla

[Sockeye Salmon]

Some massive games there.
Liverpool vs Inter and Arsenal vs AC Milan obviously the pick.
As a Madrid fan I'm not unhappy with Roma. It's always going to be tough but it could have been worse.

How could anyone be a Madrid fan?

They stand for everything I hate in sport.

"We have more money than you so we win".

"Ha ha. We're better than you because we win more".

[GVGjr]

How could anyone be a Madrid fan?

They stand for everything I hate in sport.

"We have more money than you so we win".

"Ha ha. We're better than you because we win more".

I'm not a big follower of soccer and normally support underdog teams (like the Patriots in the NFL well before they become successful) but for some reason I always followed Real Madrid in both Soccer and European Basketball.

[Mantis]

Some very juicy matchups.

I'm actually most looking forward to Lyon vs Man Utd. Should be a very attacking two legs.



This game and the AC V Arsenal seem to be the best match-ups on paper.

Generally the best games in this comp. are in the rd of 16 stage so we should see some great games.

[The Underdog]

How could anyone be a Madrid fan?

They stand for everything I hate in sport.

"We have more money than you so we win".

"Ha ha. We're better than you because we win more".

I like the city. I like the stadium. I like Ruud Van Nistlerooy.
Plus the evil side of me has to support someone.
While the good side of me is supporting loveable losers that never win anything (Cubs, Detroit Lions, Wolverhampton Wanderers), I can know what its like to support a team that everyone else hates because they have money and win. I'm not saying it's a good thing, it's just a thing. I'm not a good person all the time, plus it's not like I barrack for Collingwood:)

[The Coon Dog]

7 of the 8 second leg ties will be decided over the next 2 mornings. The remaining tie is to take place next week

Wednesday Morning

AC Milan v Arsenal - A 0-0 draw at the Emirates was not the worst result in the world for Arsenal as AC didn't register a vital away goal. A 1-1 score draw could see the Gunners progress, however I see this as a 1-0 result for AC.

Barcelona v Celtic - A 3-2 win away from home by the Catalans has virtually ended this tie. I can't see any joy for Celtic whatsoever & expect Barcelona to score another 3 at home.

Manchester United v Lyon - A late equaliser away from home by Man U has put them in poll position. I expect them to go on a goal scoring spree at Old Trafford.

Sevilla v Fenerbache - The Turks hold a slight advantage winning the home leg 3-2. What will hurt them tho is conceding 2 away goals. I expect Sevilla to win by the odd goal to progress.

Thursday Morning

Chelsea v Olympiakos - This finished 0-0 so the advantage is with Chelsea who I expect to field a much stronger team than the first leg & win comfortably.

Porto v Shalke - Probably the most evenly poised tie with the Germans winning 1-0 at home. Porto must score & if Shalke score, the equation becomes so much more difficult. Shalke in a toss of the coin.

Real Madrid v Roma - Roma hold a slender lead courtesy of their first leg 2-1 win. I don't think it will be enough tho & I expect the Spaniard giants to progress.


Wednesday Morning Next Week

Inter Milan v Liverpool - The advantage is with the Reds courtesy of their 2-0 win at Anfield. Expect an all out assault from the Italians, tho they'll have to be careful not to concede an away goal, which would need them to score 4 goals. Liverpool to progress.

[Chops]

AC Milan v Arsenal - A 0-0 draw at the Emirates was not the worst result in the world for Arsenal as AC didn't register a vital away goal. A 1-1 score draw could see the Gunners progress, however I see this as a 1-0 result for AC.

I very much doubt Arsenal will progress. Can't beat Aston Villa at home, they won't get a score draw at the very least at the San Siro against the title holders. There only chance is a howler or two from Kalac who has been in good form.

[The Coon Dog]

I very much doubt Arsenal will progress. Can't beat Aston Villa at home, they won't get a score draw at the very least at the San Siro against the title holders. There only chance is a howler or two from Kalac who has been in good form.

Oops!!

AC Milan 0 Arsenal 2, means Arsenal progress 2-0 on aggregate.
Manchester United 1 Lyon 0, means Manchester United progress 2-1 on aggregate.
Barcelona 1 Celtic 0, means Barcelona progress 4-2 on aggregate.
Sevilla 3 Fenerbache 2, means it finished 5-5 on aggregate with both side scoring 2 away goals. Currently into extra time. Fenerbache wins 3-2 on pens to progress.

[Chops]

I know nothing about soccer!

[Mantis]

Results from this morning:

Real Madrid went down to Roma. Real played most of the game with 10 men so no great shock they got rolled 2-1, AS Roma through 4-2 on agg.

FC Porto won 1-0 against Schalke, but got beat 4-1 on penalties.

Chelski gave Olympiacos a 3-0 drubbing at Stamford Bridge.

[The Coon Dog]

Today's results.

