Champions League Second Round Preview (1)
The draw for the second round matches (to be played on 20/21 Feb and 6/7 Mar 2007) takes place in Nyon, Switzerland, on 15 December (next Friday).
Here are the teams, regulations and possible dream matches.
Champions League Second Round teams
Group Winners
Chelsea (A)
Bayern Munich (B)
Liverpool (C)
Valencia (D)
Lyon (E)
Manchester United (F)
Arsenal (G)
AC Milan (H)
Runners Up
Barcelona (A)
Inter Milan (B)
PSV Eindhoven (C)
Roma (D)
Real Madrid (E)
Celtic (F)
Porto (G)
Lille (H)
Draw Regulations
The draw respects the following principles:
- Clubs from the same association must not be drawn against each other.
- The winners and runners-up of the same group must not be drawn against each other.
- Group winners must not be drawn against each other.
- Group runners-up must not be drawn against each other.
- All group runners-up will play their first-leg matches at home.
This means that even if United had ended up second, they would NOT have been able to face Arsenal, Liverpool or Chelsea. As things currently stand, all 4 Premier League teams were top of their group, so no such chances there.
Potential Clashes
Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal can line up against any of the 8 runners-up (except the teams from their own groups), but the rest have problems.
What I’ve done here is listed all 16 teams, with the teams they can NOT play in brackets.
Group Winners
Chelsea (Barcelona)
Bayern Munich (Inter Milan)
Liverpool (PSV Eindhoven)
Valencia (Roma, Barcelona, Real Madrid)
Lyon (Real Madrid, Lille)
Manchester United (Celtic)
Arsenal (Porto)
AC Milan (Lille, Inter Milan, Roma)
Runners Up
Barcelona (Chelsea, Valencia)
Inter Milan (Bayern Munich, AC Milan)
PSV Eindhoven (Liverpool)
Roma (Valencia, AC Milan)
Real Madrid (Lyon, Valencia)
Celtic (Manchester United)
Porto (Arsenal)
Lille (AC Milan, Lyon)
Valencia and Milan probably have only 5 teams each they can play against, so a Milan v Barcelona or Milan v Madrid clash has a pretty decent chance of happening.
Here are the fixtures I’d really love to see:
Chelsea vs Inter Milan
Bayern Munich vs PSV Eindhoven
Liverpool vs Barcelona
Valencia vs Celtic
Lyon vs Roma
Manchester United vs Lille (heh)
Arsenal vs Real Madrid
AC Milan vs Porto
…
Will have the draw posted here as soon as it is made.
- 07/08 Champions League 2nd Round Preview
- Champions League 2006/2007 2nd Round First Leg Goals
- Arsenal v AC Milan - 07/08 Champions League 2nd Round Preview
- Champions League 07/08 Group B Preview: Chelsea, Valencia, Schalke 04, Rosenborg
- Champions League 07/08 Group E Preview: Barcelona, Lyon, Stuttgart, Rangers
Discussion - 11 Responses
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Are you an idiot? If the big teams play each other in the last 16 whats gonna happen later on? I get your bias but still. You want the rush and anticipation of playing a big gun or are you afraid that United will be shown up by good teams?
Of the fixtures I listed, only two of those play against each other.
You’re bound to have big teams play each other in the second round. That’s why it’s so tough.
The United bit was a joke - that’s who I’d prefer us playing, but I’d honestly be happy with any team apart from Barcelona, and I’d love it if we got Real Madrid (and had Becks playing at Old Trafford again).
Arsenal v Barcelona has a lot of drama attached to it as well, so it would be an interesting match-up.
Think before you speak, I guess.
You dont think valencia are a big team? Okay, they have loads of injuries at the moment but come feburary when nearly everyone will be back, no one would fancy playing them. Roma are an excellent side as well, they are much better than Milan yet you think that Milan are a big team. Big team in terms of rep but not on the pitch.
Think before I speak? Know your football before you print
that just makes you sound like an idiot.
You said:
If the big teams play each other in the last 16 whats gonna happen later on?
I said, there are few ‘non-big’ teams in the second round.
And you come along and you take out Roma and Valencia as well.
We can play this game all day, but really, you’re picking a non-existent argument. Big teams left, so they’re bound to be drawn against each other.
Steve, shut up you idiot.
You pretend to be a connoisseur of football, and in the know of European football yet you spout crap.
Read the article and understand the joke behind each phrase. Ahmed obviously supports united so is making out it would be nice to have an easy ride in, like the gunners did until the final where they got found out.
I’m choking on my water, Ahmed. There was no reason for you to defend Arsenal there. You all right man, delirious with fever or anything?
Oye you do remember na what Lille did last year? hehe :p
A disjointed Real Madrid team going through their worst period of football ever, managerless as well or some coach covering, thats impressive.
A Juventus team full of WORLD CLASS players all sh*tt*ng themselves to be banned or relegated, which happened.
And Villareal team who have ONE good player and couldnt have scored if there was no keeper. Just showing the Champions league is pot luck.
The only team with a hard run in was Milan and they were going through the same thing as Juve, yet they WERE a good team.
Barca the best team last year bar none had it harder beating Milan, Chelski.
You can name names but when it comes down to the nitty gritty the teams the gunners played last year were crap at best.
Liverpool will beat Barca!!!!!!!!!!
i think gunners are in there best form