Champions League Group Stage Wrap-Up
Okay, it's been a day, so maybe we can comb through the ashes of the Champions League group stage now. We all know the big news - the Londoners into the knock-out stage; the Mancs dumped into the Europa but here's the full picture: Group A - Bayern and Napoli into the knock-out stage; Citeh into the Europa; Villareal out.
Group B - Inter and CSKA into the knock-out stage; Trabs into the Europa; Lille out.
Group C - Benfica and Basel into the knock-out stage; United into Europa; Galati out.
Group D - Real and Lyon into the knock-out stage; Ajax into the Europa; Zagreb out.
Group E - Chelsea and Leverkusen into knockout; Valencia into Europa; Genk out.
Group F - Arsenal and Marseille into knockout; Olympiacos into Europa; Dortmund out.
Group G - Apoel and Zenit into the knockout; Porto into Europa; Shakhtar out.
Group H - Barca and Milan into knockout; Plzen into the Europa; Bate out.
What does it all mean for European footie? Your thoughts, gentlemen?
posted by The Blue Devil @ 5:15 PM
1 Comments:
My immediate thought when United were knocked out was sympathy for UWS and MUR. Followed quickly by a sense of relief that there would be no chance this season of a later round knock-out match with them with the stinging reminder of the shagging we got at the start of the season.
My immediate thought when Citeh were knocked out was for Nasri and Clichy and how I really hope they both have a good time traveling to face FC Bollockstan in the Central Asian time zone in minus 12C weathe conditions and former CCCP barrack-like hotels. Thank God that Arab billion$ haven't yet bought them or the Russian$ a CL success.
But seeing both Zenit and CSKA, and Chelsea get through means that Russian billion$ aren't far off from making a real run. I think Chelsea are too relient on older players to get much further. It worries me a little that the Russians have recently realigned their domestic league seasons so that they won't be so out of shape when in the late winter and early spring when the CL starts up again. Hopefully both will get a bad draw with Barca or Real next round and get knocked out before they can pollute the competition further.
The Italians are back and Napoli look like a good bet to go a bit this time.
Apoel and Basel have been exciting but I just don't think they've got the stamina to push on.
Barca, Real, and at times Bayern are the teams that look really tasty this time.
Lille and Dortmund got dumped all the way out, GREAT! Eden Hazard, Mario Gotze... red and white courtesy telephones, please.
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