Here is the draw for the 2011/12 Champions League Draw for the Group Stage....I think ManYoo and Chelsea will advance...Not sure City has a chance...Dont see Arsenal advancing...It is worth noting that Chelsea signed Lukaku from Gent in Belguim...Should be an interesting tie. The final will be next May in Munich.

Group A
FC Bayern München (GER)
Villarreal CF (ESP)
Manchester City FC (ENG)
SSC Napoli (ITA)

Group B
FC Internazionale Milano (ITA)
PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS)
LOSC Lille Métropole (FRA)
Trabzonspor AŞ (TUR)

Group C
Manchester United FC (ENG)
SL Benfica (POR)
FC Basel 1893 (SUI)
FC Oţelul Galaţi (ROU)

Group D
Real Madrid CF (ESP)
Olympique Lyonnais (FRA)
AFC Ajax (NED)
GNK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)

Group E
CHELSEA FC (ENG)
Valencia CF (ESP)
Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER)
KRC Genk (BEL)

Group F
Arsenal FC (ENG)
Olympique de Marseille (FRA)
Olympiacos FC (GRE)
Borussia Dortmund (GER)

Group G
FC Porto (POR)
FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
FC Zenit St Petersburg (RUS)
APOEL FC (CYP)

Group H
FC Barcelona (ESP)
AC Milan (ITA)
FC BATE Borisov (BLR)
FC Viktoria Plzeň (CZE)

I would agree Man City is in the proverbial group of death. I have a feeling about them, though, and am convinced they are going to have a big year in all competitions. Spare me another final for Man United is all I am asking. I think the beleaguered Arsenal will get through. Their group shapes up pretty good for them. Apoel is back I see. The powers of Cyprian soccer.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

Here is the schedule for the first round of matches for the Champions League...Former Chelsea midfiedler Michael Ballack is now with Bayern Leverkusen (Not sure how much he plays)...Barca-AC Milan will be an interesting match.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Time Home Away Stage TV Venue
2:45 ET Chelsea v Bayer Leverkusen Group E Stamford Bridge
2:45 ET KRC Genk v Valencia Group E Cristal Arena
2:45 ET Borussia Dortmund v Arsenal Group F Signal Iduna Park
2:45 ET Olympiakos v Marseille Group F Karaiskaki Stadium
2:45 ET Apoel Nicosia v Zenit St Petersburg Group G Neo GSP Stadium
2:45 ET FC Porto v Shakhtar Donetsk Group G Estadio do Dragao
2:45 ET Barcelona v AC Milan Group H Camp Nou
2:45 ET Viktoria Plzen v BATE Borisov Group H Struncovy Sady Stadion

Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Time Home Away Stage TV Venue
2:45 ET Manchester City v Napoli Group A Etihad Stadium
2:45 ET Villarreal v Bayern Munich Group A El Madrigal
2:45 ET Internazionale v Trabzonspor Group B Giuseppe Meazza
2:45 ET Lille v CSKA Moscow Group B Stadium Lille Métropole
2:45 ET Benfica v Manchester United Group C Estadio da Luz
2:45 ET FC Basel v Otelul Galati Group C St Jakob-Park
2:45 ET Ajax Amsterdam v Lyon Group D Amsterdam ArenA
2:45 ET Dinamo Zagreb v Real Madrid Group D Maksimir Stadium

Wow, did City get fucked. That group is about 20x tougher than any other group. 4 solid teams. No other group can even boast 3. Maybe E can make that claim if you consider Leverkusen, but that's about it.

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I think Inter might have the easiest path to the knockout round.

ManU, Real Madrid and Porto have just as easy a path.

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Trecker at FoxSports definitely disagrees with you as well, he picks Inter to finish 3rd in their group!

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Lille is in 7th now and CSKA Moscow is 2nd in a weaker league. I would take my chances with Inter winning the group.

Trecker should stick to MLS analysis.

Saying Lille is in 7th doesn't really tell the whole story, does it? I could be wrong, but I thought I saw the table on FSC last night and they were in 7th but a whopping 2 pts out of first. And either way, isn't it a little early to point to standings that way? They are the defending champ which I put more stock in than the standings after 4 games.

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Shakes,

I will agree to disagree with you on the prospects for Inter but you can not go on past performances in the wild transfer world we live in nowadays. Teams are so different from year to year. Just look at my beloved Liverpool. Last year we sucked, could not get out of our own way, but after an infusion of money we can compete for a top 4 finish in the EPL. That is why I will generally tend to favor the long established powers who have to wherewithall to spend and stay at an elite level.

