UEFA Champion's League 2014-2015

[Johan]

Holders Real Madrid draw Liverpool in group stage


Real Madrid CF will play Liverpool FC – a repeat of the 1981 European Cup final – in Group B after the Monaco draw, while Zlatan Ibrahimović will be on familiar ground in Group F.

Holders Real Madrid CF face a reunion with Liverpool FC following the UEFA Champions League group stage draw in Monaco today [thursday august 28th].
Madrid claimed a tenth European title in Lisbon in May and added the UEFA Super Cup earlier this month. Their bid to become the first team to retain the UEFA Champions League begins in Group B, where FC Basel 1893, PFC Ludogorets Razgrad and Liverpool – who beat the Merengues in the 1981 European Cup final in Paris – form the opposition.

Group stage dates
Matchday one 16–17/09/14
Matchday two 30/09–01/10/14
Matchday three 21–22/10/14
Matchday four 04–05/11/14
Matchday five 25–26/11/14
Matchday six 09–10/12/14


Draw highlights
• Group A is the only section to include four domestic champions; Groups E and F both have three.
• Paris striker Zlatan Ibrahimović has also played for Barcelona (2009/10) and Ajax (2001–04), two of the three sides the French club face in Group F.
• Barcelona overcame Paris on away goals in the 2012/13 quarter-finals.
• Galatasaray beat Arsenal on penalties in the 2000 UEFA Cup final in Copenhagen, becoming the first Turkish team to win a European competition.
• Arsenal and Dortmund are in the same group for the third time in four seasons, while Bayern, Manchester City and CSKA Moskva all met at this stage a year ago.
• Also in last term's group stage, Chelsea defeated Schalke 3-0 home and away while Ajax went down 4-0 in Barcelona but edged the Catalan club 2-1 in Amsterdam.
• Basel beat Ludogorets – one of two group stage debutants, along with Swedish champions Malmö – 6-2 on aggregate in the 2013/14 play-offs.
• Liverpool pipped Real Madrid in the 1981 European Cup final in Paris, but were eliminated from the 2002/03 competition by Basel.
• Roma swapped home wins with Bayern in the 2010/11 group stage, the Italian side's most recent UEFA Champions League appearance.

Any thoughts or ideas about who's gonna win, who will do better than expected, who's over-rated, etc... ?

I think Bayern Munich is the best team, closely followed by Real Madrid. I hope Paris-SG will do good (semi-final would be cool) and that Roma and Bilbao are no to be under-estimated...
I don't think Barce;ona will be much of a threat. I wouldn't even be surprised if the would be eliminated at the end of thr group-stage

I can't understand how Shaktior Donestsk could be in the competition since it's war over there ! On 1992, Yugoslavia had been sent of Euro because of the political situation of the country and was replaced by Denmark (who, surprisingly, won the competition).

 

[MustBeGood]

Weird no Manchester United this year.

Picking FC Barcelona over Real Madrid with a repeat of last years final.

 

[Mr_Stiffy]

There are some great groups there. Atletico/Juve and Barcelona/PSG should produce four fascinating games. Bayern will be a great measuring stick for how good the current Man City side really are, and I hope Real give Liverpool an utter kicking.

I don't think Barce;ona will be much of a threat. I wouldn't even be surprised if the would be eliminated at the end of thr group-stage

I think you're insane.

Picking FC Barcelona over Real Madrid with a repeat of last years final.

Last season's final was Real vs Atletico.

 

[MustBeGood]

Last season's final was Real vs Atletico.

Just looked it up. Thanks for the correction.

Wrong team from Spain I wrote.

 

[Slowhand69]

Barcelona and Real Madrid are for me the favorites to win the Champions League this season. Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Liverpool and Paris SG are the outsiders to win this title.

 

[MustBeGood]

 

[Johan]

There are some great groups there. Atletico/Juve and Barcelona/PSG should produce four fascinating games. Bayern will be a great measuring stick for how good the current Man City side really are, and I hope Real give Liverpool an utter kicking.

Barcelona ain't what it used to be since Guardiola left the team.
Some major players are getting old or are not as good as they used to be (Xavi, Iniesta, Pique, Alves), Neymar is not as great as expected, Luis Suarez will be suspended 'till the second half of November, the club will probably be denied the right to recruit any player for a long time following the violation of the FIFA's rules about the transfer of footballers aged under 18.

Yep, I keep my word, Barcelona won't do good this year...

 

[The Identifier]

I agree that Barcelona aren't what they once were but to say they won't make it out of the group is a bold statement. Ajax are the only team that could conceivably finish above them and that would be a major upset.

Real Madrid have an insanely good squad on paper and thus should win it... only on paper, mind - no team has won the CL back-to-back in years.

 

[Chopper3000]

I don't think anyone is interested in the Champions League this year. A mickey mouse tournament.

 

[Mr_Stiffy]

I agree that Barcelona aren't what they once were but to say they won't make it out of the group is a bold statement. Ajax are the only team that could conceivably finish above them and that would be a major upset.

Barcelona and PSG for me. Zlatan will drag them through, kicking and screaming.

 

[The Identifier]

Barcelona and PSG for me. Zlatan will drag them through, kicking and screaming.

Oh, 100%.

Could've written that better in hindsight but what I meant by that was I think the only team that could threaten the top two assumed qualifiers in that group of PSG and Barca... is Ajax, with APOEL likely to be no-hopers.

 

[randysandy]

This season the League Cup is the big one....for Man U fans

I don't think anyone is interested in the Champions League this year. A mickey mouse tournament.

 

[Mr_Stiffy]

This season the League Cup is the big one....for Man U fans

It's a couple of weeks too late to make that joke.

 

[Johan]

Group Stage, Day 1 big games :

 

[Mr_Stiffy]

Prediction for those games..... Deutschland uber alles.

 

[Johan]

I agree. But I think Dortmund-Arsenal could end-up with a draw...

 

[Mr_Stiffy]

I think the Woolwich will probably score, but I can think of a couple of Dortmund midfielders that I expect to run rings around Jack Wheelchair.

 

[The Identifier]

I agree. But I think Dortmund-Arsenal could end-up with a draw...

I would've had it down as being a draw as well but Arsenal got battered by all accounts.

Liverpool well and truly scraped it. Ludogorets could've done with having their centre-back in goal for the penalty.

 

[Mr_Stiffy]

They also could have done with their penalty being given in the first half at 0-0. Still, let's take heart from how badly LiverLOL struggled in what allegedly is the easiest of their six games in the group stage. Cristiano and the boys could get into double digits against them in the Bernabeu.

OK, that might be an exaggeration. But they WILL tear them a new arsehole.

 

[Mr_Stiffy]

Deutschland uber alles.

impdaddy