Champions League 2008-9

The Road to Rome starts here, with the draw for rounds 1 and 2:

1 || Linfield (NIR) v Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
2 || Valletta (MLT) v Artmedia (SVK)
3 || Dinamo Tblisi (GEO) v NSI (FAR)
4 || St. Coloma (AND) v Kaunas (LTH)
5 || Murata (SNM) v IFK Gothenburg (SWE)
6 || Llanelli (WAL) v Ventspils (LAT)
7 || Anorthosis (CYP) v Pyunik Yerevan (ARM)
8 || Inter Baku (AZE) v Rabotnicki (MKD)
9 || Tampere (FIN) v Buducnost Pdg. (MNG)
10 || Dudelange (LUX) v Domzale (SVN)
11 || Dinamo Tirana (ALB) v Modrica (BIH)
12 || Aktobe (KAZ) v Sheriff Tiraspol (MOL)
13 || Drogheda (IRL) v Levadia Tallinn (EST)
14 || BATE Borisov (BLR) v Valur (ICE)

A || Rangers (SCO) v W 4
B || Brann Bergen (NOR) v W 6
C || W 8 v Partizan Bg. (SER)
D || W 9 v W 2
E || W 7 v Rapid Vienna (AUT)
F || W 10 v W 1
G || Panathinikos (GRC) v W 3
H || W 5 v Basel (SWI)
I || W 12 v Sparta Pg. (CZE)
J || W 13 v Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)
K || Anderlecht (BEL) v W 14
L || Beitar Jer. (ISR) v Wisla Krakow (POL)
M || Fenerbahce (TUR) v MTK Budapest (HUN)
N || AaB (DEN) v W 11

Full / Expanded
A || Rangers (SCO) v St. Coloma (AND) / Kaunas (LTH)
B || Brann Bergen (NOR) v Llanelli (WAL) / Ventspils (LAT)
C || Inter Baku (AZE) / Rabotnicki (MKD) v Partizan Bg. (SER)
D || Tampere (FIN) / Buducnost Pdg. (MNG) v Valletta (MLT) / Artmedia (SVK)
E || Anorthosis (CYP) / Pyunik Yerevan (ARM) v Rapid Vienna (AUT)
F || Dudelange (LUX) / Domzale (SVN) v Linfield (NIR) / Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
G || Panathinikos (GRC) v Dinamo Tblisi (GEO) / NSI (FAR)
H || Murata (SNM) / IFK Gothenburg (SWE) v Basel (SWI)
I || Aktobe (KAZ) / Sheriff Tiraspol (MOL) v Sparta Pg. (CZE)
J || Drogheda (IRL) / Levadia Tallinn (EST) v Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)
K || Anderlecht (BEL) v BATE Borisov (BLR) / Valur (ICE)
L || Beitar Jer. (ISR) v Wisla Krakow (POL)
M || Fenerbahce (TUR) v MTK Budapest (HUN)
N || AaB (DEN) v Dinamo Tirana (ALB) / Modrica (BIH)


Some fairly even ties there, hard to call Beitar v Krakow, Fener v MTK and IFK Gothenburg v Basel (*assuming IFK beat Murata of Dan Marino).

My predictions:

Rangers beat Kaunas, who will have beaten Coloma
Brann beat Ventspils, who will have beaten Llanelli
Partizan beat Rabotnicki, who will have beatern Inter Baku
Buducnost beat Artmedia, Buducnost having beaten Tampere, Artmedia haveing beaten Valletta
Rapid beat Pyunik, who will have beaten Anorthosis
Dinamo beat Domzale, Dinamo having beaten Linfield, Domzale having beaten Dudelange
Panath. beath Tbilisi who will have beaten NSI
IFK G'burg beat Basel, IFK will have also beaten Murata
Sparta beat Sheriff, who will have beaten Aktobe
Dynamo beat Drogs, who will have beaten Levadia
Anderlecht beat BATE Borisov, who will have beaten Valur
Beitar Jer. beat Wisla
Fenerbahce beat MTK Budapest
AaB beat Modrica who will have beaten Dinamo Tirana

I agree alot of even ties. Including the likes of Anderlecht versus BATE the likely winners from the previous round. I like Domzale (Slovenia) and Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova [Pride of Transnistr]).

Will any poster here have a chance top go to any of the non-Irish club games?

How strong is Estonian football? Surely Irish football is at a much higher level with it becoming professional/semi-professional.

Don't think they'll have much chance against Kiev anyway if they do win thier first round. Would be fantastic for an Irish team to reach group stages though. Does anyone think it will happen in the next decade?

Estonian football is pretty much on it's knees. The last generation was ok (likes of Andreas Oper and Mart Poom) but there are no new players coming in. The club standard is low and clubs from the other Baltic nations always beat Estonian teams in the end of season Baltic cup.

Ventspils (Latvia) 4-0 Llanelli. (4:1)
Sherriff Tirapol (Moldova) 4:0 Aktobe (Kaz) (4:1)
Rabotnicki 1:1 Inter Baku (Azeribaijin) away goals
Kaunas (Lithuania) 3:1 Santa Coloma (andorra) (7:1)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HarpoJoyce

Ventspils (Latvia) 4-0 Llanelli. (4:1)
Sherriff Tirapol (Moldova) 4:0 Aktobe (Kaz) (4:1)
Rabotnicki 1:1 Inter Baku (Azeribaijin) away goals
Kaunas (Lithuania) 3:1 Santa Coloma (andorra) (7:1)

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Good result for Inter Baku. Ventspils were meant to be very impressive against llaneli too. I think Buducnost could be the surprise this year and if they get by Tampere tonight could easily find themsleves in Q3. Am not optimistic about our chances tonight but we live in hope. Its probably the best time in the last 30 years to be playing Kiev if we get through tonight.

