The Soccer Thread (IV)

Group A: Bayern Munich, Juventus, Bordeaux, Maccabi Haifa (Israel)
Group B: Man Utd, CSKA Moscow, Besiktas, Wolfsburg
Group C: AC Milan, Real Madrid, Marseille, FC Zurich
Group D: Chelsea, Porto, Atletico Madrid, Apoel Nicosia (Cyprus)
Group E: Liverpool, Lyon, Fiorentina, Debrecini (Hungary)
Group F: Barcelona, Inter Milan, Dynamo Kyiv, Ruben Kazan (Russia)
Group G: Sevilla, Rangers, Stuttgart, Urinea Urziceni (Romania)
Group H: Arsenal, AZ Alkmaar, Olympiakos, Standard Liege

 

It's actually because Platini decided it would be swell if some smaller countries' champions got automatic places. The fact that those countries would then be more likely to vote for him to stay on as UEFA president, I'm sure, had NOTHING to do with it.

 

Currently Scotland's 13th and if they drop out of top 15 (likely based on this year's form) they will get less.

 

Celtic might have been a poor example. But I'd guess there's a handful of teams that got knocked out in the third qualifying round that will feel hard done by.

 

If you have any sort of listenership, hosting and bandwidth fees could be substantial. This American Life's bandwidth costs $130,000 per year.

 

You want to make sure you get in? Win your damn league.

 

Ashley Young just did really well to win a penalty for Villa in the Europa League qualifier, then did really poorly on the actual taking of the penalty. 0-0 on the night, still 1-0 on aggregate to Rapid Vienna.

Fulham and Everton already through to the group stage.

 

A bit of redemption as Young wins another penalty, this time converted by James Milner. 1-0, 1-1.

 

Villa gets second, so all seven EPL teams are playing in Europe at least until Christmas. Good.

 

Well, this is interesting.

I'm going to be in Milan for two days next month, and they happen to be the first two days of the Champion's League group round.

Can't wait to see the schedule...

 

Champions League fixtures, Tuesday 15 September:
Juventus v Bordeaux, Maccabi Haifa v Bayern Munich, VfL Wolfsburg v CSKA Moscow, Besiktas v Manchester United, FC Zurich v Real Madrid,Marseille v AC Milan, Chelsea v Porto, Atletico Madrid v APOEL Nicosia.
Champions League fixtures, Wednesday 16 September:
Liverpool v Debrecen, Lyon v Fiorentina, Inter Milan v Barcelona, Dinamo Kiev v Rubin Kazan, Stuttgart v Rangers, Sevilla v Unirea, Olympiakos v AZ Alkmaar, Standard Liege v Arsenal.

Hopefully you will get to see Inter v. Barca.

 

Ho-lee shit. Thank you.

Yes, that would be nice.