The Draw

By: John | August 28th, 2008

The UEFA Champion’s League Trophy.
The UEFA Champion’s League group stage draw took place today at 12:00 EST. Lyon are in Group H, and drew: FC Bayern Munich, FC Steaua Bucuresti and AFC Fiorentina. This looks like one of the most balanced of the groups. There is no power imbalance in this group- like Barcelona last year- and Bayern, Steaua and Fiorentina are certainly stronger than Rangers, Stuttgart and an injury-riddled Lyon last year. And I haven’t watched the UEFA qualifiers or the Bundesliga in the last weeks, so I can’t comment on Fiorentina’s, Steaua’s nor Bayern’s early season form. I’ll let you guys discuss the strengths and weaknesses of those clubs and how you all feel about Lyon’s chances in this group. By the way, both Marseilles and Bordeaux look to have their work cut out for them: Marseilles having drawn Liverpool, PSV, and Atletico Madrid. Bordeaux drew Chelsea, AS Roma, and CFR 1907 Cluj, a Romanian club. Check out the groups: http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/news/kind=1/newsid=743094.html”>

Category: Champions League, Team News and Rumors

Tags: AFC Fiorentina, AS Roma, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona FC, Bordeaux, Bundesliga, CFR 1907 Cluj, Champions League, Chelsea, FC Bayern Munich, FC Steaua Bucuresti, Liverpool, Marseilles, PSV, Rangers, Stuttgart, Team News and Rumors

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• andy |  August 28th, 2008 at 11:52 am

  
  
  

  Bayern has been shitty this year… Steua ain’t that good, and Fiorentina can we beat… We’ll win this group…

  Posted from Norway

  

• John |  August 28th, 2008 at 11:52 am

  
  
  

  http://www.mercato365.com/depeches/filinfo_261561_2514_Lyon-Le-Bayern-Munich-suit-Toulalan.shtml
  I know Benzema will be leaving, probably after this season, but hopefully this player will never leave!

  Posted from Costa Rica

  

• Dror |  August 28th, 2008 at 12:17 pm

  
  
  

  has the games order been determined?

  Posted from United States

  

• Ush |  August 28th, 2008 at 12:37 pm

  
  
  

  Not the group of death and we should win it. Bayern had been very underwhelmingly in the last 2 seasons.
  –
  Playmaker Franck Ribéry on the other hand was not so happy to have been pitted against French side Lyon.

  “I would have rather have drawn another larger team such as Chelsea, Manchester United or Arsenal- but not Lyon.

  “I know fully well from personal experience what a good team they are and how difficult they are to beat” he warned.

  

  Posted from United States

  

• Ghislain |  August 28th, 2008 at 1:17 pm

  
  
  

  I for one am very happy to have the Champions League draw over and done with – even though it’s a sure sign that another bloody winter is on its way! (I live in Winnipeg – aka Winterpeg, so I have the right to bitch about the weather!). As for the draw, I like it. Should be some fun matches. Bayern will be tough, no doubt about it. It’ll be between us two for the top spot. It’ll be a treat to watch Ribery twice – I don’t get to watch much bundesliga.

  Posted from Canada

  

• Megame |  August 28th, 2008 at 2:18 pm

  
  
  

  Let’s plan for massive deliveries of beer, OL scarves, holy water and Lyou masks on:
  Wednesday 17 september 19.45 GMT (OL – Fiorentina)
  Tuesday 30 september 19.45 GMT (Bayern Munich – OL)
  Tuesday 21 october 19.45 GMT (Steaua Bucarest – OL)
  Wednesday 5 november 19.45 GMT (OL – Steaua Bucarest)
  Tuesday 25 november 19.45 GMT (Fiorentina – OL)
  Wednesday 10 december 19.45 GMT (OL – Bayern Munich)
  and the force shall be with us.

  Posted from Sweden

  

• Jao |  August 28th, 2008 at 5:59 pm

  
  
  

  I am happy we got the home and away with Steaua. Our home and away with Stuttgart last season practically revived our group stage chances. So if we don’t get decent group results against Bayern and Le Violet, we can rebound against Steaua. Not that Steaua aren’t a solid club.

  Posted from United States

  

• Jao |  August 28th, 2008 at 6:08 pm

  
  
  

  And also, I know one person from le Violet who will enjoy walking into the Gerland and blanking them. Who knows? Maybe Domenech will be watching.

  Posted from United States

  

• Corey |  August 28th, 2008 at 8:31 pm

  
  
  

  I am not as optimistic. I think this may be the year Lyon does not get out of the group. Bayern has not hit top form yet, but they will. And it will probably be in the next 2 months. Fiorentina can beat us in the Gerland, and Steau can take a point from us on the road too. But as usual, EPL teams have easy groups.

