PastyHusty

With the Champions League moving onto its first big stage - the 3rd Qualification Round - next week, its time to begin the Champions League Thread, along with the Prediction League!

In 2003 and 2004, the CL was won by 'unexpected' teams - Porto and Liverpool. Last season Barcelona brought the cup home for one of the favourites, so will this season be the same? .. or can a slightly smaller side make it all the way to the Final again!? Maybe Hearts - Anderlecht!

Manchester United, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid are all definitely in there once again; surely to be joined by the likes of AC Milan, Valencia, Liverpool and Arsenal .. but, of course, no Juventus. Whoever wins it come next May is anyones guess!


QR3 Draw
Spartak Moscow .v. Slovan Liberec
Shakhtar Donetsk .v. Legia Warsaw
Austria Salzburg .v. Valencia
Levski Sofia .v. Chievo
Hearts .v. AEK Athens
CSKA Moscow .v. SCP Ruzomberok
AC Milan .v. Crvena Zvezda
Galatasary .v. Mladá Boleslav
Standard Liège .v. Steaua Bucharest
Austria Wien .v. Benfica
Dinamo Zagreb .v. Arsenal
FC København .v. Ajax
Hamburger .v. Osasuna
Dinamo Kiev .v. Fenerbache
Liverpool .v. Maccabi Haifa
Lille .v. Rabotnicki Skopje

Ties to be played August 8th, 9th, 22nd and 23rd

Quite a few tasty looking ties in this bunch, with Hamburger - Osasuna & Dinamo Kiev - Fenerbache as two of my picks.


Teams entering at the Group Stages
Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Lyon, Porto, PSV Eindhoven, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Roma, Celtic, Sporting Lisbon, Bordeaux, Werder Bremen, Olympiakos, Anderlecht.

The first 4 teams in that list will be in the top seeds for the Group Stage Draw (due to take place on August 24th) no matter what happens in QR3. AC Milan, Liverpool, Arsenal and Valencia are the 4 teams set to join them in pot 1.



Prediction League
Back for its 4th season! The rules are simple and the same as before.

Bonus Points:
If you correctly guess all of the matches in one 8-match matchday, then you'll gain an extra 15 points! This will only apply to the Group Stages and 2nd Round.

If you were to miss some matches, catch-ups will be possible through the UEFA Cup.

As for the other small amount of rules, you already know them! (and they'll be in the upcoming Premiership PL thread anyway )

Good luck to all who choose to participate!

If we have enough people taking part, then I think it would be a good idea to have teams again .. opinions on this!?

Virginity

I will be joining in the predictions

I hope that Legia Warsaw will win and make it to the groups it will be great and exciting season

DrTagnian

Or Salzburg?

It could be an option, but let's wait first how many participants we'll have. Then we can look further.

Dream on Kasia!

PastyHusty

I thought they were supposed to be dominating Austria first..


Me, you, Kasia, maybe Emma .. Mike? .. Chris!? .. we'd have the potential for 3 teams then.

Virginity

Hey hey leave my dream alone its my first dream so scram lol


Go wake them up Neil and demand them to join lol

ForeverInLoveWithJus

Count me in! I love the CL prediction

I hope Arsenal win. Lets hope Liverpool lose. that would make my day lol.

EliteHorse

I plan on taking part this year and claiming the championship which was stolen from me 2 years ago. >:-0

PastyHusty

Have you reported this theft to the CL Trophy Police!?


Now I shall find out if Chris is interested.
Maybe Teemu would be interested as well.

DrTagnian

That would make seven, not a good number to make teams. Maybe Lizzy has interest as well?

PastyHusty

I'm honestly not too hopeful that Chris will be interested, but it would be a pleasent surprise if he does join in.