Champions League draw
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Champions League draw contains potential dangers for English teams
Some tricky runners-up from the group phase await Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal in the last 16
Ancelotti fear Blues could face their manager's old club AC or former Blues boss Jose Mourinho's Inter.
Friday, 18 December 2009
7:00 pm
UEFA Champions League Draw
CHELSEA boss Carlo Ancelotti fears Milan misery in today's Champions League draw.
The Blues could face their manager's old club AC Milan and David Beckham in the first knockout phase. Or they might have to take on Inter Milan and former Blues boss Jose Mourinho.
Inter finished second to Barcelona in their group, placing them in the second pot for this morning's draw at UEFA HQ in Nyon.
That means Chelsea, Manchester United or Arsenal could potentially meet the Serie A leaders and the Special One.
Milan also finished second in their group while England's three qualified teams will want to avoid a resurgent Bayern Munich.
The good news for Chelsea, United and Arsenal is that as group winners they will play the first leg away.
Nevertheless, Ancelotti admits he would rather not tackle the club he twice won the trophy with during his eight-year reign at the San Siro.
He said: "I admit I'd prefer to avoid a head-to-head with Milan. "But if it happens, it's no problem. Football puts you in this type of situation. It's obvious that if we get Milan the emotional aspect would be something really special."
Sir Alex Ferguson was not feigning his indifference to the manner in which Manchester United advanced to the last 16 of the Champions League. In the event, they did top Group B, but his team may be drawn against runners-up who cannot be written off as also-rans.
Some of the potential opponents present far more of a danger than they did earlier this season. Bayern Munich typify such a transformation. At the start of last week, it seemed conceivable that Louis van Gaal's long-term future could be in doubt as the club wondered whether it might have to appoint its sixth manager since 2004. In Turin, however, the incumbent pulled off the sort of result that transforms someone into an instant if provisional folk hero.
Few teams go there and beat Juventus emphatically. A 4-1 win is to be treasured but a very wealthy club such as Bayern ought not to have got into such trouble. Some fans could still fear that value for money has not been achieved in the transfer market, but one of the recruits, the popular Ivica Olic, had a critical role against the Serie A team.
Opponents could be dealing with a reinvigorated Bayern.
Whatever else he does, José Mourinho looks resolved to hold that position in perpetuity. Internazionale's manager is still indefatigable when it comes to sparking a dispute. Lesser figures would have had a dull day while serving a touchline ban, but Mourinho made headlines because of his argument with a reporter following the 1-1 draw with Atalanta last weekend.
While such a contretemps is scarcely unprecedented in the annals of football, it did reinforce the idea that the Portuguese is living in a maelstrom. A parting with his employers seems likely in the summer. Inter's concern must be that the manager commonly lays on more of a spectacle than his squad.
The Portuguese dare not continue Inter's unbroken series of eliminations in the Champions League's first knockout phase that began in early 2007, the year before his appointment. Mourinho's team laboured to get even this far.
Inter went through with nine points, the joint lowest total of any side to survive in the tournament. They did have the holders, Barcelona, for daunting company in their group, but the squad might have been expected to show that it was gathering strength. The club had bought Diego Milito and Wesley Sneijder while also acquiring Samuel Eto'o in the deal that took Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Camp Nou.
Inter went out to Manchester United at this juncture last season without scoring in either leg. As group winners, the Premier League clubs all have the reassurance of playing the return match at home, but there would still be a concern that Mourinho will not go on being a minor factor in the competition.
UEFA Champions League first knockout round lineup
Group winners
FC Girondins de Bordeaux (FRA)
Manchester United FC (ENG)
Real Madrid CF (ESP)
Chelsea FC (ENG)
ACF Fiorentina (ITA)
FC Barcelona (ESP)
Sevilla FC (ESP)
Arsenal FC (ENG)
Group runners-up
FC Bayern München (GER)
PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS)
AC Milan (ITA)
FC Porto (POR)
Olympique Lyonnais (FRA)
FC Internazionale Milano (ITA)
VfB Stuttgart (GER)
Olympiacos FC (GRE)
There is a new system this season which sees the tiies split in half and the round played over five weeks, on four matchdays. This means there will only ever be two Second Round matches on a given day.
Last-16 dates
Clubs from the same association cannot be drawn against each other in the last 16, nor can winners and runners-up from the same group. The runners-up will play the first leg of their last-16 tie at home. The first knockout round first-leg ties will be played on 16/17 and 23/24 February with the second legs scheduled for 9/10 and 16/17 March. -
plz
no
EPL VS EPL
i would wan to see
AC Milan VS Barcelona
Real Madrid VS Inter Milan
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Lets hope Man United meet any one of these 3... Olympiacos, Stuttgart, or Lyon... 2nd choice group like AC Milan and Porto is also fine I guess... Best is not to meet Bayern and Inter... lol
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this year's cl like sian uh
no valencia, roma, juventus, those strong force all gone
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really lots of banana skins..
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WOOOOO......
Inter Milan vs Chelsea... so its Ancelotti back to milan and Mourinho back to chelsea...
Ac Milan vs Man utd... so its Becks (on loan) back to Old trafford...
Lyon vs Real Madrid... so its Benzema back to Lyon...
Arsenal takes on FC Porto... a repeat of last year's group match up...
