Champions League - PSG

[lovejoy]

It must be what teams feel like in latter stages of the fa cup.

I think Id rather have the winner of Sporting vs Dortmund than Atalanta (or Bruges).

[Somniloquism]

Smug watching that when already qualified!

I was looking to see who was repping Villa, then realised we didn't need anyone there.

[cdbearsfan]

You have to feel sorry for Brest. First time ever in the Champions League and they end up losing to PSG for the millionth time.

Absolutely shit. No reason why they can't keep clubs from the same country apart for at least one knockout round.

Still, pleased Man City have got Real Madrid. Bayern would have bottled it against them.

[PaulTheVillan]

Top half:

Brest v Paris St-Germain
Club Brugge v Atalanta
Manchester City v Real Madrid
Juventus v PSV

Bottom half:

AS Monaco v Benfica
Sporting v Borussia Dortmund
Celtic v Bayern Munich
Feyenoord v AC Milan

[itbrvilla]

When do we find out who we could be facing?

[cdbearsfan]

It must be what teams feel like in latter stages of the fa cup.

I think Id rather have the winner of Sporting vs Dortmund than Atalanta (or Bruges).

I think Bruges would be the easiest but can't see them winning that, not impossible Sporting upset Dortmund, though. If the two seeds get through, I'd rather play Dortmund than Atalanta. They seem to be roughly similar ability so I might as well tick off a team ob the "European Cup winners faced" list that I carry around in my head.

[Somniloquism]

You have to feel sorry for Brest. First time ever in the Champions League and they end up losing to PSG for the millionth time.

Absolutely shit. No reason why they can't keep clubs from the same country apart for at least one knockout round.

Still, pleased Man City have got Real Madrid. Bayern would have bottled it against them.

There were three French teams in one draw system. They would have had to totally rewrite the draw rules to keep teams apart at that stage.

[cdbearsfan]

When do we find out who we could be facing?

We already know who we could be facing, it'll be the winner of either the Club Brugge vs Atalanta or the Sporting (Lisbon) vs Dortmund ties.

We find out which on 21st February, when we also learn our potential quarter and semi-final opponents.

[cdbearsfan]

You have to feel sorry for Brest. First time ever in the Champions League and they end up losing to PSG for the millionth time.

Absolutely shit. No reason why they can't keep clubs from the same country apart for at least one knockout round.

Still, pleased Man City have got Real Madrid. Bayern would have bottled it against them.

There were three French teams in one draw system. They would have had to totally rewrite the draw rules to keep teams apart at that stage.

Yeah, I'd be up for that. You want to reward teams for finishing higher up but it takes away some of the excitement only having two potential opponents. I'd just have it so teams 9-16 were seeded, then 1-8 seeded in last 16, then the best 4 qualifiers seeded in the last eight, and so on. Other than that, don't pair any teams together before the draw. They're also making a potential problem for themselves if ever Kosovo/Serbia or Azerbaijan/Armenia teams end up facing each other. Not very likely in the Champions League, but certainly feasible in the other two. Much easier to keep such teams apart if you aren't limiting yourselves to two potential opponents.

[Bosco81]

So we want the bottom half of the draw, nice trip to Sporting Lisbon, then knock Barcelona out in the quarters, beat Bayern again in the semis, and then play Bruges in the final with Tyrone playing with his hands tied together, piece of piss this European Cup !!

[Dante Lavelli]

Top half:

Brest v Paris St-Germain
Club Brugge v Atalanta
Manchester City v Real Madrid
Juventus v PSV

Bottom half:

AS Monaco v Benfica
Sporting v Borussia Dortmund
Celtic v Bayern Munich
Feyenoord v AC Milan

can we be in the bottom half of the drawer please?

[Drummond]

If someone had told me at the start of the season that we'd go further in the Champions League than Man City or Real Madrid I'd have asked for some of whatever they'd been drinking.

[Demitri_C]

Knockout round draws happening at 1100. Still won't know our opponents though.

When do we find that out pls?

21st Feb I believe. We will know our opponents and the potential path to the final. The only sure thing we know is we won't meet Lille unless we both get finalists.

Not a bad thing. Lille looked good last ywar and look even better this year

[DeKuip]

You have to feel sorry for Brest. First time ever in the Champions League and they end up losing to PSG for the millionth time.

Absolutely shit. No reason why they can't keep clubs from the same country apart for at least one knockout round.

Still, pleased Man City have got Real Madrid. Bayern would have bottled it against them.

There were three French teams in one draw system. They would have had to totally rewrite the draw rules to keep teams apart at that stage.

And then re-write them again next season if seven English clubs qualify (which is possible if teams finishing outside the PL top five win the Champions League & Europa League).
I like the new system and always felt it unfair that teams from the same country couldn’t draw each other in last 16 previously. I like the fact teams can no longer manipulate it so they avoid certain other teams too.

[Smithy]

You have to feel sorry for Brest. First time ever in the Champions League and they end up losing to PSG for the millionth time.

Absolutely shit. No reason why they can't keep clubs from the same country apart for at least one knockout round.

Still, pleased Man City have got Real Madrid. Bayern would have bottled it against them.

There were three French teams in one draw system. They would have had to totally rewrite the draw rules to keep teams apart at that stage.

And then re-write them again next season if seven English clubs qualify (which is possible if teams finishing outside the PL top five win the Champions League & Europa League).
I like the new system and always felt it unfair that teams from the same country couldn’t draw each other in last 16 previously. I like the fact teams can no longer manipulate it so they avoid certain other teams too.

I'm sure the fact that we've finished in the top 8 has completely affected my opinion on this, but I really like the new format.  Play 7 different teams instead of 3, jeopardy in almost every single game until the league is completely finished, no dead rubbers, no top teams getting a nice easy group they can cruise through.

I suspect ourselves and Lille have made people question the format a little, as we've taken top 8 spots that I'm sure most people would have preferred to go to a City/Real/Bayern/Milan/PSG or similar.  But I like that it's a format that ALLOWS teams to break into that top 8.

Personally speaking, it would be disappointing to draw an English side in the first round of knockouts, but I think having played through the league format, we're down to the last 16, so if you draw a domestic team that's the just the way it is.  No need to change the format.