Champions League Draw: The Ifs, Buts and Maybes

Celtic will know their faith tomorrow for this seasons Champions League group stage. The final will be played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on 27 May 2009. We can all but dream of Celtic getting to Rome on 27th but tomorrow’s draw will let the Celts know the task at hand. I hate to use over played cliché’s but there is no easy group and with Celtic yet to pick up any away points it proves the level of quality any opposition have. I have a sneaky feeling this is our year to shake off the away points monkey off our backs.

The chances of meeting a team from England are quite high; some will rub their hands with glee at the prospect while others will cross their fingers for someone else. The Champions League is all about buts, if’s and maybe’s. This starts before a name has even been pulled from the hat and usually lasts even after you bow out, ask Chelsea fans and John Terry if you don’t believe me.

Celtic have never had an easy time with these draws and always manage to get some of Europe’s finest football teams. Despite the lack of form away from home Celtic Park has proving time and time again to be a European fortress and it is Celtics home form that has seeing them in to the last 16 of the competition twice. No matter what Celtic face in this year’s group stages just remember two things.

1. There is no better atmosphere in the world than a European night at Celtic Park.
2. There will be no huns in Europe this year, a point that should be made on Sunday loud and clear by anybody fortunate enough to be at Paradise.

Pot 1
Manchester United (ENG)
Chelsea (ENG)
Liverpool (ENG)
Barcelona (ESP)
Arsenal (ENG)
Lyon (FRA)
Inter (ITA)
Real Madrid (ESP)

Pot 2
Bayern Munich (GER)
PSV Eindhoven (NED)
Villarreal CF (ESP)
Roma (ITA)
Porto (POR)
Werder Bremen (GER)
Sporting (POR)
Juventus (ITA)

Pot 3
Marseille (FRA)
Zenit St Petersburg (RUS)
Steaua Bucharest (ROU)
Panathinaikos (GRE)
Bordeaux (FRA)
Celtic (SCO)
FC Basel (SUI)
Fenerbahce SK (TUR)

Pot 4
Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
Fiorentina (ITA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Dynamo Kiev (UKR)
CFR 1907 (ROU)
Aalborg BK (DEN)
Anorthosis Famagusta FC (CYP)
FC BATE Borisov (BLR)

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There are some tough teams that we wont be able to avoid. Just thinking it would be quite funny if we were to be drawn in the same group as Kaunus.

was thinking that myself, wouldn't be funny if they done us though

I think we will get liverpool

I bet we get Barcelona ffs. We always get them no matter what, although my preferred group would be:


Real Madrid
PSV
Celtic
Borisov


Simply because i'd love to visit the Beu and wouldnt exactly mind a week in Holland

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Interviewer : “What a wonderful Season”
Jock Stein: “Aye, but what do I do next year?”

it is likely that Kaunas won't make as they are 2-0 down from their home leg

same for spartak moscow and olympiacos who got stuffed in their first legs

I hope liverpool go out tonight

Noway i'm editing them tables there a fcuking nightmare

A week in holland? greedy bastard, 2 days would do me

Aye lol . Find a cheap hotel or B&B and make a holiday of it with the mates should be a good laugh

__________________
Interviewer : “What a wonderful Season”
Jock Stein: “Aye, but what do I do next year?”

A week in Holland and going to Madrid, you must be swimming in it for a young cant!

Think theres a good chance of us getting Kaunas like when the huns got Artmedia.

Lyon, Sporting and Cluj would do me though.

I think we'd kill kaunas, but just incase, i wanna stay clear of them......

I'de take....Lyon/Liverpool, Sporting/Porto (<--bassars)
and anyone in group 4 besides Shakhtar, Spartak and Fenerbahce

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'MonTheHoops