CL play off draw

[JohnDoe]

Non-champions path

Seeded teams: Arsenal; Lyon; Sporting Lisbon; Panathinaikos; Stuttgart.

Unseeded teams: Fiorentina; Atletico Madrid; Celtic; Anderlecht; FC Timisoara.

Champions path

Seeded teams: Olympiacos; FC Kobenhavn; Levski Sofia; Maccabi Haifa; FC Zurich.

Unseeded teams: Salzburg; Apoel Nicosia; FK Ventspils; Debreceni VSC ; FC Sheriff Tiraspol.

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It will be interesting to see who Arsenal get. Atletico or Celtic if the second leg is away should be really tough for them. They'll probably get the Romanian team.

[spud_gun]

Is this part of Platini's master plan to make the champions league pisher?

There are some right dire teams going to get through whilst more establish teams are not.

[Craig_H]

Champions League elimination would be a huge problem for Arsenal.

FC Sheriff v Olympiacos
FC Salzburg v Maccabi Haifa
Ventspils v Zurich
FC Copenhagen v APOEL
Levski Sofia v Debrecen

Lyon v Anderlecht
Celtic v Arsenal
Fc Timisoara v VfB Stuttgart
Sporting Lisbon v Fiorentina
Panathinaikos v Atletico Madrid

Easy path for the Gooners, 2nd leg at the Emirates, they'll batter Celtic.

[Neil Young]

Is this part of Platini's master plan to make the champions league pisher?

There are some right dire teams going to get through whilst more establish teams are not.

I suspect it's Platini's attempt to pay back his supporters by sort of delivering on his election promise to open up the Champion's League. He's watered down his original proposals (presumably to avoid pissing off the big clubs too much) but needs to do something keep his backers onside. This is it.

[Guest]

Is this part of Platini's master plan to make the champions league pisher?

There are some right dire teams going to get through whilst more establish teams are not.

He's giving the 'dire teams' more opportunities to get butt ****ed. But to be fair, he's democratizing the competition and I don't think it's a terrible thing. It would certainly be dire seeing the same teams competing for it year in year out. And the more smaller teams make it through to the later stages, the better it is for them.

As long as the pre-established order is challenged, and we all know it's all about money these days, the better it is. I've got no qualms about that.

[JohnDoe]

Is this part of Platini's master plan to make the champions league pisher?

There are some right dire teams going to get through whilst more establish teams are not.

I think it's a good thing. The Champions' league should be for champions and the new format also guarantees 18 different countries participating. It also strengthens the Europa League considerably. The CL shouldn't be exclusive for the big nations.

Arsenal got the second toughest possible draw with Celtic there. Still expect them to go through.

[Craig_H]

Arsenal got the second toughest possible draw with Celtic there. Still expect them to go through.

You really think so mate? I think Fiorentina would've been tougher.

Celtic are ****e.

[JohnDoe]

You really think so mate? I think Fiorentina would've been tougher.

Celtic are ****e.

But Celtic will raise their game and could give them trouble.

On the other hand, there is no chance whatsoever of Fiorentina beating Arsenal. Italian teams' record against the English lately has been atrocious. They can't score a goal, let alone beat them.

I'd even argue that Anderlecht would have been a tougher draw.

[Tee]

I honestly think Celtic might surprise a few people and they will push Arsenal very very hard. I am positive it is a draw Wenger would have rather avoided - his team are going to be in a real tough fight and this will be a very good test for them.

[Darkon]

I think it's a good thing. The Champions' league should be for champions and the new format also guarantees 18 different countries participating. It also strengthens the Europa League considerably. The CL shouldn't be exclusive for the big nations.

I think it's a good idea, and it spreads out the money as well for other leagues making them more competitive in the longer run.

And as you say it helps making the euro league stronger like the old UEFA cup was. I would be happy if they put in the teams finishing 3rd and 4th in to the euro league instead, that way more money would come to that as well.

But the major teams are worried about that because the ridiculous salaries they pay need financing from the CL.

[JohnDoe]

But the major teams are worried about that because the ridiculous salaries they pay need financing from the CL.

Maybe this new format will help tone down those salaries then, which can only be a good thing.

Platini may be a prick, but he's got it right with this one.

[Craig_H]

It wont make a jot of difference to salaries.

[Parm]

good luck to the bhoys