Football

[Frederick]

The Champions League group draw for your viewing pleasure.

Group A: Liverpool, Porto, Marseille, Besiktas

Group B: Chelsea, Valencia, Schalke, Rosenborg

Group C: Real Madrid, Werder Bremen, Lazio, Olympiakos

Group D: Milan, Benfica, Celtic, Shakhtar Donetsk

Group E: Barcelona, Lyon, Stuttgart, Rangers

Group F: Man Utd, Roma, Sporting Lisbon, Dynamo Kiev

Group G: Inter, PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow, Fenerbache

Group H: Arsenal, Sevilla or AEK Athens, Steau Bucharest, Slavia Prague

[eNe]

The Champions League group draw for your viewing pleasure.

Group A: Liverpool, Porto, Marseille, Besiktas

Group B: Chelsea, Valencia, Schalke, Rosenborg

Group C: Real Madrid, Werder Bremen, Lazio, Olympiakos

Group D: Milan, Benfica, Celtic, Shakhtar Donetsk

Group E: Barcelona, Lyon, Stuttgart, Rangers

Group F: Man Utd, Roma, Sporting Lisbon, Dynamo Kiev

Group G: Inter, PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow, Fenerbache

Group H: Arsenal, Sevilla or AEK Athens, Steau Bucharest, Slavia Prague

Yay for the new UCL season

Alright here are my picks for the final standings in the groups:

Group A:

1. Besiktas

2. Liverpool

3. Marseille

4. Porto

Don't sleep on my team, even tho' Liverpool being #1 is closer to reality BJK has what it takes to take the spot

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Group B:

1. Chelsea

2. Valencia

3. Schalke 04

4. Rosenborg

But still hoping for: 1. Valencia / 2. Schalke

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Group C:

1. Real Madrid

2. Lazio

3. Werder Bremen

4. Olympiacos

Damn it! Real Madrid once again was lucky!

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Group D:

1. Milan

2. Shakhtar

3. Benfica

4. Celtic

No problem for Milan in this shitty group!

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Group E:

1. Lyon

2. Barcelona

3. Stuttgart

4. Rangers

The group that has my eye on! After 2 years that Lyon ripped Real, now it's time for them to face Barca. I expect great games! Especially curious on how Valdes will survive against Juninhos FreeKicks. It will be fun!

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Group F:

1. Roma

2. Dinamo Kiev

3. Manchester United

4. Sporting Lisbon

And this is not a simple ManU-hater opinion. Mark my words.

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Group G:

1. Inter

2. Fenerbahçe

3. PSV Eindhoven

4. CSKA Moscow

The easiest group to predict. Only Fener and PSV may change the places, but none won't cause trouble for Inter!

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Group H:

1. Arsenal

2. Sevilla

3. Steaua Bucurest

4. Slavia Prague

Oh actually this is the easiest group to predict! 99% this will be the final standings! I even expect something like:

1. Arsenal - 18

2. Sevilla - 12

3. Steaua Bucurest - 6

4. Slavia Prague - 0

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What do you others expect?

[Frederick]

I don't anticipate too many surprises. I know Man Utd have started the season slowly but Kiev and Roma would both do very well to finish above them. After all, it wasn't that long ago that they completely molested Roma at Old Trafford. If Shakhtar Donetsk and Besitkas qualify, then in the unlikely event that we ever meet up, I'll pay for lunch. Also, I'd have PSV finishing ahead of Fenerbache. Most importantly, Chelsea and Valencia should be too strong for Schalke. And if Rosenborg beat them home and away, well that'd be a bonus.

[Bouazizi]

Some interesting groups, as always. Group B is the 'toughest' one though in my opinion, the first three teams have a good chance of qualifying.

I think Besiktas look very strong this season, they've won every match and they have a lot of firepower. Expect good things from them, same goes for Fener although I still think they lack good finishing up fornt.

Arsenal's group is pretty decent too, I reckon they'll go through.

Incidentally, Galatasaray are through to the UEFA Cup as well, beating SK Kop' 4-2 on agg.

[SympathysSilhouette]

Group A:

1. Liverpool

2. Porto

3. Besiktas

4. Marseille

I expect this to be a very close fight for the second place between Porto and Besiktas. It will probably come down to a 1-2 point differences in the end.

Group B:

1. Valencia

2. Chelsea

3. Schalke

4. Rosenborg

My heart says Valencia for group winner, my mind says Chelsea. I went with my heart's choice.

Group C:

1. Werder Bremen

22. Real Madrid

3. Lazio

4. Olympiakos

Werder will surprise people and win this group. Real Madrid will do just enough to make it through to the next round.