Chelsea 3 Olympiakos 0, Chelseas progress 3-0 on aggregate.
Real Madrid 1 Roma 2, Roma progress 4-2 on aggregate.
Porto 1 Schalke 0, means it finished 1-1 on aggregate. Schalke won 4-1 on penalties.

Next week Inter Milan host Liverpool.

So, Real Madrid drop out at this stage once again (4th year in a row from memory). Fantastic performance from Roma (just hope they don't get paired up with Manchester United after last seasons thrashing).

So, who's left?

Chelsea
Manchester United
Arsenal
Schalke
Barcelona
Fenerbache
Roma
Inter Milan/Liverpool

Draw for Quarter Finals will take place on Friday 14 March.

[Chops]

Results from this morning:

Real Madrid went down to Roma. Real played most of the game with 10 men so no great shock they got rolled 2-1, AS Roma through 4-2 on agg.


No all true. The Real player was sent off in the 70th minute for being the last defender and hold back an attacker from scoring. Roma were the better side and deserved to win.
Raul's goal for Real was so offside it wasn't funny.

[The Coon Dog]

No all true. The Real player was sent off in the 70th minute for being the last defender and hold back an attacker from scoring. Roma were the better side and deserved to win.
Raul's goal for Real was so offside it wasn't funny.


You reckon the 'blind' umpires we had against Essendon might have been banished to Spain? :D

[Chops]

You reckon the 'blind' umpires we had against Essendon might have been banished to Spain? :D

1 lineman compared to a league of bad umpires

My team Fiorentina are playing Everton right now in the UEFA Cup.
Peppering the goals but can't score.

[The Coon Dog]

1 lineman compared to a league of bad umpires

My team Fiorentina are playing Everton right now in the UEFA Cup.
Peppering the goals but can't score.

Is it on TV, or do you get live updates via the web? I like to use the Match Day Centre on the UEFA website.

[Chops]

Is it on TV, or do you get live updates via the web? I like to use the Match Day Centre on the UEFA website.

Web. The Fiorentina fan site and Soccernet(ESPN).
Soccernet is so pro Everton but I can't read Italian too well
Fiorentina now 2 up.

[The Coon Dog]

Inter Milan 0 - Liverpool 1

Liverpool progress 3-0 on aggregate. Great strike by Fernando Torres!

[Mantis]

Inter Milan 0 - Liverpool 1

Liverpool progress 3-0 on aggregate. Great strike by Fernando Torres!

In some great goal scoring form at present.

[The Coon Dog]

*Draw for the Champions League Quarter Finals have just been conducted:

Arsenal v Liverpool

Roma v Manchester United

Schalke v Barcelona

Fenerbache v Chelsea

Teams named first play the first leg at home. Ties to be played 1/2 & 8/9 April.


*The draw for the semi finals were also made:

Arsenal/Liverpool v Fenerbahce/Chelsea

Schalke/Barcelona v AS Roma/Man Utd

Ties to be played 22/23 & 29/30 April.


*The final will be played in Moscow on 21 May.

[Chops]

Whats the Uefa cup draw?

[The Coon Dog]

Whats the Uefa cup draw?

Bayer Leverkusen v Zenit St Petersburg

Rangers v Sporting Lisbon

Bayern Munich v Getafe

Fiorentina v PSV Eindhoven

# First legs to be played on April 3.
# Second legs to be played on April 10.




Bayern Munich/Getafe v Bayer/Zenit St Petersburg
Rangers/Sporting Lisbon v Fiorentina/PSV Eindhoven

# First legs to be played on April 24.
# Second legs to be played on May 1.

[Chops]

Toni left Italy saying he didn't want to play in Italy against his old side Fiorentina. Only happen if they both reach the final.

PSV will be tough.

[Bulldogs_6]

TCD, what about that Torres kid. What a gun, could bet my house we will see atleast another brace against Reading tonight..

I think we're a real crack at Arsenal, they haven't had the best results of late, and with Torres shining we've got no shortage of goalscoring power which we lacked in our slump.

I think that may be Arsenal's problem at the moment with Eduardo (pissed off myself missing Euro for my homeland Croatia) out for a long time and Van Persie a month or more on the sidelines.

Adebayor is not good enough to carry the load and Bendtner is a hack, so the Gunners will definitely be reliant on the midfield, namely Fabregas, Hleb and Rosicky.

[The Coon Dog]

Funny, the 2 Champions League ties are either side of the EPL clash between them, so they clash 3 times in a week & both will want to field full strength sides in all 3 games.

I love watching Arsenal play, very attractive brand of football.

Torres is in a rich vein of form & if he starts against Reading tonight he's going to be hard to stop. I reckon they'll rest him for next weeks clash & give Crouch a game tonight.

[The Coon Dog]

The Champion's League Quarter Finals start this week.

On Wednesday morning it's:

Roma v Manchester United
Schalke v Barcelona

On Thursday morning it's:

Fenerbache v Chelsea
Arsenal v Liverpool

Coverage commences at 5.30am on both SBS & ESPN.