Stop drinking that kool-aid Don! This team is still weak at the back 4. They drew against a mediocre at best Sunderland at home , beat a downward cascading and injury plagued Arsenal only when Suarez was substituted late into the match, and gave one decent whipping to a mid table team at home with Carra giving up a soft goal around the 90th minute. And Andy Carroll looked slow when a couple of crosses came his way late in the match. He was easily 2-3 yards behind the ball as it entered the 6 yard box. Temper that enthusiasm!

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

Zizou,

I love ya brother but I said compete for a top 4 spot, not a title. I am very aware of our deficiencies on the back end. Carracher looks like he is 80yo. Pepe will earn every pound of his salary this year. Carroll can come off the bench all year as far as I am concerned, I am a big fan of Kuyt. As for the EPL competition, other than ManYahoo, City, and maybe Chelsea who is better?

Barca drew at home to Milan. Kind of a shock. Iniesta out a month after getting injured. Oh but look. There's Fabregas to take his place. Poor Barca.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

That game was a joke. Milan scored 25 seconds in and then sat there 10 across the box trying to not get scored on. Barca eventually scored late in the first and then again in the second while Milan barely ever touched the ball. Barca had 80% possession. And then, in injury time, Milan takes advatage of its height and scores on a header from a corner. I think it was the only time all half the ball was even in Barca's half.

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Good result for Chelsea as they beat Leverkusen 2-0. Fernando Torres had a hand in both goals for the Blues. Not as a scorer but he assisted on Luiz and Mata's goals.

Mini-Mourhino left John Terry, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard out of the Starting 11. Drogba is recovering from a concussion and Lampard came on as a sub in the second half.

Draws each for the Manchester teams. Inter Milan epic fail against Turkish side Trabzonspor. You all should check out the goal from Hulk in the Porto-Shaktar match last night.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

Still feel this way?

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Chelsea drew 1-1 away to Valencia...Frank Lampard put the visitors up 1-0 in the 56th minute...Valencia equalized in the 87th minute when Chelsea's Salomon Kalou was called for a hand ball in the box and Valencia converted the penalty.

Now, I'm not the brightest person in the world, but I have watched the replay like four or five times and I dont see the hand ball against Kalou...Not saying it was the right call or the wrong call, but I dont see the ball hit Kalou...Maybe the angle was bad but I just didnt see it...Oh well.

the angle was bad, but the announcers said it was a clear hand ball. Also, the way Kalou led with his hand he was basically asking for that call and has no right to complain. Even a 15 year old should know that you don't stick your arm out at the ball and give the ref a chance to call that on you.

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Group stages back on this week. Man City needs a win, bad, and is hosting Villarreal.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

and of course the assholes at Fox Soccer Channel are choosing to show the ManU vs Little Sisters of the Poor game instead. Good thing I sprung the extra $12 for Fox Soccer Plus where they are showing the City game.

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Man City pulled it out in the 93rd minute via Sergio Aguero. Can't believe City of Fools isn't on here basking in the glory of being top of the table in the Prem and staying afloat in the group of death in Europe.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

Don't worry, I'll do enough gloating for the two of us!

But, even though they are #1 there are definitely some cracks to worry about. For instance, the team looks like shit whenever Aguero or Silva are on the bench. And they have ego issues to worry about with Dzeko and the Blatalian, neither one reacts too kindly to being left on the bench. The lack of creative depth in the midfield scares me...any sort of injury to Aguero or Silva and to a lesser extent Nasri and this team could be screwed.

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I'm with you on Silva. I think he is underrated. Nasri was a great signing. The kind of singing a team who is serious about winning the league makes. First Manchester derby is this weekend. Hope it lives up to the hype.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

Alright, kiss, what the fuck is going on at the Bridge? Need some inside dope. 1-1 draw at Genk.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

the streets will run red with rovers this weekend, i promise you.

Be a big help for Liverpool, Newcastle, and Larry Holmes' Arsenal if the Rovers could pull the shocker. Chum's in the water. Chelsea is a wounded seal.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

Real Madrid, Milan, and Barcelona have advanced to the knockout round.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

I wish I could tell you Zizou...I just dont get this team anymore...I dont understand the defence....Five goals allowed against Arsenal and one to Genk. Chelsea has had two clean sheets this season and they were both in the Champions League...They havent had a clean sheet in the Premier League.

Man City is on life support. They need to beat Munich next week and hope Villarreal beats Napoli.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.