Champions League group stage draw

[Sir David Gray]

The draw for the Champions League group stages is being made tonight and it starts around 5pm, although once Michel Platini and all the other dignitaries make their speeches that last about half an hour, it'll probably be nearer 6pm.

The 32 clubs are in the following pots;

Pot 1

Manchester Utd
Barcelona
Chelsea
Bayern Munich
Arsenal
Real Madrid
Porto
Inter Milan

Pot 2

AC Milan
Lyon
Shakhtar Donetsk
Valencia
Benfica
Villarreal
CSKA Moscow
Marseille

Pot 3

Zenit St. Petersburg
Ajax
Bayer Leverkusen
Olympiakos
Manchester City
Lille
Basel
BATE Borisov

Pot 4

Borussia Dortmund
Napoli
Dinamo Zagreb
APOEL
Trabzonspor
Genk
Viktoria Plzen
Otelul Galati

I'd like two of the groups to be as follows;

Manchester Utd
Marseille
BATE Borisov
Otelul Galati

Barcelona
AC Milan
Manchester City
Borussia Dortmund

[HH81]

Is that because you see Manchester city as a massive threat and you would have no chance of beating them?

[Part/Time Supporter]

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Is that because you see Manchester city as a massive threat and you would have no chance of beating them?

Country protection until the quarter finals

[Sir David Gray]

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Is that because you see Manchester city as a massive threat and you would have no chance of beating them?

First point-The only "we" that I recognise is Hibs. I like Manchester Utd but would never refer to them as "we" or "us".

Second point-Manchester Utd could not meet Manchester City in the group stages anyway, even if I did want Manchester Utd to get, because clubs from the same nation cannot meet each other before the 1/4 finals.

[lapsedhibee]

Barca v City final would be good, as they're clearly the two best teams in the tournament, and putting them in the same group doesn't stop that. In fact (though my logic here may be wonky) I think them being in the same group may, statistically, help them both get to the final, as then they wouldn't be able to meet immediately after the group stage.

[Sir David Gray]

What on Earth is Carles Puyol wearing?

He might have got dressed up!

[CapitalHibs]

Nae hertz again - dearie,dearie me

[Sir David Gray]

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Barca v City final would be good, as they're clearly the two best teams in the tournament, and putting them in the same group doesn't stop that. In fact (though my logic here may be wonky) I think them being in the same group may, statistically, help them both get to the final, as then they wouldn't be able to meet immediately after the group stage.

Wouldn't dispute your Barcelona claim as they're the reigning champions and have wonderful players at their disposal, but Manchester City?

Are you serious?

They've done absolutely nothing yet on a European scale and although they've got the financial capabilities to challenge for major honours, they're a very long way from proving that they're "clearly one of the two best teams".

[lapsedhibee]

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Wouldn't dispute your Barcelona claim as they're the reigning champions and have wonderful players at their disposal, but Manchester City?

Are you serious?

They've done absolutely nothing yet on a European scale and although they've got the financial capabilities to challenge for major honours, they're a very long way from proving that they're "clearly one of the two best teams".

Who are you thinking might be better than them like?

[sunshine1875]

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Who are you thinking might be better than them like?

Well Man U must be better than them, if last season's EPL is anything to go by or this season's only meeting (Charity Cup Final)!

Man U deserve respect for what they have achieved in recent seasons. Man City deserve nothing until they win the league or Champions League.

I am not a Man U fan, in fact not a fan of any EPL teams, but you have to give them credit for what they have achieved.

[Sir David Gray]

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Who are you thinking might be better than them like?

Manchester City aren't even the best team in their own city, never mind in the continent.

You can take from that what you wish.

[JimBHibees]

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Who are you thinking might be better than them like?

Manchester Utd
Barcelona
Chelsea
Bayern Munich
Real Madrid
for starters.

[Sir David Gray]

Group Stage Draw;

Group A

Bayern Munich
Villarreal
Manchester City
Napoli

Group B

Inter Milan
CSKA Moscow
Lille
Trabzonspor

Group C

Manchester Utd
Benfica
Basel
Otelul Galati

Group D

Real Madrid
Lyon
Ajax
Dinamo Zagreb

Group E

Chelsea
Valencia
Bayer Leverkusen
Genk

Group F

Arsenal
Marseille
Olympiakos
Borussia Dortmund

Group G

Porto
Shakhtar Donetsk
Zenit St. Petersburg
APOEL

Group H

Barcelona
AC Milan
BATE Borisov
Viktoria Plzen

[SteveHFC]

Group A:

Bayern
Villareal
Man City
Napoli

What a group!

[SteveHFC]

Arsenal and Man Utd as usual get easy groups.

[Sir David Gray]

Great draw for Man Utd.
Stinker for Man City.
Difficult one for Chelsea.
Arsenal should be ok.

