UEFA Champions League - Round Of 16 Draw

Boskowski

Good draw for Bayern - should have too much for arsenal over two legs

Good draw for schalke

Bad draw for Dortmund. Not a big name but very tough game.

Real v united should be good. Real should have the upper hand here due to shaky united midfield & defense and reals attacking power

Hard to see past barca no matter who they'd draw

GavRedKing

Shakthar v Dortmund will be a great game.

Fromthetrees

Some great matches there to look forward to. This is when the CL gets really good, knockout games over one or two legs between top teams always makes for enjoyable football. I can't see Celtic beating Juvie over 2 games, Man U and Arsenal will crash out as well I'd say, it's going to be a very German and Spanish looking competition after this round of games.

Blatter

GavRedKing wrote: »

So if Ronaldo sends Utd out will he still be revered and loved by the Utd fans here?

Of course. That wouldn't change what he's achieved for United in the past.

lubo_moravcik

@BBCAlLamont
Celtic will play Juve at home on 12 Feb, away on 6 March

Not confirmed but is out there

Lennonist

Bye bye the English sides.

GavRedKing

Lennonist wrote: »

Bye bye the English British sides.

Fixed that for ya.

Rekop dog

Can't see any British side progressing.

Shaktar v Dortmund the tie of the round imo, that should be some entertaining watch.

Just An Opinion

GavRedKing wrote: »

So if Ronaldo sends Utd out will he still be revered and loved by the Utd fans here?

Absolutely, be hard of course, but as long as he didn't Adebayor it (which I doubt he would, as he always kept it cool when he returned to Sporting Lisbon) I'd still love everything he done for United during his time there.

I for one will still hold him in high regard.

Is the order in which the draw was made relevant for the QF and SF fixtures? Can't see a bracket anywhere.

Just An Opinion

Buttonftw wrote: »

Is the order in which the draw was made relevant for the QF and SF fixtures? Can't see a bracket anywhere.

No quarter draw will be a totally open draw which will also set up the semi pairings.

Oranage2

Well that's United gone.

Can see some heroics by Celtic though they'll also be knocked out.

Arsenal to go through though with a lot of drama.

ArmaniJeanss

Deleted User wrote: »

Is the order in which the draw was made relevant for the QF and SF fixtures? Can't see a bracket anywhere.

No relevance, theres a completely new (open) draw at the quarter final stage, which will have a SF bracket also.

Just An Opinion

Just An Opinion wrote: »

No quarter draw will be a totally open draw which will also set up the semi pairings.

Just saw that. Pity from an Arsenal POV.

s_carnage

Just An Opinion wrote: »

Absolutely, be hard of course, but as long as he didn't Adebayor it (which I doubt he would, as he always kept it cool when he returned to Sporting Lisbon) I'd still love everything he done for United during his time there.

I for one will still hold him in high regard.

No doubt "Viva Ronaldo" will be one of the most sung songs that night.

lubo_moravcik

http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2013/matches/round=2000348/index.html

Celtic home on 12th Feb and away on 6th March

elefant

cson wrote: »

Those ties are pretty cut and dried bar 3 of them imo.

Schalke, Juventus, Bayern, Barcelona and PSG will all qualify easily.

Out of curiosity, why do you think PSG will easily beat Valencia?

Rekop dog

Top 3 certs to go through

Barca- just way too strong for Milan (who while improved greatly lately) will come up a good bit short here.

Bayern- Wouldn't give Arsenal much hope here, Bayern the 2nd top scorers in the 'big 5' leagues and more importantly the meanest defence, an art which most top sides in Europe seem to have neglected in recent years, have gone very close last few years and personally think they can do it this year with the improvements they made to the side.

Juve- won't be an easy first leg but can't see passed them over the tie and should progress with a bit to spare.

Just An Opinion

s_carnage wrote: »

No doubt "Viva Ronaldo" will be one of the most sung songs that night.

Hopefully more "ooooohhhh Robin van Peeeerrrrrssssie"

Lennonist

GavRedKing wrote: »

Fixed that for ya.

All to play for for the Celtic side;)

gimmick

Why are people dismissing Man Utd so quickly? Have you seen Real much this season at all? They are not the side they were last season. Their defense is all over the place. The support to CR7 is poor. They lack the cohesiveness they had in abundance last season.

Man Utd are not the shambles they were (in Europe at least) last season either. RVP and Rooney will scare the living crap out of the Real defense.

It will be tight, but I expect Man Utd to progress something crazy like 6-4 or 7-5.

Nuri Sahin

Disappointed. Legit worried about Shaktar this season with their pace and relentless attack based football

Rekop dog

Damn the two most entertaining ties- Shak v Dort and Real v United are on the same matchdays.

The_Kew_Tour

Ronaldo will more then likely come back and put us out, but I will still love that man.

One of greatest players of all time and he was United player when he was the Worlds best.

I give Celtic and Arsenal bit more of a chance then most people will give them. Bayern have a tendency to flop from time to time.

aperture_nuig

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Ronaldo will more then likely come back and put us out, but I will still love that man.

One of greatest players of all time and he was United player when he was the Worlds best.

I give Celtic and Arsenal bit more of a chance then most people will give them. Bayern have a tendency to flop from time to time.

As do Arsenal! Love this draw from a united point of view, surely this is why you enter the CL, to play the best.

The_Kew_Tour

aperture_nuig wrote: »

As do Arsenal! Love this draw from a united point of view, surely this is why you enter the CL, to play the best.

