Champions League 2008-9

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ciaraa

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?

---

Well, I'd say 1-2 win is a shock already.
Saw the last twenty minutes via bet365.com streaming. Apparently Anderlecht scored a terrific goal. FC BATE (pron.Bite) went up the field and their forward went down in the box Marsin Wasilewski was given 2nd yellow. Off. Peno, goal. FC BATE had one more shot on target and scored after 85 minutes. Belarus 'keeper saved with his face from Mbark Boussoufa in injury time

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by superfrank

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.

---

Pretty impressive start, 3-0 up.

Red Cards at Euro club level
Only saw last few minutes of two games via streaming and there was sending off in both. But soft/unneccessary to foul... stuff. Wisla Krakow player second yellow for shirt pull 85 mins. Anderlecht defender saw the attacker race away from him in the box, forward goes down peno and off. And a nice one, FC BATE midfielder (Igor Stasevich) was substituted because he picked up a yellow. While his team are 1-1 away the fourth official call sthe referees attention and the player gets a second yellow in the dugout and walks. Camera shown shots of uphappy manager and directors.

I accept there have been some reds for the LoI opposition lately but I consider that pay-back as some years ago some LoI clubs went through a rash of players getting sent-off during 50/50 matches or controlled situations.

Hardly matters how they did it but BATE win away from home has to be biggest shock in recent years. If they get through they will be seeded in the 3rd round.
Anorthosis also odds on to progress & would be unseeded so they could play each other for right to make the group stages.

Would be great to see a small team like BATE in the group stages as Uefa only want the big clubs in there & big countries have all the advantages.

Third round qualifying draw

Anorthosis / Rapid Wien : Olympiakos
Vitoria : IFK Goteborg / FC Basel
Shakthor Donetsk : NK Domzale / Dinamo Zagreb
Schalke04 : Club Atletico Madrid
Aalborg / FK Modrica : Rangers / FBK Kaunas
FC Barcelona : Beitar Jerusalem / Wisla Krakow
PFC Levski Sofia : RSC Anderlecht / BATE Borisov
Standard de Leige : Liverpool FC
Inter Baku / FK Partizan : Fernebahce / MTK Budapest
FC Twente : Arsenal FC
Spartak Moscow : Drogheda Utd. / Dynamo Kyiv
Juventus : Tampere Utd. / Artmedia Bratislava
SK Brann / Ventspils : Olympique de Marseilles
Fiorentina : Slavia Prague
Galatasaray : Steau Bucharest
Panathinaikos / : FC Sheriff Tiraspol / AC Sparta Prague
Dynamo Tbilisi

Some very interesting possible ties there. Schalke vs Atletico Madrid, most likely Kiev against Spartak another big one. Galatasaray vs Steau would be hard to call. BATE if they go through would have to fancy themeselves against Levski Sofia. To think Bohs knocked them out only a few years ago....

Schalke v Atletico is probably the tie of the round... impossible to call that one IMO. I'd be tempted to put some money on Twente beating Arsenal over the two legs. I think McClaren seems to hold the bogie sign over Arsenal and the gunners look short of depth with all the selling they've been doing. A potential Partizan v Fenerbahce match could be a cracker too. Most of the ties are pretty even, the only dead certs to get through seem to be Liverpool, Barcelona and, sadly, Juventus.

are ya mad? McLarens last match against Wenger was a 7-0 defeat! some bogey that is!

Arsenal to slaughter them. il run up O Connell St in the nip if they dont...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by newbie

are ya mad? McLarens last match against Wenger was a 7-0 defeat! some bogey that is!

Arsenal to slaughter them. il run up O Connell St in the nip if they dont...

---

Haha!....Which O'Connell Street?

hmmm i didnt think this through did i? :D

the one in Dublin :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by newbie

hmmm i didnt think this through did i? :D

the one in Dublin :)

---

No bother, many people use it as a forfeit in the early hours of the morning.
Very few take any notice, 'cos it's so busy with people, good choice.


These early rounds have got interesting anyway, looking forward to the rest of the results.

BATE drew 2-2 at home to Anderlecht to go through 4-3. They play Levski Sofia (Bulgaria) for place in groups stages.

Anorthosis 1-1 away to Rapid Vienna to got through 4-1. They play Olympiacos next.

Alongside Kaunas v Aalborg a few chances for minnows to make the group stages.

Levski Sofia were shocking and lost their opening Bulgarian league match, BATE have a real chance and I'm sticking some $$$ on them!

Juventus make their long awaited return to European competition tonight against Artmedia.

Spartak Moscow 1 Kiev 2 at half time. :eek:

The minnows are within touching distance of the group stages!

Sofia 0 BATE 1.

Anorthosis 3 Olympiacos 0 - They won 2nd round 3-0 at home too only to lose 1-3 away so maybe not so clear cut. Seems Cyriot club teams much stronger at home like national team.

Borisov are through after a 1-1 draw. They had a man sent off after 43 minutes.

Fenerbahce just got a second against Partizan Belgrade 2-0 on the night(4-2)

Atletico equalised against Schalke 1-0 and the Romanian Revolution continues Steau have taken the lead against Galatasaray with a short time to go.

Partizan Belgrade are getting crucified by the referee. They are getting caught off-side legitimately but then a Fenerbahce defender lobs the ball back to his advancing keeper and of course the ball bounces into the net. Offside. Two strikers were in an advanced position but.......

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DaveyCakes

Borisov are through after a 1-1 draw. They had a man sent off after 43 minutes.

---

Was just about to post a score update until I realised that was full time. :eek:
Greatest achievement in Champions League history?
They may finish pointless in the groups.

Dynamo Kiev 4 Spartak Moscow 1 (8-2 aggregate)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pete

Dynamo Kiev 4 Spartak Moscow 1 (8-4 aggregate)

---

Is it not 8-2?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by superfrank

Is it not 8-2?

---

correct. edited.