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Post by Asaemon on Jun 15, 2023 21:19:59 GMT 1
Champions League Phase 1
Group A Gaziantepspor Manchester United (won Premier League)
Paris-SG Parma
Group B Ajax (won Dutch league) Barcelona (won Spanish league, Spanish cup and Champions League) Dinamo Kiev Leeds
Group C Athletic Bilbao Juventus Krylja Sovetov Sparta Prague
Group D Braga (won Portuguese league)
Club Brugge (won Belgian league)
Dortmund Giannena
Group E Liverpool Montpellier (won French league)
Rangers (won Scottish league)
Torpedo Moscow
Group F AEK Athens Feyenoord Maribor Milan (won Italian league)
Group G Atletico Madrid FC Bayern (won German league)
PSV Eindhoven Sunderland
Group H Fenerbahce Lille Rapid Vienna Real Madrid
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Post by Asaemon on Jun 15, 2023 21:23:10 GMT 1
Feyenoord have a good chance grabbing the number two spot after Milan. Ajax and PSV Eindhoven ended up in tougher groups.
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Post by Asaemon on Jun 15, 2023 21:36:20 GMT 1
Europe's two most offensive teams will clash in Champions League Group B, when Wim Kieft's Ajax (undefeated in the Dutch League 2001/02) goes head to head with Marco van Basten's Barcelona (Frank de Boer, Michael Reiziger, Edgar Davids, Phillip Cocu and Patrick Kluivert). Barcelona is the reigning Champions League champions and also won the Spanish League and Spanish Cup.
I don't really consider Dinamo Kiev a threat since they was raided heavily during the 2001/02 season. The current team look really weak. Leeds have some good player (especially strikers), but the lack the depth of Ajax and Barcelona, so they will be underdogs in the group.
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Post by Moore on Jun 15, 2023 23:47:10 GMT 1
So Braga won the League and Guimarães were runners-up... 😂😂😂
Damn... (Braga are now contenders irl sometimes, but back then... Nope.)
You'll qualify I'd say. PSV has the toughest group in the Competition. Some groups are incredible there, with some really strange names. PAS Giannina and Montpellier are shocking 😮
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Post by Asaemon on Jun 16, 2023 19:43:42 GMT 1
So Braga won the League and Guimarães were runners-up... 😂😂😂 Damn... (Braga are now contenders irl sometimes, but back then... Nope.) You'll qualify I'd say. PSV has the toughest group in the Competition. Some groups are incredible there, with some really strange names. PAS Giannina and Montpellier are shocking 😮 None of the big three in Portugal got a top 3 spot. Porto was best and got the 4th spot. I wish the history and records sections of CM was as good as in FHM. I haven't found a way to see the historical tables. Better to face Barcelona early on to find out which team is stronger and to avoid them in the quarter finals and semi finals.
Only teams I consider threats to Ajax are Barcelona, Real Madrid, Milan, Juventus, FC Bayern, Dortmund (already eliminated) and Manchester United. This might be perfect time to challenge since they still are in a rebuilding mode and have a weakness in their defence. In a few season they might be too dominant when Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ricardo Quaresma and Andres Iniesta are in their prime.
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Post by Asaemon on Jun 17, 2023 19:50:11 GMT 1
Real Madrid is one of the top teams of Europe and have an all-star team with Ronaldo, Patrick Vieira, Zinedine Zidane, Raul, Iker Casillas, Roberto Carlos and Joaquin. Real Madrid looked unstoppable in the Spanish League until spring, when a rebuilding Barcelona shifted gear to the next level. Real Madrid or rival Atletico Madrid never managed to challenge the dominant Barcelona team during the spring; resulting in Barcelona winning the triple (Champions League, Spanish League and Spanish Cup). Real Madrid have sold Portuguese superstar to Valencia, but signed Spanish rising star Joaquin from Betis. Real Madrid have been slimming their roster buy selling Pedro Munitis (Real Zaragoza), Steve McManaman (Deportivo), Claude Makelele(Deportivo), Rodrigo (Real Sociedad), Ivan Campo (Valencia) and Guti (Anderlecht). Together with Barcelona, Real Madrid are the backbone of the Spanish national team and Spain U21. Despite losing Figo, Real Madrid is one of the favorites to win the Champions League. |
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Post by Asaemon on Jun 17, 2023 20:04:10 GMT 1
Reigning Champions League champions Barcelona are the team to beat. After a rough start (getting hammered by Juventus away and falling behind Real Madrid in the league); Barcelona shifted gears to the next levels and become unstoppable. Barcelona have an all-star team with Rivaldo, Javier Saviola, Victor Valdes, Xavi, Juan Roman Riquelme, Phillip Cocu, Edgar Davids, Frank De Boer, Patrick Kluivert, Raphael Matusik and Carles Puyol; and have been strengthen by the arrivals of Edgar Davids (Juventus) and Ronaldinho (Paris-SG).
Besides already being a all-star team; Barcelona B have wonderkids in Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Diogo, Andres Iniesta, Ricardo, Oskitz Estefania, Cor Gossens and Ricardo Quaresma.
The team looks to defend their Champions League title and have potential to dominate Europe for year.
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Post by Asaemon on Jun 17, 2023 20:07:18 GMT 1
FC Bayern dominated the German league, but lost the Champions League finals against Barcelona. The 2001 Champions League champions have potential to once again bring home the trophy to Germany. FC Bayern have a all-star team with stars like Oliver Kahn, Michael Ballack, Ze Roberto and Roque Santa Cruz. |
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Post by Asaemon on Jun 17, 2023 20:10:34 GMT 1
After a miserable start; Juventus managed to get the machine rolling and finished second in the Italian league behind Milan. Despite selling Edgar Davids to Barcelona; Juventus got an all-star team with Matteo Paro, Gianluigi Buffon, Ruben Ariel Oliveira, David Trezeguet, Alessandro Del Piero, Pavel Nedved, Igor Tudor and Marco DiVaio. Juventus is one of the favorites to challenge Barcelona for the Champions League title. |
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Post by Asaemon on Jun 17, 2023 20:17:07 GMT 1
Milan dominated the Italian league from the start and might be the biggest challenger to Barcelona. Milan got an all-star team with Andriy Shevchenko, Alessandro Nesta, Clarence Seedorf and Andrea Pirlo. The Italian team are in a rebuilding phase and have handpicked potential stars from all over Europe like Marco Borriello, Vitaly Kutuzov, Ron Vlaar (AZ Alkmaar), Samuele Dalla Bona and Kilic Taner
So you can count for Milan to be a credible challenger for years.
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