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Barcelona vs Stuttgart
Olympiakos vs Bordeaux
Bayern Munich vs Fiorentina
CSKA Moscow vs FC Sevilla
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW: David Beckham goes back to Manchester United, Jose Mourinho seeks Chelsea revenge and Arsenal pull Porto in last 16
Special one: Jose Mourinho
David Beckham will return to Manchester United with AC Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League, while Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho faces former club Chelsea.
Beckham, who will start a spell at AC Milan on loan from Los Angeles Galaxy next month, has got his wish to face the club where he started his career when Europe's top competition resumes in February.
Mourinho will return to Stamford Bridge with his Serie A champions for the first time since he left Chelsea in September 2007.
Arsenal have arguably received the easiest draw of the Barclays Premier League trio as they will face Portuguese champions Porto.
In a change to previous competitions, the matches will be staggered over four weeks in February and March.
Dream draw: David Beckham had wanted his AC Milan team to draw United
DRAW IN FULL
Stuttgart v Barcelona
Olympiakos v Bordeaux
Inter Milan v CHELSEA
Bayern Munich v Fiorentina
CSKA Moscow v Sevilla
Lyon v Real Madrid
Porto v ARSENAL
AC Milan v MANCHESTER UNITED
(First legs: Feb 16, 17, 23 or 24;
second legs: Mar 9, 10, 16 or 17)England midfielder Beckham won the Champions League with United in 1999 before joining Real Madrid in 2003 after more than a decade at Old Trafford.
Speaking in the build-up to the draw, Beckham said: 'I would really like to face my former team in the next round.
'Since I left (United) in 2003, I have not returned to play at Old Trafford. Seven years have gone by and I would like for that to happen.
'Me against Manchester, it would be beautiful, wouldn't it?'
Mourinho led Chelsea to consecutive Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006 before surprisingly leaving early in the 2007/2008 season.
To complete a day of reunions, Karim Benzema, who left Lyon for Real Madrid in the summer, sees his team head to Stade Gerland.
Gunners delight: Arsenal stars Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie (left) will be happy with the draw
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Haiz
revenge is gd -
Originally posted by Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1):
Haiz
revenge is gd
Yahx, hope Man U get avenge for the loss to them.Somemore, Man U has 2nd leg home advtange. If 1st leg draw at San Siro (scoring an away goal) , job might be easier for them.
For the past 3 seasons, Man U finished as 1st. So, they did make use of advtange in 2nd leg to qualify for quarter-finals.
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Lets see how:
1. Beckham deals with Man U fans.
2. Jose Mourinho deals with Chelsea fans.
3. Benenza deals with Lyon fans.Provides the exciting match. Hope R Madrid and Man U qualify so that they have change to face-off in quarter-finals.
For the past 4/5 seasons, R Madrid failed to qualify for quarter-finals after losing their match in 2nd leg (All away matches). Hope they can make use of the 2nd leg (home advtange) to qualify for quarter0finals.
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As fate have it...
Carlo Ancelotti meets Jose Mourinho
These 2 enemies are destine to meet again even though Carlo have left Italy... lol.
I guess its written in the stars that their Special one comes back to kick them out of the CL...
Chelsea probably got the toughest of the lot I think... As Jose know most of the chelsea's players strength and weakness better than anyone...
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wat lan eh, got so zhun one meh
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Originally posted by zocoss:
As fate have it...
Carlo Ancelotti meets Jose Mourinho
These 2 enemies are destine to meet again even though Carlo have left Italy... lol.
I guess its written in the stars that their Special one comes back to kick them out of the CL...
Chelsea probably got the toughest of the lot I think... As Jose know most of the chelsea's players strength and weakness better than anyone...
Carlo Ancelotti surely also hates Inter Milan as his former club- AC Milan lost to city rivals in Serie A, Italian Cup etc....
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This season's Champions League we have seen many great clashes whereby great players or managers are back facing they old clubs.
In the Group Stages, we have already seen KaKa from Real Madrid back to his old club AC Milan. We have also Seen Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Barcelona back to Inter Milan and Samuel Eto'O from Inter Milan back to Barcelona...
And then in the Knock out phase of the competition, we will get to see Karim Benzema of Real Madrid back to Lyon. We will also get to see Carlo Ancelotti back to Milan and Jose Mourinho back to Chelsea.
Perhaps the most significant clash would be AC Milan vs Manchester United in which we would get to see David Beckham back at Old Trafford after leaving United 6 years ago.
Maybe in the quarter-finals, we might get to see Cristiano Ronaldo back to Manchester United...
However, I am most looking forward to a match up in which Barcelona vs Arsenal. And I seriously hope that it would be this season. This is especially significant because Barcelona vs Arsenal in the Champions league final, in which 2 of the best footballing teams playing fantasy football, would give the fans something to dream about. Secondly, its a repeat of the final several seasons ago. Hopefully arsenal would win this time round.
Lastly, because this season we have already seen so many ex players/managers going back to their old clubs, I would love to see Thierry Henry back to face Arsenal. It would be a heart warming sight, as he is known as King Henry to the Arsenal faithfuls.
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Oh... and yes.. regarding the gillette shaver commercial in which showcase Thierry Henry, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods... I find it quite funny to say that out of the 3, 2 have made headlines recently by cheating (one in a football match, and they other in his marriage)...
Would Roger Federer be next??
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it's an interesting for this year's cl.
not gonna be a bad watch