[lapsedhibee]

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Well Man U must be better than them, if last season's EPL is anything to go by or this season's only meeting (Charity Cup Final)!

Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future etc. Don't you think Nasri will improve City?

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Manchester Utd
Barcelona
Chelsea
Bayern Munich
Real Madrid
for starters.

Real were taking City's cast-offs last season, and didn't look any great shakes in this season's Supercopa.

[Golden Bear]

When is the draw for the real cup -------------- The Scottish Communities League Cup of course.

[JimBHibees]

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Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future etc. Don't you think Nasri will improve City?


Real were taking City's cast-offs last season, and didn't look any great shakes in this season's Supercopa.

Personally thought Real looked excellent in the Spanish super and were unlucky to lose. Adebayor was very much a bit player for Real and it looks like there arent that interested in him this year. We'll see City look good however they need to do it on the park and managing the egos will be a massive job for Mancini and one which he at times struggled with last year.

[zelda]

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Manchester City aren't even the best team in their own city, never mind in the continent.

You can take from that what you wish.

Think you'll find we're the only team in the city

[Sir David Gray]

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When is the draw for the real cup -------------- The Scottish Communities League Cup of course.

Monday.

Unfortunately we've got to wait 5 days after the teams have all been confirmed before the draw is made, whereas the Champions League draw gets made the day after the teams have been confirmed.

[lapsedhibee]

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Arsenal and Man Utd as usual get easy groups.

Au contraire. Draw was fixed latterly so that fancied German champs Borussia Dortmund ended up in Arsenal's group:

"There is a problem in the draw for the last 3 teams," says Tristan Rudgard. "Ghenk is drawn third last and they list only Groups B and E that they can be drawn into (and therefore only pick balls for those groups). However, there is no reason why they could not be drawn into group F (Arsenal's group) as there are no other Belgian teams in the draw. Penultimate team is Trabzonspor and they place them into Group B as they show no other open groups - however, there is also no reason why they could not have be drawn into Group F. Finally Dortmund are allocated to the only remaining group, F. The system broke down and did not show Group F as a valid option for the last 3 picks. Redraw?"

[hibsbollah]

The fabulous Olympique Marseille will finally get out of the group stages this year. A poor arsenal, perennial underachievers dortmund and some greeks should provide no shignuficant problemsh for Deschamps men.

[jacomo]

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Group A:

Bayern
Villareal
Man City
Napoli

What a group!

Drawing City from pot three surely the worst possible outcome for these other clubs. Villareal maybe not the strongest club from pot two, so from City's perspective could have been worse.

[HH81]

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First point-The only "we" that I recognise is Hibs. I like Manchester Utd but would never refer to them as "we" or "us".

Second point-Manchester Utd could not meet Manchester City in the group stages anyway, even if I did want Manchester Utd to get, because clubs from the same nation cannot meet each other before the 1/4 finals.

1st point - If I can find you refering to them as "we" or "us" will you accept an automatic ban from Hibs.net?

2nd point- Where in my post did i mention that Man City would get fc united of falkirk in the group stages?

[3pm]

Any news on Rangers in Pot I?

[Sir David Gray]

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1st point - If I can find you refering to them as "we" or "us" will you accept an automatic ban from Hibs.net?

2nd point- Where in my post did i mention that Man City would get fc united of falkirk in the group stages?

First point-Be my guest!

Second point-Your response to my post about what I wanted the groups to be, suggested to me that you were unaware that two clubs from the same country could not get each other in the group stages. My apologies if that was incorrect.

[HH81]

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First point-Be my guest!

Second point-Your response to my post about what I wanted the groups to be, suggested to me that you were unaware that two clubs from the same country could not get each other in the group stages. My apologies if that was incorrect.

1st Point - 7 posts edited

2nd point - I accept.............just about

[Franck Stanton]

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Group Stage Draw;

Group A

Bayern Munich
Villarreal
Manchester City
Napoli

Group B

Inter Milan
CSKA Moscow
Lille
Trabzonspor

Group C

Manchester Utd
Benfica
Basel
Otelul Galati

Group D

Real Madrid
Lyon
Ajax
Dinamo Zagreb

Group E

Chelsea
Valencia
Bayer Leverkusen
Genk

Group F

Arsenal
Marseille
Olympiakos
Borussia Dortmund

Group G

Porto
Shakhtar Donetsk
Zenit St. Petersburg
APOEL

Group H

Barcelona
AC Milan
BATE Borisov
Viktoria Plzen

That cannae be right, there's nae mention o' the Hertz

[ChrissyG1875]

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The fabulous Olympique Marseille will finally get out of the group stages this year. A poor arsenal, perennial underachievers dortmund and some greeks should provide no shignuficant problemsh for Deschamps men.

I agree, good draw. However I think you´ll find we got out last year