Topic: Champions League Group Stage Draw - 25/08/2022 5pm ish.

[Barneylfc∗]

Almost that time again. Qualifying is well under way, with only 2nd legs of the 3rd round and play off to go.

Third Qualifying Round 2nd legs - 9th August

Champions Path

Apollon Limassol 2 v 0 Maccabi Haifa (0-4)
Ferencvaros 1 v 3 Qarabag (1-1)
Dinamo Zagreb 4 v 2 Ludogorets (2-1)
Viktoria Plzen 2 v 1 Sheriff Tiraspol (2-1)
Zalgiris 1 v 1 Bodo Glimt (0-5)
Pyunik 0 v 2 Red Star Belgrade (0-5)

League Path

PSV Eindhoven 3 v 2 Monaco (1-1)
Sturm Graz 1 v 2 Dynamo Kyiv (0-1)
Rangers 3 v 0 Union Saint-Gilloise (0-2)
Midtjylland 1 v 3 Benfica (1-4)


Play Off Round - 16/17 and 23/24 August

Champions Path

Qarabag 1 v 2 Viktoria Plzen
Bodo Glimt 2 v 4 Dinamo Zagreb
Maccabi Haifa 5 v 4 Red Star Belgrade
Copenhagen 2 v 1 Trabzonspor

League Path

Dynamo Kyiv 0 v 5 Benfica
Rangers 3 v 2 PSV Eindhoven



GROUP STAGE POTS

POT 1

Real Madrid
Eintracht Frankfurt
Manchester City
AC Milan
Bayern Munich
Paris Saint-Germain
Porto
Ajax

POT 2

Liverpool
Chelsea
Barcelona
Juventus
Atletico Madrid
Sevilla
RB Leipzig
Tottenham

POT 3

Borussia Dortmund
Red Bull Salzburg
Shakhtar Donetsk
Inter Milan
Napoli
Sporting CP
Bayer Leverkusen
Benfica

POT 4

Marseille
Brugge
Celtic
Maccabi Haifa
Viktoria Plzen
Rangers
Copenhagen
Dinamo Zagreb

[Crosby Nick]

Reasonably chance if a tough group if we get one of PSG, Bayern or Real. Part of me thinks we’ll either have to go back to Paris or face Real again.

A stinking draw from pit 3 or 4 can make it break the group as well.

[Fazak_Red]

Hopefully not Porto again.

[El Lobo]

Yeah fair chance we get Real with the three Spanish teams in our pot. Feels like one where we'll either get Real, Dortmund and Celtic or Frankfurt, Red Bull Salzburg and....Celtic.

[SouthDerryLaggo]

Pot 2? FFS

[Crosby Nick]

Pot 2? FFS

Been that way for a while now. Pot 1 are champions plus last season’s Champions League and Europa winners.

[Hazell]

Pot 3 looks quite strong, at least in terms of big name teams. Could be a tough group this year (although I think that every year).

[disgraced cake]

Spurs in the same pot as us 

Hopefully not Porto again.

Would feel the same if I was going to the away game but they're always a great draw for us. Considering we've not long took their best player too I can't imagine they'd fare much better this time.

[Sankers23]

Dont care who else we get, give me Real madrid. We need to get one over on these c*nts and the group stage is a relatively forgiving place to do that instead of knockouts or a final.

[disgraced cake]

Drawing PSG would be an absolute stinker wouldn't it.

If we could get Eintracht Frankfurt from the top pot it'd be ideal, they finished 11th in Germany last season. I still expect City to draw them despite being in the same pot 

[-Willo-]

Dont care who else we get, give me Real madrid. We need to get one over on these c*nts and the group stage is a relatively forgiving place to do that instead of knockouts or a final.

I think I'd rather avoid them because if we did turn them over home and away in the groups it would just make the Paris 1-0 even more annoying

[SouthDerryLaggo]

one of the old firm would be good craic (if the rangers even make it)

[So… Howard Philips]

Reasonably chance if a tough group if we get one of PSG, Bayern or Real. Part of me thinks we’ll either have to go back to Paris or face Real again.

A stinking draw from pit 3 or 4 can make it break the group as well.

Pot 3 looks pretty strong. Bound to get Real and someone like Napoli from pot 3.

[gjr1]

Well we got the so called ‘group of death’ last season and pissed it.

Nothing to be scared of

[Tokyoite]

I reckon we get Bayern from pot 1 actually instead of Real

[OsirisMVZ]

Happily take Porto again as long as we keep winning.

Would be really fun to get Frankfurt too.

[Dim Glas]

Damn shame Frankfurt are actually in pot 1, would love to see them drawn vs Abu Dhabi, as they’d get their hands on every ticket for the away tie, it’d be a sight to behold

For us, obvs be nice to get Porto or them though, Frankfurt and LFC fans, would be quiet the occasion. Two of the best European support out there. 

[stonecold_jpm]

The UEFA c*nts will fix it so we go back to Paris just watch

[Sharado]

Bayern or Real have a good bit of 'story' attached I guess. I'm sure any fan travelling would rather avoid PSG. What's the best group? AC, Sporting, Brugge?

