Champions League Draw (28.08, 17:00 BST)

[Letters]

I dunno, I think the group stage was dying on its arse. Maybe playing a decent team in between playing FC Backwater home and away.

I suppose the issue is with the seeding and the fact that the big boys can now qualify year on year, the groups do become a bit less relevant. It's generally going to be the same lot in the latter stages.
I just find it a bit confusing.

[Letters]

Although, isn't it the group stage and now the table which makes the above more likely? In a straight knockout you're more likely to get shocks. When you play 6 or 8 games you're more likely to get the big boys rising to the top and one off shock results are less likely.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Also glad we play Borat FC at home and don’t need to travel to the arse end of nowhere.

Almaty borders with the Xinjang region of China, so yeah we’d have been looking at a potential 9 hour flight out there

[Letters]

Almaty borders with the Xinjang region of China, so yeah we’d have been looking at a potential 9 hour flight out there

Dennis Bergkamp had better set off now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Artetaballl v Simeoneball might end the world.

[Mac76]

Dennis Bergkamp had better set off now.

[Mac76]

Although, isn't it the group stage and now the table which makes the above more likely? In a straight knockout you're more likely to get shocks. When you play 6 or 8 games you're more likely to get the big boys rising to the top and one off shock results are less likely.

the number of big teams is something which can cause each other problems, Citeh only just made it last season I recall, but that doesn't solve the issue of lack of shocks, i guess it's partly the point, the new format was brought in mainly to head the Super League off at the pass by making it surer that the big teams got to the latter stages, the godawful Club World Cup also is supposed to do that maybe

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Last season's competition was easily one of the best ever and only let down by the ridiculous final where Inter chose inexcusably to spread their legs and get.......

But I really believe the league stage is brilliant and people get to see the matchups they want to see earlier and more frequently, which can only be a good thing for football, especially in a world where so many other entertainment options are available.

Again, looking at us specifically, if we add the fixtures we've got this year with last year's games, we've faced every big club I'd have ideally wanted us to play except Barcelona, which we might face at a later stage.

All this achieved in just 2 years, quite remarkable if you ask me.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I’m hoping that we can avoid playing Bayern, Inter or Atletico in the September/early October period


Don’t want to play one of those and then have to play Man City or after having played Newcastle


That and we should have Saka back by October/November and Havertz by October/November and we have more options for rotating/resting players if the league fixtures that weekend are easier

[HCZ_Reborn]

Champions League fixtures


Atletic Bilbao (A) 16/09

Olympiakos (H) 01/10

Atletico (H) 21/10

Slavia (A) 04/11

Bayern (H) 26/11

Brugge (A) 10/12

Inter (A) 20/01

Kairat (H) 27/01