Speaking to Uefa's official website, representatives of the four teams of group F commented on the Champions League group-stage draw.
Joan Laporta, Barcelona president
I was convinced we'd get Inter, sometimes destiny throws up such things. It will be wonderful to see Eto'o at Camp Nou once again and I'm sure they feel the same way about Ibrahimović at Inter. We will also see Thiago Motta coming home wearing those famous blue-and-black stripes.
I'm not sure if games with such intense competitiveness are suitable for paying homage but I'm sure we'll receive our former players in the manner they deserve. I hope Barça get through as group winners but we can't take anything for granted. We realise it won't be easy in Ukraine and Russia where the cold conditions will play a big part.
Javier Zanetti, Inter Milan captain
It will be good to face Barcelona and I think Ibrahimović will be happy to meet us again. I will also face Lionel Messi, with whom I have a great relationship from the Argentinian national team. It will be tough but we are good enough to go through.
It's never easy to play in Russia or Ukraine with the weather conditions and because they are already in mid-season while we have just started. I really like the new-look Champions League with more countries involved; it's more interesting and Michel Platini deserves credit.
Valeriy Gazzaev, Dynamo Kiev coach
I have taken the results of the draw very calmly. It is a very interesting group without an easy match for any team.
Kurban Berdyev, Rubin Kazan coach
I am satisfied with the draw. We have got two real powerhouses in Barcelona and Inter, as well as rapidly improving Dynamo Kyiv side. I think our supporters will get a lot from our matches against such illustrious opponents. We will focus on our preparations as we have a chance to get to the last 16 and will do our utmost to achieve it.
Read more:
Champions League opponents: Inter, Kiev, Rubin
Friday, 28 August 2009
Comments on Champions League draw
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
18 comments:
this cl was rigged.
How could it be rigged?
1. why was the italian champions not seeded and not put in pot 1 while teams like bayern sevilla and arsenal made it.
2. why has both ac milan and inter milan who lost both their star players who by the way were the best players in italy drawn against the teams they lost the players too.
3.why did manchester arsenal and chelsea all get easy groups.
4. along with inter why did barca get two teams with bad conditions for us
we will still win the group though but i can't help but to think they completely rigged this cl depending on the transfer season went.
I never thought I would agree with Marc4barca but that's what I am saying as well. Inter - barca was a set up just like Real - Milan. You should be stupid not to see that. Tell me something, when you open football site or read a tomorrow paper what the first thing you see. ETO'O vs IBRA, Eto' goes back to CN, Ibra to Meaza again, staff like that. Well Uefa is not stupid. although not a bad move, the draw is a scam. You can not prove it no one can. and don't tell me I act childish.
I agree but Chelsea has a very tough group with Porto, a team that can almost match Chelsea physically, and Atletico Madrid. I think this will be Aguero's big year so I am expecing Atleti to go one better than last year, it will be hard but they have some quality players and when they are on full form, (like they usually are against us at their stadium), there are few teams that can match them.
Stop posting things that don't make sense at all. There's a UEFA rankings that determines the Pots and it's based on how teams do in the last 5 years. Participating in the draw, are people aside from Uefa, like Van der Sar etc. Are they part of the scam too ?
Last year Barcelona was drawed with Sporting, Shakhtar and Basel. And then they were drawed to face Lyon and Bayern (worst Lyon and Bayern in the last 5+ years). The year before Barcelona was drawed with Lyon, Rangers and Stuttgard and then played against Celtic and Schalke. Then the draw wasn't rigged because it was all good for Barcelona ? Try being objective PPL.
yeah i totally agree with Eladir. Barca normally get an easy draw anyway TBH, so just accept the draw. At least we'll have a REALLY exciting tie with inter. And Marc4Barca, you really shouldnt say that stuff about our game. nobody wants to think that it is true, and as long as u dont have proof you're just making mindless assumptions.
well yea i guess you guys are right, i kinda got carried away. just was shocked to see inter and ac meeting barcelona and real. strange things do happen in this world. We going all the way no matter who we face Visca El Barca!!!