Are Artmedia Bratislava the only team to go the whole way from Q1 to the group stages? Heard this last week and couldnt beleive that there has only ever been one.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ciaraa

Are Artmedia Bratislava the only team to go the whole way from Q1 to the group stages? Heard this last week and couldnt beleive that there has only ever been one.

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Also Liverpool.

No one giving Drogs a chance? I think they'll go through and what a great draw to get Kiev. Best of luck to them.

I thought it was one of the worst possible draws they could have got to be honest.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gustavo

I thought it was one of the worst possible draws they could have got to be honest.

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Drogheda are not going to win the champions league so if they're going out it might as well be to a big club and get a big gate at United Park which I think they will with Kiev coming to town.
Sure, it would have been nice to go a round or two further but at this stage they were never going to meet a team that they could beat for that to happen.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Denis The Red

Drogheda are not going to win the champions league so if they're going out it might as well be to a big club and get a big gate at United Park which I think they will with Kiev coming to town.
Sure, it would have been nice to go a round or two further but at this stage they were never going to meet a team that they could beat for that to happen.

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You could say that about Kiev , They arent going to win it , so whats the point in them playing ::confused:Theres no reason why they couldnt have gotten a favourable draw and gotten to the 3rd phase

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HarpoJoyce

I agree alot of even ties. Including the likes of Anderlecht versus BATE the likely winners from the previous round. I like Domzale (Slovenia) and Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova [Pride of Transnistr]).

Will any poster here have a chance top go to any of the non-Irish club games?

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I'll probaby go to see IFK Gothenburg V Basel if I'm in the city. That's an interesting tie.

Full Second Qualifying Round

Brann - Ventspils 29/07 » 05/08 »
İnter Bakı - Partizan 29/07 » 06/08 »
Drogheda - Dynamo Kyiv 29/07 » 06/08 »
Rangers - Kaunas 30/07 » 05/08 »
Tampere United - Artmedia 30/07 » 06/08 »
Sheriff - Sparta 30/07 » 06/08 »
AaB - Modriča 30/07 » 06/08 »
Beitar Jerusalem - Wisła Kraków 30/07 » 06/08 »
Fenerbahçe - MTK 30/07 » 06/08 »
Göteborg - Basel 30/07 » 06/08 »
Anderlecht - BATE 30/07 » 06/08 »
Anorthosis - Rapid Wien 30/07 » 06/08 »
Panathinaikos - Dinamo Tbilisi 30/07 » 06/08 »
Domžale - Dinamo Zagreb

The third round draw will be done on Friday.

Domžale - Dinamo could be a sparky affair

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

Domžale - Dinamo could be a sparky affair

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Wishful thinking. There is no historical reason for it. Only a rivalry amongst close teams with a similar expectation of success.

Does Anorthosis have a chance against Rapid?
and how much milage will the racists of beitar get from their visit to Krakow?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HarpoJoyce

Does Anorthosis have a chance against Rapid?

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Anorthosis seem to be banking on getting through. They signed Greek international Traianos Dellas during the week. He played in Euro 2004, scored the winner in the semi, and 2008. He's only 32. He's played for Roma not to long ago.

Imo, it's a pretty big signing for them. I don't know much about wages in Greece but I'd say they pay a lot more than Cypriot teams.

Excellent effort from Inter Baku to get through. As I recall, Neftci are also in the third round of the Intertoto Cup. Azerbaijan have some good teams at the moment. I am pleased for them, though it is a bit embarrasing to see Wales behind them in the coefficiants year after year.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Metrostars

Full Second Qualifying Round

Brann - Ventspils 29/07 » 05/08 »
İnter Bakı - Partizan 29/07 » 06/08 »
Drogheda - Dynamo Kyiv 29/07 » 06/08 »
Rangers - Kaunas 30/07 » 05/08 »
Tampere United - Artmedia 30/07 » 06/08 »
Sheriff - Sparta 30/07 » 06/08 »
AaB - Modriča 30/07 » 06/08 »
Beitar Jerusalem - Wisła Kraków 30/07 » 06/08 »
Fenerbahçe - MTK 30/07 » 06/08 »
Göteborg - Basel 30/07 » 06/08 »
Anderlecht - BATE 30/07 » 06/08 »
Anorthosis - Rapid Wien 30/07 » 06/08 »
Panathinaikos - Dinamo Tbilisi 30/07 » 06/08 »
Domžale - Dinamo Zagreb

The third round draw will be done on Friday.

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So potential shocks anyone?
I reckon BATE can do it - also would've gone for ventspil to do well but Brann will be extremely difficult for them. Ourselves and Modrica are the only newbies and I reckon their tie is just as tricky as ours.
Anyone giving MTK any chance to get one over a quarter finalist from last year?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

Domžale - Dinamo could be a sparky affair

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I have to apologise to you cfdh_edmundo I was talking to some sources over the weekend and they were saying that that draw certainly can be described as 'Sparky' both for football and other reasons. I suggested otherwise earlier. So hears hoping it remains a healthy neighbourly rivalry anyway.