Champions League

[DarthGrumpy]

Figured this could use its own thread.

Arsenal just got paired with Besiktas of Turkey in the play-off round, which is the 3rd place team from the Turkish league. Should not be a problem; but, underestimating Turkish teams is done at one’s own peril. Man City, Liverpool, and Chelsea automatically advanced into Group Play after finishing in the Top 3 in the Premiership.

Hull and the Spurs are hoping to advance into Europe group play along with Everton, who is already in.

The other Champions pairings include:

· Maribor (Slovenia) v Celtic (Scotland)
· Salzburg (Austria) v Malmo (Sweden)
· Aalborg (Denmark) v Apoel Nicosia (Cyprus)
· Steaua Bucharest (Romania) v Ludogorets (Bulgaria)
· Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) v BATE Borisov (Belarus)
· Besiktas (Turkey) v Arsenal (England)
· Standard Liege (Belgium) v Zenit St Petersburg (Russia)
· FC Copenhagen (Denmark) v Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
· Lille (France) v Porto (Portugal)
· Napoli (Italy) v Athletic Bilbao (Spain)

 

[Waquoit]

It's Spurs

 

[meyers7]

· Maribor (Slovenia) v Celtic (Scotland)

Interesting to see how Celtic do. They lost their last tie, but advanced because Legia Warsaw fielded and ineligible player.

· Lille (France) v Porto (Portugal)
· Napoli (Italy) v Athletic Bilbao (Spain)

Two decent teams are gonna get knocked out of the CL.

 

[SAMCRO]

Interesting to see how Celtic do. They lost their last tie, but advanced because Legia Warsaw fielded and ineligible player. Two decent teams are gonna get knocked out of the CL.

Maribor and Celtic are the big winners here. Celtic gets the 2nd life, and maribor get the weaker of the two opponents in their critical playoff to qualify for group play. Legia Warsaw dominated Celtic over the 2 legs winning 6-1 aggregate (4-1 and 2-0), and only used the "ineligible" player in the waning minutes of the 2nd leg. That is going to turn out to be an expensive clerical error on legia's part. Why was the guy even dressed if ineligible. Now Legia is publically calling for Celtic to "do the right thing" and partner with them to appeal to UEFA allowing Legia to play Maribor.

 

[meyers7]

Maribor and Celtic are the big winners here. Celtic gets the 2nd life, and maribor get the weaker of the two opponents in their critical playoff to qualify for group play. Legia Warsaw dominated Celtic over the 2 legs winning 6-1 aggregate (4-1 and 2-0), and only used the "ineligible" player in the waning minutes of the 2nd leg. That is going to turn out to be an expensive clerical error on legia's part. Why was the guy even dressed if ineligible. Now Legia is publically calling for Celtic to "do the right thing" and partner with them to appeal to UEFA allowing Legia to play Maribor.

Yea, I thought I saw an article about Warsaw asking about that, doubt they'd be willing to do that. And I think I read Southampton just signed Celtic's Keeper.