From the EPL teams,I think Chelsea got the hardest group.Like Iason said,Atletico could be a formidable opponent and Porto is always ready for surprises.APOEL is just happy to be in the competition but they probably play their home games in exctasy
We got such an easy group, I am more than satisfied. Inter cannot match us, so we are going to finish first in this group.
I thought we were going to have a much tougher group, but we got so lucky, I'm still laughing about it.
Juventus got the toughest group. I, as a fan of Juve, feel sorry for them, but they'll still come through.
Manchester United's is the easiest group, although they'll struggle against these teams because they are all technical. Remember, Ferguson hates technical teams. They are a nightmare to him.
Chelsea got a tough group, but ours is still easier than Liverpool's.
Sevilla is the best. They got an easy ride, and so did Arsenal. Watch out for Arsenal, they might sneak into the semis again with a bit of luck.
UEFA has a coefficient system that depends on the clubs' performances in European competitions.
According to this system, Barcelona is first right now. The teams in pot 1 are currently the top eight teams right now, and ordering is dne based on that. There is no "rigging" involved.
You can check out the club coefficients on this wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_coefficient
I do agree with all who thinks its a cheated draw, I told that many times befor... I dont realy mind that, because thats not a big problem, they haw to make som money to finace foodball but, I am realy scared of that the final result is allso allready drowed!!! That would mean Real Madrid allready bought the tophy... Whats your opinion ????Pep? Thell us something!!!
stefan
Last anony.... are you 8-12 by any chance?
Was it Butragueno who even though is old can work things up so fast that he draws the "wanted" ball for each team? Were there small letters on the balls? Were they heated? Come on... this is useless.
And the fact that some of you have no idea why Sevilla was in pot 1 and Real in pot 2 proves you shouldn't be talking about this in the first place.
And Anony... what do you want Pep to tell you? I'm left with the impression that you're a baby awaiting your mother to feed you.
Sport: Guardiola: "All rigged"
Barcelona coach can't believe he got a team from pot 2, another one from pot 3 and another one from pot 4. What were the odds? Also no other spanish team. Guardiola urges team to forget about the trophy this year.
El Mundo Deportivo: Fan who doesn't give name cleared air. UEFA awaiting trial.
Laporta: "I don't agree that two teams from pot 1 -Barcelona and Milan- should be able to get 2 out of the 8 teams in pot 2 -Inter and Real. Our transfer agreement forbids us to play with Inter"
:) You're right. It's plausible.
Terribly sorry - you actually gave your name, Stefan. Replace Anony with Stefan, everyone.
I think it's a very bad draw. Inter was the toughest from Pot B, Dinamo Kiev was a good draw though playing in Ukraine won't be easy, and Rubin Kazan was the 2nd toughest team from Pot D. They won the league last season and they are 1st now and they are way ahead in the season as they've already played 19 league games. The schedule too ain't very good starting with Inter away. It's gonna be tougher than other seasons but Barcelona will qualify.
HAHAHAHA MILO rofl... very VERY well said. I wanted to be first to reply to all the ppl who thought it was rigged , you beat me to it ! ^^
In all seriousness , its not rigged. Teams are seeded according to the Uefa Coefficient and their Uefa League Coefficient. Let me give u an example. All the english teams are in pot 1 because they have put up consistent performances in the champions league , making the semis for 3-4 years now. Inter are in pot 2 because their CL record sucks. So does Madrid's. And teams like Bordauex and Wolfsburg are in lower pots because this is their CL debut. Remember its the performances of the last 5 years, so this years draw was on the basis of teams results between 2004-2009.
Was a very exciting draw , we shouldn have many problems though. Even though there maybe a couple of tight games. VISCAA ELLLL BARCAAAA!!
IBRA will not be good to play in Barca.
Post a Comment