[wampa1]

Bet you any money we get Napoli.

[Statto Red]

So best scenario for us from the draw looks like.

Frankfurt, Porto or Ajax, maybe Bayern from pot 1.

If we avoid Frankfurt & Bayern from pot 1 then Dortmund or Leverkusen from pot 3

Or instead Sporting from pot 3 if we avoid Porto from pot 1.

Or from pot 3, Salzburg or Shakhatar, Shakhatar wont be able to play home matches in Donetsk, or anywhere else in the Ukraine, but Shakhtar probably get City.

Any team from pot 4, preferably Celtic.

[Barneylfc∗]

Ajax, Salzburg and Celtic would be ideal.

[Hedley Lamarr]

We'll definitely get Bayern given that Mane thing.  We should fear nobody, so called tough group last season, we walked it.

[disgraced cake]

Ajax, Salzburg and Celtic would be ideal.

I think Celtic would be the best draw we could ask for. Simplest trip and two very winnable games. Ajax would also be nice given we've only played them behind closed doors (In the past 50 years)

[redgriffin73]

Would love Frankfurt or Ajax.

[Morgana]

Been that way for a while now. Pot 1 are champions plus last season’s Champions League and Europa winners.

Surely we all know this by now, right? 

[Brain Potter]

We are strong enough now for it not really to matter who we get. Part of me wants Real Madrid as I think we are better than them . I wouldn’t mind Celtic as well as it would be a big occasion at Anfield.

[Barneylfc∗]

We are strong enough now for it not really to matter who we get. Part of me wants Real Madrid as I think we are better than them . I wouldn’t mind Celtic as well as it would be a big occasion at Anfield.

I don't want to be anywhere near Madrid for the simple reason being the 'revenge' narrative. Would take them in the final again though. Proper 'revenge' at that stage, not in the groups.

[Andy82lfc]

Funny how relative these groups and teams are in respect to time. I would be very worried about certain teams and groups pre-Klopp, nowadays I honestly do not care who we get as we can smash anyone and are by far one of if not the most feared team to play in this competition. 

More likely going to be watching to hope our main rivals get stuffed in the groups with a decent chance of them being knocked out.

[Ghost Town]

Can't wait to find out who else we and Porto will get in our group

[deano2727]

I don't want to be anywhere near Madrid for the simple reason being the 'revenge' narrative. Would take them in the final again though. Proper 'revenge' at that stage, not in the groups.

If there is one team I don't want to ever face in a final again, it's Madrid. F*ck revenge on the big stage. They have that something about them in that tournament (even more than ourselves). Just beat them to get over our hoodoo against them.

I'd much rather them in the groups, finish ahead of them, and hope one of the top-placed teams knocks them out in the last 16 (unless it's a City or Bayern or one of the tournament favorites).

[lamonti]

Ajax Salzburg Celtic ta

[kavah]

Ajax Salzburg Celtic ta

Bloody hell that would be great wouldn't it

[redgriffin73]

Can't wait to find out who else we and Porto will get in our group

[Barneylfc∗]

Play Off Round - 16/17 and 23/24 August

Champions Path

Qarabag v Viktoria Plzen
Bodo Glimt v Dinamo Zagreb
Maccabi Haifa v Red Star Belgrade
Copenhagen v Trabzonspor

League Path

Dynamo Kyiv v Benfica
Rangers v PSV Eindhoven

[Fitzy.]

Bit wild Frankfurt being in Pot 1.

[Mighty_Red]

Bit wild Frankfurt being in Pot 1.

Giving Pot 1 to national champions and Europa winners means it always throws up a couple of easier pot 1 teams. Never that worried about pot 1 or 2 teams as normally both qualify. Its always a strong pot 3 and/or pot 4 team (like a Napoli) that makes a group much harder.

We pissed it last year so I'm confident we'll do it again.

[Fitzy.]

Giving Pot 1 to national champions and Europa winners means it always throws up a couple of easier pot 1 teams. Never that worried about pot 1 or 2 teams as normally both qualify. Its always a strong pot 3 and/or pot 4 team (like a Napoli) that makes a group much harder.

We pissed it last year so I'm confident we'll do it again.

Yeah I agree.

The Europa one is mad as you're in the CL through the backdoor and you're shown a seat at the top table.

[newterp]

Yeah I agree.

The Europa one is mad as you're in the CL through the backdoor and you're shown a seat at the top table.

Yeah I feel like they should go into pot 2 at best

[thaddeus]

It feels a bit weirder this season as it's the eleventh placed side from the Bundesliga and the name Eintracht Frankfurt isn't particularly synonymous with European pedigree.

The other winners since the prize was a place in the CL have been Sevilla (x2), Man U, Atletico, Chelsea and Villarreal - with the possible exception of Villarreal (and Man U ) those clubs wouldn't look out of place in pot 1.

It's a surprise with the prize on offer being a CL place and a pot 1 seeding that Frankfurt and Rangers ended up being the finalists.  I'm sure there's a few clubs in Europe or Conference league this season wishing they'd put a bit more attention on winning the Europa.  That said, fair dues to Frankfurt and Rangers for putting out Barca and Dortmund, amongst others.