Champions League Draw 2014/15

[BangrakBob]

Loving Arsenal & City's groups

Bring on Madrid

i've genuinely never heard of ludorgorets. but it looks like a two team group. that'll do.

We got a nice group there. I had to look up Ludorgorets, 8,000 seat capacity in Bulgaria. loving the fact we've got Madrid.

[StevieH]

Loving Arsenal & City's groups

Bring on Madrid

i've genuinely never heard of ludorgorets. but it looks like a two team group. that'll do.

We got a nice group there. I had to look up Ludorgorets, 8,000 seat capacity in Bulgaria. loving the fact we've got Madrid.

last time madrid came to anfield we sent them home with their <deleted> in their hands. utter battering that was.

[StevieH]

remember when fernando torres was <deleted> brilliant by the way?

[mrbojangles]

You's Liverpool fans aren't getting too giddy I hope.

[kurtramsbottom]

[StevieH]

You's Liverpool fans aren't getting too giddy I hope.

why?

[jellydog]

Will be looking forward to Liverpool whupping RM's fat fanny.

[mrbojangles]

You's Liverpool fans aren't getting too giddy I hope.

why?

Cos it's a bit too early.

[StevieH]

You's Liverpool fans aren't getting too giddy I hope.

why?

Cos it's a bit too early.

nah sod that. we've got a bit of a history with this competition boj. great to be back in it.

[mrbojangles]

You's Liverpool fans aren't getting too giddy I hope.

why?

Cos it's a bit too early.

nah sod that. we've got a bit of a history with this competition boj. great to be back in it.

I can understand that stevie and I've enjoyed some of those historic nights with some good scouse mates of mine. I have a soft spot for Liverpool from when I used to live there and if I had to choose another English team apart from City to win the CL, it would be Liverpool. I just prefer the more cautious approach until at least after the first stage and into the knockout phase.

[BangrakBob]

5 years in the abyss boj, can't help but look forward to the Anfield cauldron firing up like it does for European nights! Just to be part of it again excites us no matter who is in our group.

[mrbojangles]

Fair enough BB. Giddy on up there then

[Chicog]

Chelsea can snooze their way to Christmas.

I didn't want Borussia (again - isn't this the 3rd year in a row?) and Chic didn't want a Turk.

Not the best of luck there. Still - I suspect Kloppo aint exactly celebrating

Disappointed we didn't get Cyprus, I could have nipped over for that one.

We'll have to buy some new shirts though, the turks spend most of the game trying to nick them.

[NiwPix]

Chelsea can snooze their way to Christmas.

I didn't want Borussia (again - isn't this the 3rd year in a row?) and Chic didn't want a Turk.

Not the best of luck there. Still - I suspect Kloppo aint exactly celebrating

Yeah, Arsenal wasn't on our wishlist either. I am looking forward to some great games in that group.

I do think that this year there was no real "Group of death". I would guess the most difficult group this drawing is Group E. Where Bayern will probably finish 1st and the other 3 battle for 2nd position.

[salty]

Draw for Last 16.

PSG V Chelsea

Man City v Barcelona

Bayern Leverkusen V Athletico Madrid

Juventus v Borussia Dortmund

Schalke 04 v Real Madrid

Shaktar Donesk v Bayern Munich

Arsenal v Monaco

Basel v Porto

Good draw for Arsenal.

[NiwPix]

Looking forward to the game against Juve. Hopefully we'll have our form back by then.

I saw/heard Mourinho asking for Paris a few days ago....

[smokie36]

Well mrboj....just be happy you avoided Real Madrid.

[SantiSuk]

I'll punt on the quarters to be:

PSG

Man City

Athletico Madrid

Borussia Dortmund

Real Madrid

Bayern Munich

Arsenal

Basel

And I would like Borussia in the quarter-finals please. We have a few scores to settle

{Based on a belief that the injury situation will have done a what-goes-around-comes-around come Feb. Arsenal at full strength. Kun Ag and Silva back. Costa and Azzard sidelined Messi out for months and Suarez banned for head-butting Ancelotti }

[MrRed]

Looking forward to the game against Juve. Hopefully we'll have our form back by then.

I saw/heard Mourinho asking for Paris a few days ago....

What are your thoughts on Klopp leaving at the end of the season to manage Liverpool?

I was at the game in Dortmund when you beat us 1-0(United) and then went on to win it in 1997 and YOU will remember that game against Juventus they had a great side Zidane Boksic,Vieri,Del Piero just to name a few ......But the Dortmund side from that year was stunning and that side was probably the best team i have seen United play against in Europe............and wait for it.......even Mr Paul Lambert won a Champions League winners medal in that final.

Credit were its due though Dortmund were a great team that year.

[NiwPix]

Looking forward to the game against Juve. Hopefully we'll have our form back by then.

I saw/heard Mourinho asking for Paris a few days ago....

