CL Group Stage Draw

[Jesper Lauridsen]

Group A
Man City
PSG
Leipzig
Brugge

Group B
AM
Liverpool
Porto
Milan

Group C
Sporting
Dortmund
Ajax
Besiktas

Group D
Inter
Real Madrid
Shaktar
Sheriff

Group E (actually B)
Bayern
Barcelona
Benfica
Dynamo Kiev

Group F
Villareal
Man Utd
Atalanta
Young Boys

Group G
Lille
Sevilla
Salzburg
Wolfsburg

Group H
Chelsea
Juventus
Zenit
Malmø

[anders t]

Quoting Jesper Lauridsen in rec.sport.soccer:
>Group A
>Man City
>PSG
>Leipzig

Group of Filth?

>Malmř

--
Manchester United FC - CHAMPIONS
Latest: England '13 (20th) Europa '17, UEFA '08, World '08

[Futbolmetrix]

On Thursday, August 26, 2021 at 1:16:19 PM UTC-4, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:
> Group A
> Man City
> PSG
> Leipzig
> Brugge

Ronaldo vs Messi part n? The oil clubs will be just too much for Leipzig.

>
> Group B
> AM
> Liverpool
> Porto
> Milan

Liverpool and Atleti. Porto favored for the EL spot.

> Group C
> Sporting
> Dortmund
> Ajax
> Besiktas

Dortmund first, Sporting and Ajax to battle it out for second place. Easy group compared to A and B

> Group D
> Inter
> Real Madrid
> Shaktar
> Sheriff

Even Inter can't bungle it this time. Real and Inter.

> Group E (actually B)
> Bayern
> Barcelona
> Benfica
> Dynamo Kiev

Bayern and...Benfica? Naah...even in their reduced form, Barca should still have enough to make it to the second round.

> Group F
> Villareal
> Man Utd
> Atalanta
> Young Boys

Atalanta and Villarreal.

> Group G
> Lille
> Sevilla
> Salzburg
> Wolfsburg

Four strong contenders for the EL title. Both burgs to advance, Sevilla to the EL!

> Group H
> Chelsea
> Juventus
> Zenit
> Malmø

It' actually Malmö, not Malmø. Anyway, this should normally be an easy group for Juve, but with Cristiano dumping us with 5 days left in the transfer window and no suitable replacement, who knows?

[Futbolmetrix]

On Thursday, August 26, 2021 at 1:34:06 PM UTC-4, Futbolmetrix wrote:

> It' actually Malmö, not Malmø. Anyway, this should normally be an easy group for Juve, but with Cristiano dumping us with 5 days left in the transfer window and no suitable replacement, who knows?

SophCons (including the Conference League) and Use-the-NT to come!

[Al Kamista]

On Thursday, August 26, 2021 at 1:16:19 PM UTC-4, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:

Is it true that country protection has been removed from the R16, starting this season?

[Real Mardin]

Groups B and C look quite nicely balanced. Hard to get too excited about the rest.

RM

[Blueshirt]

On 26/08/2021 18:34, Futbolmetrix wrote:
> On Thursday, August 26, 2021 at 1:16:19 PM UTC-4, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:e EL!
>
> [ Groups A-G snipped ]

>
>> Group H
>>
>> Chelsea
>> Juventus
>> Zenit
>> Malmø
>
> It' actually Malmö, not Malmø. Anyway, this should normally be an easy group for Juve, but with Cristiano dumping us with 5 days left in the transfer window and no suitable replacement, who knows?

The Champions of Europe shouldn't be troubled too much by the other
teams in that group either. I would also expect Juventus to easily
qualify from Group H.

Anything other than Chelsea & Juventus going through would be a shock.

[Werner Pichler]

Better brush up our knowledge of the Lincoln Red Imps squad!


Ciao,
Werner

[Werner Pichler]

On Thursday, August 26, 2021 at 7:40:26 PM UTC+2, alka...@hotmail.com wrote:
>
> Is it true that country protection has been removed from the R16, starting this season?

No.

The only place where no country protection applied (UEFA bungled this up, really) was
in the draw for the Europa League play-offs.

Ciao,
Werner

[Al Kamista]

You must fancy Salzburg's chances of advancing from their group. Would that be a first?