[Chops]

I see Chelsea winning this.

[The Coon Dog]

Results from this mornings matches:

Schalke 0 - Barcelona 1

Roma 0 - Manchester United 2

[Chops]

Clearly the EPL is the best league in the world right now. Problem is that hardly any of the players are English.

[The Coon Dog]

Results from this mornings matches:

Arsenal 1 - Liverpool 1

Fenerbache 2 - Chelsea 1

* So how will the second legs pan out?

Schalke & Roma have it all to do, both losing at home & both needing to score away which will leave them vulnerable at the back. I expect both Barca & Manyoo to progress comfortably.

Arsenal travel to Anfield knowing they must score to progress. I expect Liverpool to try to deny the Gunners, who might then get caught on the counter. I can see a 0-0 result which would see Liverpool progress on the away goals rule.

I expect Chelsea to score at home, which means Fenerbache must do likewise. I think the Turks plan A would be to play for a 0-0 & hold out as long as possible. If they concede & have to go for it, expect Chelsea to slice them open.

My tips then:

Barcelona
Manchester United
Liverpool
Chelsea

This would then see the following semi finals:

Barcelona v Manchester United

Liverpool v Chelsea

[The Coon Dog]

Results from this mornings second leg ties:

Chelsea 2 - Fenerbache 0
4 - Ballack (Che)
87- Lampard (Che)

Agg Score:

Chelsea 3 - Fenerbache 2

---------------------------------

Liverpool 4 - Arsenal 2
13 - Daiby (Ars)
30 Hyypia (Liv)
69 - Torres (Liv)
84 - Adebayor (Ars)
85 - Gerrard - Pen (Liv)
92 - Babbel (Liv)

Agg Score:

Liverpool 5 - Arsenal 3


So, Chelsea & Liverpool progress to the semi finals where they will meet each other.

It was an absorbing tie at Anfield where fortunes fluctuated. Arsenal quickly got into gear & score a vital away goal early. Sloppy defending by Senderos from a corner saw Hyypia restore parity for the Reds.

Torres put Liverpool ahead with a well taken shot on the turn, which seemed to give Liverpool the edge. It stayed like that until late on when the drama unfolded.

Gerrard swung at a ball with his left foot just outside the Arsenal penalty box & missed. Theo Woolcott then ran all the way to the other end, beating off 4 challenges along the way, rounded the last defender & squared the ball beautifully for a tap in by Adebayor. Advantage Arsenal courtesy of away goals.

Within a minute Babbel's mazey run into the box was halted, unfairly by Toure in the eyes of the ref who awarded a penalty. It was harsh, particularly when you consider the one not given to Arsenal in the first leg. Gerrard emphatically dispatched the spot kick past Almunia to restore Liverpool's lead.

In the last minute Liverpool defused an Arsenal free kick, Kuyt played a ball out & Babbel latched on, held off Fabregas' challenge & cooly slotted the ball home.

Another chapter in great European nights at Anfield!

[The Underdog]

Congrats TCD, yet to see it but sounds like a ripper of a game.

I saw the last 30 of the Chelsea game and have to say Essien is a very talented complete and utter tool.
He got a yellow card for a completely petulant act of throwing the ball away when the throw in decision didn't go his way. He was on a yellow so misses the next match. You've got to be smarter than that.
He then followed up 2 minutes later with a great run into the box that he put on Lampard's foot and couldn't have missed if he tried.

[The Coon Dog]

Results from this mornings matches:

Barcelona 1 - Schalke 0
43 - Toure (Bar)

Agg Score:

Barcelona 2 - Schalke 0

---------------------------------

Manchester United 1 - Roma 0
70 - Tevez (Man)

Agg Score:

Manchester United 3 - Roma 0

So, Barcelona v Manchester United in one semi & Liverpool v Chelsea in the other. Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Underdog]

I watched most of the Barca game and they were well, boring. Didn't look confident, nearly shown up by Schalke. I know they were missing Ronnie, Messi et al, but they didn't look a team that could beat Man U. Is it just me or does Henry look like he wishes he were still at Arsenal?

[Chops]

Woo hoo. Fiorentina beat PSV in Holland 2-0 Mutu 2 goals. Now for Rangers.
Ex Viola player Toni scored twice in extra time to get Bayern Munich through. When the going gets tough, Getafe get going.

[The Underdog]

Woo hoo. Fiorentina beat PSV in Holland 2-0 Mutu 2 goals. Now for Rangers.
Ex Viola player Toni scored twice in extra time to get Bayern Munich through. When the going gets tough, Getafe get going.

That extra time period in the Munich -Getafe match was heartbreaking. Getafe had been a man down from the 5 minute mark of the match, let an equaliser in in the 89th minute then scored 2 in the first 3 minutes of extra time to be 3-1 up, then Toni scores in the 115th and 120th minute to get Munich up on away goals, the first one from one of the worst keeper errors you'll ever see.