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Champions League Draw

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I think the last team to win back to back was Milan 89/90 so its been nearly 20 years and back in those days you only had one team from each country.

However I think Man U can win. Liverpool are overrated and will lose sooner or later - along with Porto, Villareal and Munich. That leaves Barca, Chelsea, Man U or Arsenal which potentially have the quality. I'll say it even though its obvious but Barca & Man U are most likely because of Messi & Ronaldo. Would be great to see those two in the final
 
As far as Ronaldo and Messi being the best, interesting to see Zidane come out and call Gerrard the best in the world.

Personally, a big call, but when Torres wasn't playing and Gerrard was playing higher up, more attacking and more central, he did look a HELL of a lot like Zidane, gliding into space and creating the entire game plus scoring goals.

Liverpool and Chelsea are the teams it's hard to beat head to head, so I won't write them off, but Barca and United are definately the two top teams in the world ATM I think.
 
Villareal are definitely harder beats then Arsenal at the moment (i go for arsenal), but with Fabregas and Adebayor regaining fitness, ideally before next round of UCL games, Arsenal will be a different team.
Throw eduardo on the pitch a bit earlier instead of LOLBendtner (gosh he's terrible) and you actually have a pretty decent team there.

Don't count us out.

Personally, i'm hoping we draw Chelsea or Liverpool. Would much prefer less travel with the tight run home in the premiership. Outside one of those two, i'd take Porto.
God help who ever gets Barca. (plz be united.) :D
 
I personally feel Porto would be the easiest

Villareal can hold their own...Man U couldn't beat them during the group stages and their form in Spain is not too shaabby!!

MRC --- mate excellent tips for round 2!!!
Let's see how we go when the draw is released

I think Arsenal drawing Liverpool would be a bit of a death match surely. These guys cracked Arsenal last UCL season, and frankly you have to admire their never say die attitude.

They also gave Barca a loss a couple of years back --- they actually won in the Nou Camp

I think Gerrard is not mentioned in the light of Ronaldo, Ronaldhino, Messi, Kaka and Zidane is because he isn't as "stylish" and full of tricks as the others.

But I definitely rate him as a powerful midfielder up there with the best. The number of times he has cracked long range shots and taken important penalties to bring Liverpool back into the game is amazing.

Will be riveting football
Can't wait
Ill also be in HK then, and the football fans there are mad...crazy!!!
 
Yeh, you actually know when the draw is released Mazza?

I was in HK once when Man U V Arsenal was on, I was sitting in a quiet resteraunt and all of a sudden the pre-match show comes on the plasma on the wall, within 10 minutes, the restaurant was packed to the rafters! Not even standing room, lol! They sure do love the world game!
 
Draw is next Friday 11.00 GMT time so that will be around 10pm next Friday evening.

Being a massive Liverpool fan, I wouldn't swap Gerrard or even Carragher for any other players in the world, quite simply because when the chips are down there is no-one better than responding to a given situation. Them being local lads helps too. Technically there are better players but who could turn a CL final or FA Cup final or simply a CL tie the way that Gerrard can? Proven performer. Zizou used to be able to do it too as did/does a Rivaldo, Henry, Maradona, Van Basten, even Beckham. These type of players are as rare as successful buy and holders.

That said please do not let us draw Chelski or Man U, give me Barca or Bayern any day. Thats what the CL is all about.
 
Thx for that Stevo.

Yeh, give me anyone but Chelsea and especially Liverpool to face Barca. Just don't like those teams in head ot head matchups, good structure and strength is just what is required to break Barca down, as has been prooven in the past.
 
For those interested:

Villa Real Vs Arsenal QF1
Man Utd Vs FC Porto QF2
Liverpool Vs Chelsea QF3
FC Barcelona Vs Bayern Munich QF4

The winner of QF1 plays the winner of QF2 in the first semi and the winners of QF3 and QF4 play in the second.

Poor Chelski! :D Can't wait to see the scum thrashed at the kop. If all goes to script, its set up for Manure vs Barca in the final.
 
Damn, Arsenal and Man U got easy draws.

The other side of the draw is STACKED!

Bayern could really give Barca troubles, god I am glad Klose is injured!

Tips?

Got to take Arsenal over Villareal, but this one could be very very close.

