Possible Groups for Champ League

yop

FROM UEFA.COM

Manchester United FC and RC Deportivo La Coruna will meet for the third time in two seasons and Arsenal FC will come up against AS Roma for the very first time when the draw for the UEFA Champions League second group stage is made in Geneva on Friday morning.

1999 winners
Owing to the way in which the teams have been seeded, United will be joined by three Spanish clubs in the top-seeded pot, and as teams from the same national association cannot be drawn together in the same group the only club from Pot 1 that Deportivo can play are the 1999 winners from England.

Honours even
The teams met twice in last season's competition - once in the first group stage, when the Spanish side did the double over United; and then again in the quarter-finals when United had their revenge, winning both legs.

Arsenal to avoid Madrid
Similarly, as there are three Italian clubs in Pot 2, the only side from this pot that Roma can meet is Arsenal. This in turns means the English champions will avoid the holders and favourites Real Madrid CF, who cannot be drawn in the same group as Roma, their opponents in the first group stage.

Group of death?
Either of these definite pairings could well turn out to be the basis for a so-called “group of death”: United and Deportivo will meet either Juventus FC or Internazionale FC, like United both twice winners, and the fourth team could be four-times winners AFC Ajax.

Ajax factor
Ajax, however, could just as easily end up in a group with Arsenal, Roma and either FC Barcelona, the 1992 winners, or Valencia CF, twice runners-up in the past three years.

German pair
Meanwhile, the two German clubs – BV Borussia Dortmund and Bayer 04 Leverkusen – will find themselves in a group containing one Spanish and one Italian opponent, while the section involving England’s third representative, Newcastle United FC, will contain one Italian club (Inter or Milan), one German and one Spanish team.

UEFA Cup draw
All will be revealed at tomorrow’s draw, which takes place at 11.30CET at the Noga Hilton Hotel in Geneva, and is followed by the draw for the third round of the UEFA Cup.

johnnynolegs

yes it looks good and exciting.......................

burn-afc

It matters not much - its going to be tough to get to the quarter finals irrespective of who you've got in your group.

But Roma will do me.

Dustaz

Why will there be 2 german clubs in one group and they keep the other nations apart?

johnnynolegs

yeah i just noticed that myself Dustaz wierd eh...........

yop

BV Borussia Dortmund and Bayer 04 Leverkusen – will find themselves in a group containing one Spanish and one Italian opponent,

Not in the same group, what they mean is that 2 groups will contain 1 german, 1 spanish, 1 italian team

eg Dortmund, roma, barc, for example

Dustaz

aaaah cheers Yop, still a bit sleepy

johnnynolegs

ah rite i thought it mite mean that but the headline was misleading "GERMAN PAIR"

yop

I could be wrong!!

Have to be awake now, goin up yer way to the David Gray concert, so no sleepin behind the wheel

KdjaCL

Bet Man Utd wish they lost other night

Tho me is happy with this seasons CL action for entertainment value anyway.
So the Man Utd group if it ends out like this
Man U
Juve
Depor
Ajax

Will be an awesome group to follow.

bring on footie

Kdja

Waylander

It looks like all the groups are going to be interesting. I can see AC Milan being the only Italian team to progress. Cant wait for the next phase to start now.

Sposs

Glad Utd will avoid Ac Milan,i seriously think they will be main contenders this year especially the way the beat Bayern Munich both home and away.

yop

I think regardless of who we meet in the next round that I honestly think that we are one of the weaker teams at this time, maybe we are goin through a bad patch but unless we improve big time we will win feck all in the next round.

This is definately the best round, some very very interesting groups, will be hard to pick an accumulator out of these!!

Sposs

I dont know about us been one of the weaker teams after all we did coast thru the first round beating every team except hafia (sp?) both home and away something we really struggled to do last year.I think Utd actually have a better chance at winnning the champions league than they do at winning the primiership.

johnnynolegs

yeah it looks like it will be a good one alrite...............

yop

DETAILS OF THE POT

Seeding Pot 1
Pos Club Coeff.
1 Real Madrid (ESP) 147.233
2 Manchester United FC (ENG) 125.729
3 FC Barcelona (ESP) 116.233
4 Valencia CF (ESP) 106.233


Clubs qualified for the UEFA Champions League second group stage
Seeding Pot 2
Pos Club Coeff.
5 Juventus FC (ITA) 91.334
6 Arsenal FC (ENG) 90.729
7 Internazionale FC (ITA) 88.334
8 Milan AC (ITA) 69.334


Clubs qualified for the UEFA Champions League second group stage
Seeding Pot 3
Pos Club Coeff.
9 RC Deportivo La Coruña (ESP) 82.233
10 Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER) 81.495
11 AS Roma (ITA) 77.334
12 BV Borussia Dortmund (GER) 73.495


Clubs qualified for the UEFA Champions League second group stage
Seeding Pot 4
Pos Club Coeff.
13 FC Lokomotiv Moskva (RUS) 57.645
14 AFC Ajax (HOL) 48.082
15 Newcastle United FC (ENG) 43.729
16 FC Basel (SUI) 14.312

Waylander

Surprised Barca are so highly rated. they have been poor enough in Europe over the last few years. Valencia should be rated above them I would have thought.

gandalf

GROUP A
Barcelona
Inter Milan
Bayer Leverkusen
Newcastle United

GROUP B
Valencia
Arsenal
Roma
Ajax

GROUP C
Real Madrid
AC Milan
Borussia Dortmund
Lokomotiv Moscow

GROUP D
Manchester United
Juventus
Deportivo La Coruna
Basle

Looks like some excellent games in prospect.

Gandalf.

Sposs

No Easy groups there.