  Posted from United States

  

• Pride of Lyon |  August 28th, 2008 at 9:53 pm

  
  
  

  Interesting to see the the last game is Lyon – Bayern in Gerland. If the group stays close right to the end, this game could be decisive for both teams… Great game ahead.
  I also see another advantage in this game:
  IF Lyon is not qualified at this stage (matchday 6) it would be likely that Bayern is, so Bayern may not put such a fight and leave points.

  But I am not expecting any favors from Bayern. Anyway if Lyon want to show they are a big European club, they’d better come at the top of this group after 5 games!

  Posted from Japan

  

• rougebleu |  August 28th, 2008 at 9:57 pm

  
  
  

  I think we’ll crush the smaller clubs in midfield. But finding the net will be hard, both teams have fairly good defensive quality, but not nearly as much experience. Bayern is a coin toss. We seem to perform against the giants. (and our older players have already played against a few of their players) Giant killing seems to be what Lyon players and fans alike crave. Fiorentina seem a lot like roma two years ago, but with a different mentality. All in all until I see Lyon play with all these new players under pressure I won’t know how they have shored up over the summer.

  Posted from United States

  

• Ush |  August 29th, 2008 at 1:51 am

  
  
  

  Excellent point rougebleu. The only thing is we know they have the quality, it’s just if Puel can drill in a winning mentality and also with the CL we need that little bit of luck! We’ve been bullying just France for long enough, it’s time to bully Europe!

  Looking foward to the Bayern game, 2 European heavyweights from opposing leagues locking horns! Throw a few tasty tackles in on Oddo for good measure.

  Posted from Ireland

  

• Sam |  August 29th, 2008 at 3:29 am

  
  
  

  Corey I think I’d rather our group than Liverpool’s – they’ve got PSV, Marseilles and Atletico!

  Posted from United Kingdom

  

• Corey |  August 29th, 2008 at 5:45 am

  
  
  

  PSV doesnt bother me, and Marseille will not repeat their away win this year. Atletico is none for having very erratic form. Liverpool face three mid-level European clubs. Lyon faces another super power like itself and two mid-level clubs. It will be difficult.

  Posted from United States

  

• storm |  August 29th, 2008 at 8:45 am

  
  
  

  certainly its a tough group but not the worst pool in this years draw.
  Plus lets remember the last few years we’ve been against MUCH bigger teams – Barca and Real (twice). We handled both of those to get through the group stages.

  Also we should look to the strengths of our team, not just the competition – and our team is stronger than last years at least. We’ve replaced our poor CL manager with a much stronger manager and so far (fingers crossed) don’t have the terrible injuries of last year (remember Vercoutre’s early CL perfomances).
  Although the group could have been easier I think we’re in MUCH better shape than last year.

  Posted from France

  

• Inara |  August 29th, 2008 at 6:18 pm

  
  
  

  WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?

  I am currently stranded in Chincoteague, Virginia, on what is turning out to be a nightmare vacation. I’ve been dying since yesterday to get the draw results, but hotel internal is crap. So I JUST saw the draw results, and man, I’m not happy at all. The draw may not be the hardest one, but any team can make it out of the group. No one – not even Bayern – has a clear shot of making it to the next round.

  That’s dangerous because every team will be fighting during every game. I don’t see any team in this group earning more than 7 points.

  Posted from United States

  

• Lynn |  August 29th, 2008 at 9:15 pm

  
  
  

  IMHO, Bayern VS Lyon would be something exciting to watch. Two domestic league champions with quite a reputation aboard (:

  Posted from Singapore

  

• Dror |  August 30th, 2008 at 5:36 am

  
  
  

  at first thought Foirentina seemed real scary, and then I realized that the last time I saw them playing was when Batistua still staring there.
  took a look at their current line up, and honestly, I don’t see much to worry about.

  Posted from United States

  

• Levis |  August 31st, 2008 at 7:49 am

  
  
  

  Hello guys, can anybody explain why Fiorentina had only 2 groups that they could be drawn onto. If you look closely, there’s 3 groups which already have Italian clubs ( Inter, Juventus, Roma) and Aalborg was picked first from pot # 4, so that leaves 4 available groups that Fiorentina could have been in. The reason why I’m asking its because I didn’t want Fiorentina to be drawn onto the same Group as Steaua since Mutu is Romanian ( duh) and him playing vs a Romanian club is just useless tension. If you have any idea please let me know at levisg@gmail.com

  Posted from United States

  

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