[Werner Pichler]

On Sunday, August 29, 2021 at 3:22:47 PM UTC+2, alka...@hotmail.com wrote:
>
> You must fancy Salzburg's chances of advancing from their group.

Honestly don't know. They team they've assembled is probably more talented than ever,
but they're all very green. I'm quite certain hard-nosed Sevilla will beat them twice, like
Villarreal did last year. Against Wolfsburg and Lille, it's anybody's game in my view.

> Would that be a first?

No, Sturm Graz won their Champions League group back in 2000/01.


Ciao,
Werner

[Werner Pichler]

On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 2:10:26 AM UTC+2, Werner Pichler wrote:
> On Sunday, August 29, 2021 at 3:22:47 PM UTC+2, alka...@hotmail.com wrote:
> >
> > You must fancy Salzburg's chances of advancing from their group.

I do now.
Jaissle >>> Marsch

Let Leipzig enjoy those European roller coaster rides without happy end. I'll gladly take defensive
responsibility and goals from set-pieces.

Ciao,
Werner

[Werner Pichler]

On Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at 10:31:24 PM UTC+2, Werner Pichler wrote:
> On Monday, August 30, 2021 at 2:10:26 AM UTC+2, Werner Pichler wrote:
> > On Sunday, August 29, 2021 at 3:22:47 PM UTC+2, alka...@hotmail.com wrote:
> > >
> > > You must fancy Salzburg's chances of advancing from their group.
>
> I do now.
> Jaissle >>> Marsch
>
> Let Leipzig enjoy those European roller coaster rides without happy end. I'll gladly take defensive
> responsibility and goals from set-pieces.

I hate the Weauxf Godz.

Ciao,
Werner

[Jesper Lauridsen]

Salzburg is in a better position than Leipzig, and Marsch is gone, so
you're not far off.

[Werner Pichler]

In terms of possible qualification for the CL Round of 16, yes.
In terms of avoiding getting eliminated from Europe altogether, no.

> and Marsch is gone, so you're not far off.

Well, if you can brag about low-hanging fruit like Psycho Hyballa, I'll take credit
for calling out Jovial Jesse's tactical shortcomings early.

Although I believe the main problem in Leipzig is Mintzlaff.

Ciao,
Werner

[Bruce Scott]

On 2021-12-06, Werner Pichler <wpic...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Well, if you can brag about low-hanging fruit like Psycho Hyballa,
> I'll take credit for calling out Jovial Jesse's tactical
> shortcomings early.

I think it was his Corona absence that really did it.

> Although I believe the main problem in Leipzig is Mintzlaff.

Just looked him up. So we have the Adidas guy and they have the Puma
guy :-) It is a problem when your one guy who has the say is not a
football guy. This is new for us, but it's been true for some other
sides for a long time. These guys come from dictatorial corporations,
not from clubs.

--
ciao, Bruce

[Werner Pichler]

The above statement was made under duress and is hereby retracted.

Phew!


Ciao,
Werner

[Werner Pichler]

Definitely the right guy to shore up Leeds's awful defence.

Ciao,
Werner

[Al Kamista]

I was listening to a podcast about this yesterday. The view was that you cannot take a bunch of guys specially recruited and groomed to be a high-octane pressing machine and turn them into a Burnley or West Brom overnight. They wanted/need someone stylistically not too different from Bielsa, but with a little more conservatism built in.

Whether Marsch is that guy is of course another question.

[Werner Pichler]

Did not exactly see that coming - Oliver Mintzlaff received quite the promotion and is going to be part
of a triumvirate of managers that will lead Red Bull after Didi Mateschitz's death, in full accordance
with the Thai majority owners.

Mintzlaff is going to be CEO for 'Corporate Projects und Investments' (next to the 'CEO Beverages'
and the CFO) which includes all of Red Bull's sports ventures. I guess that's a clear sign that things
will continue as they were in the Red Bull Universe, and it might be particularly good news for Leipzig.

Mateschitz's son Mark meanwhile is stepping down from all responsibilities he's had so far within
Red Bull and will, like the Thais, 'focus' on his role as shareholder (his 49% stake), which I think is
corporate speak for sipping cocktails on his late father's private beach in Fiji.


Ciao,
Werner