What are your thoughts on Klopp leaving at the end of the season to manage Liverpool?

I was at the game in Dortmund when you beat us 1-0(United) and then went on to win it in 1997 and YOU will remember that game against Juventus they had a great side Zidane Boksic,Vieri,Del Piero just to name a few ......But the Dortmund side from that year was stunning and that side was probably the best team i have seen United play against in Europe............and wait for it.......even Mr Paul Lambert won a Champions League winners medal in that final.

Credit were its due though Dortmund were a great team that year.

Well, I wish I could say with a 100% certainty that Klopp will not leave Dortmund anytime soon, but unfortunately in football anything is possible. What I do know is that just last season he extended his contract until 2018. As well as Zorc ( the brain behind the scenes ). Them two, plus the Watzke the chairman are a fantastic Trio. They accomplished incredible things the past ~6 years. Even though at this moment there are some tough times ahead of them, I think they are there to stay for a while and do some damage in Europe .

As for the Championsleague season 97...unfortunately I do not remember tooo much. This was the beginning stage of me following football / Dortmund. I vaguely started following them when I was 12 ( 95 season ). I remember the Championsleague final against Juve. I bet with a Juve fan and won 20 Deutsche Mark. They should had a great team back then...no doubt. However, I think Dortmunds best team was 2012/2013...the year they played against Bayern in the CL Final. They just overall played beautiful football that season ( and the previous season too ). Unfortunately Goetze was missing in that Final. It may have taken a different outcome...but thats the past now.

If only we can get the motor running again like the past three seasons...

[MrRed]

Just had a look at that team again from 1997 very impressive but the Juve side that you beat was unbelievable so for me they still are the best side i have seen against United and that year they won it.

2012/13 was also a very good side but it is difficult to compare over nearly twenty years ago.

Klopp is a good coach and i think Juve will be there for the taking for you if he gets them playing as a team again by next years match...plenty of time for things to change.

[NiwPix]

Oh, reading those names puts a smile on my face.

Klos, my all time favorite goalie. The reason I chose that position when I played football.

Riedle, I have a jersey with his autograph

Kohler, same birthday as me...just a different year.

Sammer, don't like him anymore since he went to bayern and keeps provoking Klopp.

I hope when the winter break is over, our injured ones ( most importantly Reus ) will be back.

[carmine]

Now that the last of the English sides have exited the CL perhaps idiot pundits/media will stop going on about the EPL being the best league in the world.

Its clearly not and imho hasn't been for quite a while.

[StevieH]

Now that the last of the English sides have exited the CL perhaps idiot pundits/media will stop going on about the EPL being the best league in the world.

Its clearly not and imho hasn't been for quite a while.

it's like saying mcdonald's is the world's "best" restaurant.

[Chicog]

As a league it's the best by a mile. For European football, obviously not.

[StevieH]

i don't know what that even means chicog.

it's clearly the best-funded, best-marketed, most-watched and most-hyped. in terms of actual quality? where the world's best players play? nah, not even close.

[Chicog]

i don't know what that even means chicog.

it's clearly the best-funded, best-marketed, most-watched and most-hyped. in terms of actual quality? where the world's best players play? nah, not even close.

I think you're just a bit jaded because you've never won it.

But it's more competitive than the other leagues, and that's what makes it popular.

Who wants to watch Barca, Bayern or Juve winning pretty well every week apart from their own fans?

[mrbojangles]

i don't know what that even means chicog.

it's clearly the best-funded, best-marketed, most-watched and most-hyped. in terms of actual quality? where the world's best players play? nah, not even close.

I think you're just a bit jaded because you've never won it.

But it's more competitive than the other leagues, and that's what makes it popular.

Who wants to watch Barca, Bayern or Juve winning pretty well every week apart from their own fans?

Totally agree Chicog.

Being the best league isn't about having an individual best team in Europe, the World, the stratosphere, it's about the sum of the whole.

[BangrakBob]

Was going to mention the same when reading the comments a couple of days back. Not been the best season for the EPL, but generally it is consistently the most exciting and entertaining league to watch.

[StevieH]

i don't know what that even means chicog.

it's clearly the best-funded, best-marketed, most-watched and most-hyped. in terms of actual quality? where the world's best players play? nah, not even close.

I think you're just a bit jaded because you've never won it.

But it's more competitive than the other leagues, and that's what makes it popular.

Who wants to watch Barca, Bayern or Juve winning pretty well every week apart from their own fans?

united and arsenal dominated the premier league for ages. then chelsea and latterly city get sugar daddies and they take over as the dominant two. don't consider that pretty competitive to be honest mate.

and it has nothing to do with liverpool not having won it, honestly. just trying to be objective.

i think what makes the english league so popular is a combination of pace of the game, that whole 'home of the game' thing and some truly great marketing. the overall standard of the play isn't really particularly brilliant. and again, all the real world stars are found in spain and germany at the moment.