Group D:

1. Milan

2. Benfica

3. Celtic

4. Shakhtar Donetsk

Geriatric Milan will win this group. Benfica will just edge Celtic out for the n° 2 spot.

Group E:

1.Barcelona

2. Stuttgart

3. Rangers

4. Lyon

Barcelona will win this group, but they will make it more difficult on themselves than necessary. I expect this to be a difficult, transitional year for Lyon. Stuttgart and Rangers will probably battle for the n° spot until the last game of the group phase.

Group F:

1. Man Utd

2. Roma

3. Sporting Lisbon

4. Dynamo Kiev

Manure will somehow win this group, although I don't think they'll win much style points in doing so.

Group G:

1. Inter

2. PSV Eindhoven

3. CSKA Moscow

4. Fenerbache

I expect Inter to win this group with relative ease. PSV will do just enough to make it to the second round.

Group H:

1. Sevilla

2. Arsenal

3. Steau Bucharest

4. Slavia Prague

Sevilla will surprise a lot of people who haven't been paying attention the last couple of years by winning this group with ease (but not me).

[eNe]

Bou, The next leg of "Switzerland v Turkey" matches will be on the UEFA Cup:

Sion v Galatasaray

If no big surprise, Gala will win this round easily, and will enter the UEFA Cup!

But K.Erciyesspor hit the bad stone:

Atlético Madrid v Kayseri Erciyesspor

SS: Your team will trip to Norway!

Brann v Club Brugge

Hoping Brugge will pass the round easily!

[SympathysSilhouette]

Well, it seemed like the easiest team they could have drawn. Either Brann or Toulouse is probably the easiest assignment they could have faced at this point.

Considering it could have been Bayern or even Heerenveen and Aberdeen instead, we can't complain.

[eNe]

Bou, one more thing! Gala signed Roma striker Shabani Nonda, who has played for Blackburn Rovers in the previous season! I think this transfer is on point, because with Lincoln now on the team, they really needed a faster forward!

And Ed, which team do you support in Sweden?

[eNe]

Milan defeated Sevilla 3-1 in UEFA Super Cup Final.

[Frederick]

BVB won at Rostock but God knows how. Tinga was even worse than usual. A truly awful game that if anyone had to win, it was surely them. Still, a win's a win.

I was so glad I decided to check out the final thirty minutes of Fulham-Spurs. What a fantastic, hilarious collapse from Champions League bound Spurs. Or do I mean Championship bound Spurs? Oh how we laugh...

Villa-Chelsea tomorrow, not such a laughing matter. A point would be nice, a win veers more towards the unthinkable.

[SympathysSilhouette]

Liverpool just did to Derby what can only be described as the footballing equivalent of what the mobsters with the baseball bats did to Joe Pesci in that Indiana cornfield. (Watch "Casino" if you don't know what I'm talking about)

[Frederick]

Normally I like to route for the "little guys" like Derby but they're actually quite an unlikable club, managed by what can only be described as a weirdo. Nice Joe Pesci reference, by the way.

[eNe]

Official:

Ronaldinho will play for Chelsea in the 2008-09 season!

[SympathysSilhouette]

What?

[Frederick]

News just in...

The Beatles are getting back together! Official.

[SympathysSilhouette]

News just in...

The Beatles are getting back together! Official.

Someone's going to kill Paul and Ringo?

[SympathysSilhouette]

John Terry's inflated opinion of himself has somehow convinced him that he is allowed to question the ability of Ronnie to succeed at Chelsea... Dear lord, do you have to be an annoying twat to play for Chelski, or do you just turn into one after joining them?

Terry about Ronnie:

"I'd like to think he could fit into the team, though he'd have to learn about the defensive duties expected of everyone.

"We've got wide men going forward but they've got defensive responsibilities as well."

John Terry admits the possibility of Ronaldinho joining Chelsea is "exciting" but believes he would need to improve his defensive work ethic

[Frederick]

Wait. I thought we were in 1974 and I was reading Melody Maker. Damnit!

Speaking of absurd, Emile Heskey's back in the England squad.

[SympathysSilhouette]

Wait. I thought we were in 1974 and I was reading Melody Maker. Damnit!

Speaking of absurd, Emile Heskey's back in the England squad.

Well, they were a bit short on strikers, weren't they? A half-fit Micheal Owen with Darren Bent alongside him isn't exactly a partnership that breeds fear in the opposition's hearts.

I wonder if McClaren will start Gerrard. If he does play and his injuries gets worse, Rafa's head will explode.

[Frederick]

Isn't Bent injured as well? Owen managed to score yesterday and in mid-week but he still looks..."rusty". I hope Heskey tracks back enough to gain the approval of John Terry.