I know, but many will write Arsenal off before a ball is kicked? I just think they have what it takes to beat Bayern over 2 legs with a bit of luck.

I agree though about United. If you are going to win it then you have to beat the best.

Madrid to sneak it over 2 legs by 1 goal though if I had bet on it.

Brussels Sprout

started a thread over on the maths forum about the odds of the draw being a repeat of last night's practice run if anyone wants to contribute.

Will I Amnt

Everybody wrote off Chelsea last season when they came up against Barcelona.
Everybody wrote off Liverpool when they drew Madrid a few years back.
Same with United and Barca the year United last won it.
Anything can happen over 2 legs, foolish to write anybody off.

Madrid will be extremely tough and not very pretty to watch as a United fan but if you're looking to avoid these kind of fixtures you have no ambition of winning the thing tbh.
Bring it on.

Will I Amnt

Brussels Sprout wrote: »

started a thread over on the maths forum about the odds of the draw being a repeat of last night's practice run if anyone wants to contribute.

2+2 is 4

Essien

As a neutral, United v Real is a mouthwatering clash, I'd rather it a bit later in the competition though, when the stakes are higher.

The_Kew_Tour

The last time there was no English club in CL Quarter Final was 95/96 season.

gimmick

Essien wrote: »

As a neutral, United v Real is a mouthwatering clash, I'd rather it a bit later in the competition though, when the stakes are higher.

The stakes do not get much higher until the final. Win you progress, lose you are out.

It is arguable though that the stakes are highest now, as a last 16 exit for either clubs is not really acceptable. Both of these should be looking at the semis every season as a constant.

mitosis

Nice draw that will guarantee the elimination of two heavy hitters.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

mitosis wrote: »

Nice draw that will guarantee the elimination of two heavy hitters.

Out of curiosity (genuinely), which of Arsenal and Milan do you not consider heavy hitters?

mitosis

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

Out of curiosity (genuinely), which of Arsenal and Milan do you not consider heavy hitters?

Arsenal of course. I'm surprised you'd ask, they have no real history in the competition - one final maybe? How many times have Milan won it? Seven, is it?

LuckyLloyd

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

Out of curiosity (genuinely), which of Arsenal and Milan do you not consider heavy hitters?

Neither are contenders for this season's CL.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

mitosis wrote: »

Arsenal of course. I'm surprised you'd ask, they have no real history in the competition - one final maybe? How many times have Milan won it? Seven, is it?

Well in recent years (obviously not including last year). Arsenal have generally faired as good or better than Milan in the competition.

willmunny1990

mitosis wrote: »

Arsenal of course. I'm surprised you'd ask, they have no real history in the competition - one final maybe? How many times have Milan won it? Seven, is it?

Arsenal are probably better than Milan.

Shakhtar and Dortmund are probably bigger hitters than both right now.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Neither are contenders for this season's CL.

Yeah this I agree with (although there's always a chance). I was just curious as to which one he was writing off in particular.

AdamD

The current Milan/Arsenal sides aren't heavy hitters

Liam O

willmunny1990 wrote: »

Arsenal are probably better than Milan.

Shakhtar and Dortmund are probably bigger hitters than both right now.

Shakhtar most definitely are not. Just because they had a good group stage doesn't mean they rank up with even underperforming powerhouse teams.

AdamD

willmunny1990 wrote: »

Arsenal are probably better than Milan.

Shakhtar and Dortmund are probably bigger hitters than both right now.

People have short memories. Arsenal knocked Dortmund out in the group stages last year. Shaktar isn't even worth addressing.

LuckyLloyd

Fuzzy_Dunlop wrote: »

Yeah this I agree with (although there's always a chance). I was just curious as to which one he was writing off in particular.

A draw liken this significantly reduces the chances though unfortunately. Arsenal and Milan obviously have varying non zero chances of progression from these ties, but if they do advance they would likely face another tie where they are underdogs (and so on). Emotional 'greater than the sum of the parts' performances are possible for a round or two but it's hard to do it six or seven times.

Chelsea were favourites against both Napoli and Benfica last year, then you're in the semis and everything thereafter is viewed as a bonus: perfect. Liverpool drew Leverkusen in the 2nd round in 2005; Porto played Lyon, Depor and Monaco in succession after dumping Utd out in 2004.

Red Crow

United will beat Madrid

willmunny1990

Liam O wrote: »

Shakhtar most definitely are not. Just because they had a good group stage doesn't mean they rank up with even underperforming powerhouse teams.

I'd prefer Arsenal or Milan instead of Shakhtar now. Don't agree with anyone who wouldnt.

LuckyLloyd

Eli Manning wrote: »

United will beat Madrid

Could well be favourites before the tie kicks off, but Madrid have enough to be in any tie over two legs. They click for one of the four halves and it could be game over.

Rekop dog

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Could well be favourites before the tie kicks off, but Madrid have enough to be in any tie over two legs. They click for one of the four halves and it could be game over.

Madrid are huge favourites!

andrew241983

Eli Manning wrote: »

United will beat Madrid

if it was 1 game id say they could but not over 2 legs

The_Kew_Tour

PSG V Valencia could be decent game ttoo. Dont think that is a sure thing for PSG either.

LuckyLloyd

Rekop dog wrote: »

Madrid are huge favourites!

I'd expect the lines to move somewhat before the tie kicks off.