After the group stage of UEFA Champions League is finished,
Livetipsportal.com analyzed the tops and flops!
Tops:
1. Panathinaikos FC
Who bet that the Greeks would attain the last 16, could consider oneself lucky (and even rich). The team with 2004 hero Karagounis and ex-Arsenal star Gilberto won to the astonishment of many experts theGroup B before giants like Inter Milan and Werder Bremen. The Austrian team captain Andreas Ivanschitz played, however, in Pana's triumph procession only a minor role. The 25-year-old Winger came in a total of 4 games to only 120 playing time.
2. Bayern Munich
If the German record champion had in the Bundesliga start difficulties, there were even stronger in the Champions League and celebrated in Group F a wire to wire victory. With 14 points out of 6 games, the success-hungry Munich dominated their group. The merciless efficiency and the straightforward game gives enough reason to handle Bayern as a serious title candidates.
3. Liverpool FC
After the finale in 2007 and the participation of last year's semi-out against Chelsea Liverpool wants to gain the title a sixth time. While the Reds play in the championship-race of the Premier League still a massive role - what at this time is rather unusual - nevertheless famed tactical genius Rafa Benitez has with the return of Fernando Torres still an ace up his sleeve.
Flops:
1. Celtic FC
In recent years, the fans of the Bhoys were spoilt with success, their team attained two times the last 16. In this season of the Champions League the equipe of coach Gordon Strachan resigned without a wimper. Sad but true: This year the Scots even missed the third place, which entitled to continue in the UEFA-Cup. Once again it’s the glaring weakness in away-games (three games, zero points), which broke them the neck.
2. Werder Bremen
First, they rejoiced in northern Germany on the supposedly easiest group. But on the first match came the rude awakening: Rapid conqueror Anorthosis Famagusta gained a draw in the Weserstadion of Bremen. After all, the team of coach Thomas Schaaf rescued themself with fortune on their side in the less lucrative UEFA Cup.
3. FC Basel
Hardly the Champions League group stage had started, there was already lethargy in the St. Jakobs Park when FC Basel lost their first game against Shakhtar Donetsk. At the bottom line there was only one point left for Basel. With 16 goals conceded the Swiss champion got the most of all teams.
Facts
Ten of the sides that reached this stage last season are still in the running, with AC Milan, Sevilla FC, Celtic FC, FC Schalke 04, Olympiacos CFP and Fenerbahçe SK the absentees. The sides who were not in the last-16 draw last time around are Panathinaikos FC, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Club Atlético de Madrid, Villarreal CF, FC Bayern München and Juventus.
The
draw for the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League takes place at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland, on
Friday from 12.00CET.
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. The group winners must not be drawn against each other. The group runners-up shall play their first-leg match at home.
UEFA Champions League 2008/09
First knockout round – to be played 24/25 February and 10/11 March
Group winners
AS Roma (A), Panathinaikos (B), FC Barcelona (C), Liverpool FC (D), Manchester United (E), FC Bayern Munich(F), FC Porto (G), Juventus Turin (H)
Group runners-up
Chelsea FC (A), Inter Milan (B), Sporting Lissabon (C), Atletico Madrid (D), Villarreal (E), Olympique Lyon (F), Arsenal FC (G), Real Madrid (H)
Top scorers
5 goals:
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Karim Benzema (Lyon)
4 goals:
Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United), Danny Koevermans (PSV), Jadson (Shakhtar Donetsk), Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Lisandro (FC Porto)
Here you find other interesting infos and statistics to the Champions League
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