Champions League Group Draw, Liveblog!

By: Rob | August 27th, 2008

OK Here we go, Liveblog of the Champions League Group Stage Draw. Loads of big sides – and a few minnows involved, and an almost guarenteed group of death. Should be exciting.

All the teams involved and thier seedings are below; the proceedure is one team from each seeding group is drawn together to make up the groups. So the big sides will want to avoid Fiorentina and Athletico Madrid presumably, who are going to be drawn against the big sides.

Liveblog after the jump.

Group I

Manchester United
Chelsea
Liverpool
Barcelona
Arsenal
Lyon
Internazionale
Real Madrid

GROUP II

Bayern
PSV Eindhoven
Villarreal
Roma
Porto
Werder Bremen
Sporting CP
Juventus

GROUP III

Marseille
Zenit St. Petersburg
Steaua BucureÅŸti
Panathinaikos
Bordeaux
Celtic
Basel
Fenerbahçe

GROUP IV

Shakhtar Donetsk
Fiorentina
Atlético Madrid
Dynamo Kyiv
CFR Cluj
Aalborg BK
Anorthosis Famagusta
BATE

Which reminds me – how rubbish is the coeffiecent seeding nonsense? Say your making your debut in the Champions League today, your at the bottom of the ranking and your drawn against all teams with more experience and whatever than you, and the only way to climb up is to beat them, which is quite tough. I say just draw everyone against everyone.

The Group One people will be drawn into each group first and then all the group 2 people if that makes sense. Its going to be interesting I think.

Sky are interviewing Scott McDonald of Celtic, who could easily be drawn against an English side, and will cue endless ‘Battle of Britian’ headlines. In fact McDonald has just used that exact phrase.

Sky are now going through all thier news things. Larsson is coming back to the UK, SWP has gone back to Man City, Something about Andy Murray. Obviously UEFA’s chitchat is quite dull if Sky don’t even want to show it.

Chelsea are the favourites for the Champions League pre-draw, which isn’t that surprising. They have made good signings, good manager etc. Man United are second, Inter Milan are third. Seems roughly fair I reckon.

Messi and C-Ron are the favourites to be top scorer, Torres next, Eto’o and Van Nisto are in the mix.

Sky think that Italian teams don’t stand a chance. Discuss.

A man from World Soccer magazine is on Sky saying that he thinks the Spanish sides are rubbish as well. Who’d think Sky would be so biased? [/sarcasm]

We’re due to start here, but you know UEFA, there will be some talking for awhile more.

Oooh the Champions League Hymn! Here we go.

A clip of Pirlo in the opening montage. AC milan of course, not going to be in this draw.

UEFA are going through the club players of the years stuff now it seems.

Goalkeeper of the season is Petr Cech? Didn’t think he was that great last year to be honest.

Bruno Conti the little legend is on to do the draw, as the final is in Rome.

Cech stood next to Conti is hilarious due to the height difference.

Are we watching closely? Its going to start soon, I promise.

They are explaining the technicalities of the draw. Everyone looks bored witless.

Pot one about to be drawn, here we go.

Chelsea are first out, and can be drawn anywhere, I think. They are drawn into A.

Inter are out now, and are drawn into Group B

Lyon are out. Are they going to be in C, No they are in F.

Arsenal are out and into Group G

Real Madrid are going to be in Group H.

Barca and Man United are out. Now a defender award while we all catch breath. Baresi is on the stage, doesn’t get any better really.

Liverpool are in Group D.

John Terry wins defender of the year. Chelsea on for an odd sweep so far.

Second seeds about to come out. Hope i can keep up.

Sporting are first out. Will they Man United again? Nope, C with Barca.

PSV out now. D With liverpool.

Villareal are in with Man United!

Oooh Juve in with Real Madrid. That’s huge history.

Roma are out in group A

Porto have Arsenal.

Lyon are stuck with Bayern, which leaves Bremen with Inter.

Frank Lampard was ok in the CL. But why are Chelsea having a sweep here? Bizzare.

Bordeaux are out first here. could get anyone but Lyon. A is where they are.

Fenerbahce. Noone wants them after last years showing. In Arsenal’s group which is interesting now.

Zenit are out now, last years UEFA Cup heroes are in the group H. With Real and Juve. Tough group.

FC Basel have got Group C, with Barca and Sporting.

B for panathinaikos with Inter.

Celtic are out now, in Man United group surprise surprise.

Marseilles are now having Liverpools group, which leaves Steaua with Lyon and Bayern.

Is Drogba gonna make this the oddest Chelsea sweep of all time?

Ronaldo gets it despite being obviously a winger. I don’t really get it.

Some minnows here, but also Athletico and of course, Fiorentina.

Aalborg first out. Man United’s group.

Fiorentina. Ooooooooh. F. F for Fiorentina. We have our Group of Death?

Group A for Cluj.

Dinamo Kiev are in G with Arsenal. Open group that one.

Anorthosis Famagusta are out now. From Cyprus to Milan, they are in with Inter.

Athletico Madrid are chucked into Group D. Return for Madrid for Torres.

BATE are in the Real/Juve group. I would be worried if I was them.
Shaktar are the last side out.

The Finished draw is below:

Group A
Chelsea
Roma
Bordeaux
Cluj

Group B
Inter
Werder Bremen
panathinaikos
Anorthosis Famagusta

Group C
Barcelona
Sporting Lisbon
FC Basel
Shaktar

Group D
Liverpool
PSV
Marseille
Athletico Madrid

Group E
Manchester United
Villareal
Celtic
Aalborg

Group F
Lyon
Bayern
Steaua
Fiorentina

Group G
Arsenal
Porto
Fenerbahce
Dinamo Kiev

Group H
Real Madrid
Juventus
Zenit St Petersburg
BATE

Thanks for going through that with me, I just about held that together I think.

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