United will have too much for Porto who aren't quite the force they were a few years back.

Liverpool V Chelsea, oh man, what a hard match, Liverpool are in great form and probably the hardest team to beat in the CL in recent times, but Chelsea have that magic man in Hiddink, can he do it AGAIN? I have to say, I can't go against him so will pick Chelsea here unfortunately! :(

Barca and Bayern will go down to the wire, I could see Bayern doing ok here, the German teams usually do ok against Barca, but I think perhaps the individual magic Barca possesses (Bayern have it too, but perhaps Ribery lacks that final finish as opposed to a guy like Messi), will be enough to give them the slight edge in this one.
 
Snuck back in for this!!!

The football Gods may well be smiling on Man U's side

Hell, why do Barca always have to meet Chelsea and Liverpool - the two teams who systematic defence can weather Barca's attack
Plus statistics show that Bayern have never lost to Barca in Europe :eek:

Tips:
1) Villareal - they are a more solid team than Arsenal, who I reckon are really struggling to score goals

2) Man U - too strong for Porto, although they stumbled to Fulham 2-0 this morning
hahaha - you just never know!!

3) Liverpool - this was really tough to choose, as both sides are rejuvenated. Have gone with the Reds as they have the mental edge and greater team spirit. Plus Anfield is formidable

4) Barca - because I am biased
 
yeh, arsenal was really struggling to score goals last night......

and they played their strongest possible team......

right....:rolleyes:



Arsenal will beat Villareal 3-1 over the two legs.
Utd will thump Porto 4-0
Bayern will edge past Barca 2-2 on away goals
Chelsea to cruise past liverpool 3-2 with an away goal
 
Yeh, Anfield will be the big thing for Chelsea, I remember not too long ago (maybe last season in the Prem League), waching Liverpool absolutely demolish Chelsea there. This one is too close to call for me. Agreed though, Barca are in for one rough draw, Bayern and either Liverpool or Chelsea are probably the hardest draw I could think of as far as a match-up point of view.
 
Old Trafford
Man U 2 - Porto 2

Villareal
Villereal 1 - Arsenal 1

So much for the easy side of the draw.
Tommorrow hopefully the matches will be even more scintillating!!!
 
Predictions:

Liverpool - Chelsea 0-0 bore
Barca to beat Bayern 3-1

As far as winning the whole thing goes its still Arsenal, Barca, Chelsea or a shaky looking Man U.

Also didn't Man U knock Barca out last year. I dont think anyone should complain about draws once you reach the last 8 or 4 of the UCL.
 
My team good old mighty FC Porto holding Man U to a 2-2 draw. Hopefully they can knock them off in the next leg in Porto.
 
Yeh, the easy side didn't turn out so easy!

Though Villareal can always proove tough at home, they do so to Barca a lot in La Liga, so I can see how they could cause similar problems against an Arsenal side. Love Senna as a player so glad to see him score a blazer of a shot!

United were stunned late at home and now have all the work to do in the next leg, pretty much have to go to Porto and win! Should be a cracker of a match!

Tonight, Liverpool should outplay Chelsea at Anfield, I imagine perhaps 1-0, while I think Barca will outplay Bayern 2 (or hopefully 3) - 1.

Hopefully we don't see 3 English sides in the semis again and 2 in the final!
 
Porto should be able to nudge Utd out in the next leg i'd hope.
Arsenal looked great in the 2nd half against Villareal, although i wasn't happy with the amount of yellow we recieved. Hope it doesn't come back to bite us.
Also we picked up a couple of dodgy injuries in Gallas and Almunia.

I guess we'll just have to see, but i am confident of Semi-final qualification at this stage with the away goal.
 
Taltan said:
Predictions:

Liverpool - Chelsea 0-0 bore
Barca to beat Bayern 3-1

As far as winning the whole thing goes its still Arsenal, Barca, Chelsea or a shaky looking Man U.

Also didn't Man U knock Barca out last year. I dont think anyone should complain about draws once you reach the last 8 or 4 of the UCL.
Click to expand...

They did, but were solidly outplayed IMO by a blunt Barca team who just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net.

Imagine the outcome would be different this year around if they were to meet. But Bayern and then Liverpool or Chelsea stand in the way, ominous!
 
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