Champions League Draw

DJT75 · 10-03-2006, 12:02 PM

Arsenal v Juventus
Lyon v AC Milan
Inter/Ajax v Villarreal
Benfica v Barcelona

Personally think it's a good draw for Arsenal, could've been Liverpool v Barca!!

Discuss......

Max Payne · 10-03-2006, 12:06 PM

Arsenal now have a great chance of getting further in the competition

daKlone · 10-03-2006, 12:10 PM

The return of PV to Highbury - should be interesting...

booyaka · 10-03-2006, 12:11 PM

pretty good draw for arsenal - still fancy Lyon to be the darkhorses of the cup - playing really well and scoring for fun at present.

DJT75 · 10-03-2006, 12:12 PM

Semi-final draw:

Arsenal or Juventus v Inter Milan/Ajax or Villarreal

Lyon or AC Milan v Benfica or Barcelona

Arsenal really couldn't have got a better draw, the exact 4 teams I would want to avoid are on the other side......

po_man · 10-03-2006, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJT75

Arsenal v Juventus
Personally think it's a good draw for Arsenal, could've been Liverpool v Barca!

Good draw for Arsenal? Are you sure? I personally think they are one of the toughest teams left in the competition! Have you seen their domestic form? Phenomenal! Anyways, if we're to win the competition it's much better to do it the hard way - can't wait.

Still, the return of PV will be extremely interesting.

Floodedstatue · 10-03-2006, 1:09 PM

I think Villarreal are the dark horses. I think they could go all the way!

domtheone · 10-03-2006, 1:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by po_man

Good draw for Arsenal? Are you sure? I personally think they are one of the toughest teams left in the competition! Have you seen their domestic form? Phenomenal! Anyways, if we're to win the competition it's much better to do it the hard way - can't wait.

I thought that too!

Barca and Juve i would have thought were the 2 to avoid!

Still, get past the Quarters and a v good shot at the final.

po_man · 10-03-2006, 1:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by domtheone

I thought that too!

Barca and Juve i would have thought were the 2 to avoid!

Still, get past the Quarters and a v good shot at the final.

I'd also add AC Milan into that group. Like i say - if we manage to squeeze through to the semis then i'd really fancy us to go all the way!

Reaperman · 10-03-2006, 1:44 PM

Any draw at this stage is a lottery...its a Cup Competition...
Personally an Arsenal / Juve clash will be a cracker.

Ave It......

DJT75 · 10-03-2006, 2:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by po_man

Good draw for Arsenal? Are you sure? I personally think they are one of the toughest teams left in the competition! Have you seen their domestic form? Phenomenal! Anyways, if we're to win the competition it's much better to do it the hard way - can't wait.

Still, the return of PV will be extremely interesting.

They don't impress me in Europe at all, domestic is a completely different thing. If we went on domestic form, Ajax currently won't qualify for the CL next season, neither will Villarreal, Arsenal or Benfica.

Last season Liverpool finished 5th, on the way to winning the trophy they knocked out the Greek champions, the German runner-up, the current Italian champions, the soon to be crowned English champions , the just newly crowned Italian champions....Out of that lot, Juve were probably the weakest opponents over 2 legs on the day......So the champs League is completely different.

Playing away at Juventus is also easier than the other big clubs, their fan base of cup games to pathetic. The stadium is miles out the city & 99% of the locals are Torino fans. You don't get the hostile atmosphere you get at say the San Siro

+ like Liverpool, I think Arsenal perform better against the bigger teams.

ps: Liverpool also beat the previous years finalists & the previous years semi-finalist, so what a tough draw & overall acheivement it really was!!

*RoNaLdiNhO* · 10-03-2006, 3:40 PM

amazing draw for the gunners Juve are a ageing team Pat V/emerson in central midfield both over 30. Central defence also thuram 33 and canavaro 32. The pace of the gunners will hammer juve. Just like the germans did in the last game but were unluck not to go through.

po_man · 10-03-2006, 5:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoNaLdiNhO

amazing draw for the gunners Juve are a ageing team Pat V/emerson in central midfield both over 30. Central defence also thuram 33 and canavaro 32. The pace of the gunners will hammer juve. Just like the germans did in the last game but were unluck not to go through.

Man, i hope so! Don't get me wrong, it's not that i don't think we can do it because i really believe that we can, i just think it's going to be a bit tougher than people are making out. I just wish i shared yours and DJT75 optimism!

KevD · 10-03-2006, 5:08 PM

I think Arsenal would have rather skipped Juve if they had a choice but they have a chance, although I think Juve are favourites.
I think most teams prefer the away leg first these days. I think you do Viera and Emerson a diservice as they are both still under 30 (Emerson for a few weeks at least

), but agreed the team as a whole is older, I think Ibrahimovic is the only one under 25.
The teams who are the genuine favourites are all drwn in the same half, Milan, Barca and Lyon (10-1, might be worth a flutter

) so all the teams in Arsenal half will fancy getting to the final.

overkill · 10-03-2006, 5:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by po_man

Good draw for Arsenal? Are you sure? I personally think they are one of the toughest teams left in the competition! Have you seen their domestic form? Phenomenal! Anyways, if we're to win the competition it's much better to do it the hard way - can't wait.

Still, the return of PV will be extremely interesting.

Did someone say 'draw'.

Oooh I wonder who plays for Juventus? Could have been worse, could have been Barcelona or AC. Juve are never easy to beat, but this years draw looks pretty tough all round. I bet Houliers got a quiet smile on his face with Lyon still in there! Ajax look the weakest.

Lufer · 10-03-2006, 6:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJT75

They don't impress me in Europe at all, domestic is a completely different thing. If we went on domestic form, Ajax currently won't qualify for the CL next season, neither will Villarreal, Arsenal or Benfica.

Last season Liverpool finished 5th, on the way to winning the trophy they knocked out the Greek champions, the German runner-up, the current Italian champions, the soon to be crowned English champions , the just newly crowned Italian champions....Out of that lot, Juve were probably the weakest opponents over 2 legs on the day......So the champs League is completely different.

Playing away at Juventus is also easier than the other big clubs, their fan base of cup games to pathetic. The stadium is miles out the city & 99% of the locals are Torino fans. You don't get the hostile atmosphere you get at say the San Siro

+ like Liverpool, I think Arsenal perform better against the bigger teams.

ps: Liverpool also beat the previous years finalists & the previous years semi-finalist, so what a tough draw & overall acheivement it really was!!

aye. too true, and I'll never forget that night in Istanbul

Must admit I would have liked to have seen a Barca v Lyon Final but Arsenal v Barca would be an entertaining match for the neutral.

Still, the return of PV to Highbury for one last hurrah is interesting.

tony79 · 10-03-2006, 7:00 PM

Thing is by the time they play Juve will have sewn up serie a and can concentrate on europe. Dont underestimate cannavaro and thuram, they are two of the best defenders in the world. Leverkusen were lucky in the first leg that Juve went to sleep five min before the end and in the second leg their keeper was performing heroics by saving a few from point blank. Ask Byern Munich how easy it is to win in turin.