Printable View
Here is the draw for the final qualification round, if they win these, the teams go to the group stage:
Champion Path
Wisla Krakow v Apoel Nicosia
Maccabi Haifa v Genk
Dinamo Zagreb v Malmo FF
FC Copenhagen v Plzen
BATE v Sturm Graz
Non-champion Path
Odense BK v Villarreal
FC Twente v SL Benfica
Arsenal v Udinese
Bayern München v FC Zurich
Lyons v Rubin Kazan
Copenhagen vs. Plzen is the most interesting tie in the champion's path. I think Plzen could do it, they've won all four of their European games so far and beat Rosenborg 4-2 (including a 1-0 away win) to get here. Copenhagen scraped by Rosenborg at this stage last year.
Arsenal vs. Udinese is the most interesting one in the non-champion's path but Twente vs. Benfica is probably the most evenly balanced.
Wouldn't rule out Udinese, they still have di Natale, but Sanchez will be a major loss. It's been over a decade since a Polish team qualified, so would be refreshing to see Wisla qualify, likewise think Solna were the last Swedish team in the competition, seems that was in 2000.
I would fancy Arsenal a lot more if Van Persie weren't suspended for the first leg. Still though, I expect to see them in the group stages.
Twente-Benfica should be a good one, I fancy Benfica to come through.
Would be nice to see Malmo go through too.
That Arsenal team, compared to their teams of just a few years ago, looked terribly lightweight. I know they were missing a few players but they need more than 2 signings. They need about 4 to seriously challenge for any trophy this year. Udinese didn't look a bad side. Speaking of how the "mighty" have fallen, I kept channel hopping to the scores on Sky for the Championship/Division One games. Bury 2 Sheff Wed 1. Sigh.....
The mighty?
The patronizing of Udinese is really starting to grate. The talk of Crisis at the Emirates is quite stunning today.
Both teams that played last night finished fourth in their respective national leagues.
Arsenal's record was 19-11-8/72:43
Udinese's was 20-6-12/65:43
Arsenal's top scorer was van Persie with 18.
Udinese's was di Natale with 28.
This divine right bull from England is really starting to annoy me.
Other than Arsenal's history there's nothing to say that they should have gone out there and comfortably beaten Udinese.
The performance was abject, yes, but it was their second competitive game of this season and Udinese did what an Italian team does best and defended resolutely and a little high up the pitch. Arsenal were always going to win this by the odd goal or draw. They have no bite at all.
Rant over.
Presumably you dind't see the game. udinese are not a typical Italian teamQuote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
I watched about an hour in total either side of ht and that was my reading and mistakenly, it appears, made a judgement on that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
That does not really negate anything else of the point that was made.
I didn't argue against anything else you said.
I know. That wasn't meant to appear as a criticism of your comment, merely reiterating that the English media hyperbole is unwarranted.
I hope for the sake of the football watching public Rubin turn it around against Lyon. More Russian teams mean more live matches (with the 17:30 kick off in Russia) to watch. :)
I see Villareal are in a spot of bother, 1-0 down to Odense, if they cant turn it around there will only be 3 Spanish teams in the CL, like last year with Sevilla going out to Braga.
I have to say I thought Arsenal would struggle last night but they won comfortably in the end, albeit aided by a great penalty save. I wonder does Pat Rice actually do anything other than sit and listen to Wenger's rants ;) ? It's like as if his only purpose is to sit mutely as Wenger blows his top.
As an aside, despite the "all important away goal" according to every TV commentator, none of the 10 qualifying games was won on the away goals rule.
The first goal for Arsenal last night made a big difference to their situation. It meant that Udinese had to score two to get anything from the game, instead of just the one needed to win or just settling at 1-0 and going to extra-time/penos. It took a lot of pressure of Arsenal. They could've conceded one more and still be safe. Granted, it didn't matter in the end, but, psychologically, it's bound to have an effect on the players. Maybe that's why Arsenal were able to get their second?Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Away goals do make a difference.
EDIT: I reckon Plzen could prove to be a tricky side. Won all their games in Europe so far and beat two of the better known, lesser European sides home and away.
Quote:
Originally Posted by superfrank
Plzen were class last night and were by far the better team in both games against Copenhagen, as you said, have won all 6 games so far, Horvath, Pilar and Bakos playing amazing for them too. Hopefully they get a good draw today, they fully deserve it
Trabzonspor replace Fenerbahce due to the match-fixing scandal. Probably won't happen, but would be useful for English teams to get the toughest possible group draws if they are really to test Barcelona and Real this season.
A Group consisting of Barcelona, AC MIlan, Man City, Borrussia Dortmund is possible (and very appealing)
That would be an incredible group.
Man City for fifty/fifty for ending up in that group - but came out with Bayern Munich and Villareal instead.
Man Utd get Benfica, Basle and Otelul Galati, for my money the weakest seeds from pot 2 and 3 as well as one of the weaker, if not weakest, from 4. Is it just me or do they almost always get a handy group?
A
Bayern
Villareal
Man City
Napoli
B
Inter
CSKA Moscow
Lille
Trabzonspor
C
Man Utd
Benfica
Basel
Otelul
D
Real Madrid
Lyon
Ajax
Dinamo Zagreb
E
Chelsea
Valencia
Leverkusen
Genk
F
Arsenal
Marseilles
Olympiakos
Dortmund
G
Porto
Shakhtar Donetsk
Zenit
Apoel Nicosia
H
Barcelona
Milan
Bate Borisov
Plzen
A
Bayern
Villareal
Man City
Napoli
B
Inter
CSKA Moscow
Lille
Trabzonspor
C
Man Utd
Benfica
Basel
Otelul
D
Real Madrid
Lyon
Ajax
Dinamo Zagreb
E
Chelsea
Valencia
Leverkusen
Genk
F
Arsenal
Marseilles
Olympiakos
Dortmund
G
Porto
Shakhtar Donetsk
Zenit
Apoel Nicosia
H
Barcelona
Milan
Bate Borisov
Plzen