The 2008 Champions League Draw is set

By: Bob | August 30th, 2007

The little balls were all shiny, the men in suits looked like they hadn’t missed a plate of dessert in years and the excitement was almost palpable on the air conditioned stage in Monaco. The draw for the group stages of the 2008 Champions League took place on Thursday with all the perfectly scripted fanfare that you would expect from an image-conscious competition.

Here’s how the groups shape up as the year-long quest to reach the hallowed artificial pitch in Moscow in May starts to heat up.

Group A: Liverpool, Porto, Marseille, Besiktas
Group B: Chelsea, Valencia, Schalke 04, Rosenborg
Group C: Real Madrid, Werder Bremen, Lazio, Olympiacos
Group D: AC Milan, Benfica, Celtic, Shakhtar Donetsk
Group E: Barcelona, Lyon, Stuttgart, Rangers
Group F: Manchester United, Roma, Sporting, Dynamo Kiev
Group G: Inter Milan, PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow, Fenerbache
Group H: Arsenal, Sevilla/AEK Athens, Steaua Bucharest, Slavia Prague

For shits, giggles and the sake of discussion, here is who I think will come out on top in each group after my approximately 20 seconds of analyzing things. Bear in mind that I’ve never known an incorrect prediction that I haven’t liked.

Group A – Liverpool
Group B – Chelsea
Group C – Werder Bremen
Group D – AC Milan
Group E – Stuttgart
Group F – Roma
Group G – Inter Milan
Group H – Sevilla

Ok, smarty pants. Your turn to lay down some predictions. If your choices prove to be better than mine the hookers and coke are on me the next time we spent a night out on the town.

After you demonstrate your mental prowess, you’ll want to check out the various team blogs for reactions and analysis and additional offers of hookers and blow.

Champions League Offside
Barcelona Offside
Chelsea Offside
Lyon Offside
Manchester United Offside
Liverpool Offside
Arsenal Offside
Marseille Offside
Portugal Offside
Celtic Offside
Valencia Offside
Bundesliga Offside

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Category: Champions League, World Football

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Ian

To me, Reina is a better penalty keeper than Cech, but if I had the choice of either one to be my keeper for any one match, I'd go with Cech. On his day, I still think he's the best in the world. But Reina doesn't get his due - he's certainly one of the best, and I'd pick him over just about anyone but Cech.

And I'm with JT - the second-place spot in each group is the one that interests me.
Linda

Stuttgart? Don't get me wrong, I think Barca are going to have a hard time, but I'd still fancy Lyon to finish 1st if it's not Barca.
Brian

Adam,

Pepe has a ridiculous penalty save record over his career. Chelsea in the CL semifinal, West Ham in the 2006 FA Cup final, something like 7 of 10 down the stretch for Valencia when they won their last La Liga title, not to mention he has more clean sheets than any other keeper in the Premiership over the last two seasons despite having injury issues himself. Of course he does have a better back line in front of him than Cech.

I think Cech is great and it really doesn't bother me how nobody has respect for Pepe, he just goes about being one of the best.
Tina

group f. roma vs. man utd. thats going to be great :D
Adam

Brian,
One Penalty Shootout doesnt make Pepe the best GK in whole year. Pepe no doubt better penalty stopper but overall Cech win by margin.
BTW Lamps got past him twice in penalties in past 2 matches. :P
matt

javier- roma will roast kiev if last weekend was a true indication of how good they are.
JT

Predict the winners? Who cares? Its all about the battles for second and third. Thats where the intrigue lies.
mgelz85

There is no way Valencia is taking that group from Chelsea. Chelsea has played shit to start the season and are still leading the prem, when they hit full stride they will be hard to deal with this season.
Javier De Roque

Liverpool is in top form and will go through with Porto and Marsielle fighting to the finish. in group a

Valencia vs Chelsea .. i have a feeling Valencia's poor form due to bad coaching will mean an early exist for the Che in groub B.

R madrid and bremmen are my favorites to out do Lazio and Olympiacos which are both suffering from Goal drought in group c.

in group D well i would never bet against Milan and my money is on Celtic sneaking by Benfica in a very tight race for second.

Group e will be barcelona dn Lyon. no other team in this group can challenge them

F will see the man U team resurge onto the Champions league and find their formwith Roma and Kiev fighting it out.

group g will be a very close group with Inter dominating it but the other three really its up for grabs.

In group H expect a low scoring group but Sevilla( our hearts are with you ) to take the group with Arsenal. close behind.
Andy

No chance there Brian u wont even get out of your group.

3 months out of the game shows what a quality goalkeeper Cech is!!!!

KTBFFH
Brian

Liverpool and Chelsea will meet in the semifinals again and after Pepe Reina once again shows the world he's the best penalty keep on the planet, Cech will win European keeper of the year. Ha ha ha ha ha. I love how UEFA makes a mockery of itself.
Peter

Group A - Liverpool
Group B - Schalke
Group C – Real Madrid
Group D – AC Milan
Group E - Stuttgart
Group F - Macnchester United
Group G – Inter Milan
Group H - Arsenal
Trent

Ditto, but Valenica in Group B, and (surprise!) Arsenal in Group H.