This just in: UEFA Cup and Champions League Draw

By: Jan | December 21st, 2007

The UEFA Cup and Champions League draw just took place. The lone Bundesliga representative Schalke 04 picked up FC Porto as their next opponent in the Champions League. Porto and Sevilla were high on the wishlists of high profile second placed teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, Roma etc. So, people seem to think those two were the weakest sides in pot 1. That being said, Schalke will still need to seriously up their game for this fixture, and Porto on the other hand probably aren’t too unhappy about drawing Schalke either.

Now on to the main event, as in UEFA Cup, as in five Bundesliga teams still in the competition. The round of 32 draw with possible opponents for the round of 16 in brackets:

Aberdeen - Bayern Munich (Anderlecht/Bordeaux)
Aberdeen look like a side Bayern Munich should be able to handle, but a clash with Bordeaux might be looming in the next round, which would make a fine match-up.

Galatasaray - Bayer Leverkusen (Zürich/Hamburg)
Galatasaray didn’t play a convincing group stage and just about sneaked through. But on paper they were still one of the sides to avoid. You might also expect them to up their game in the knockout rounds. Should Leverkusen make it through they could face their Bundesliga rivals Hamburg. Too bad, I had hoped for a better draw, that avoids Bundesliga sides potentially eliminating each other so early in the competition.

FC Zürich - Hamburger SV (Galatasaray/Leverkusen)
Hamburg can be happy with this draw, especially if Hertha continues to buy Zürich’s best players. But then it could either be Galatasaray or Leverkusen up next.

Werder Bremen - SC Braga (Rangers/Panathinaikos)
Braga caused Bayern Munich all sorts of problems in the group stage, and Rangers did their part to eliminate Stuttgart from the Champions League. Though I expect Bremen to be stronger next year, with some key players like Torsten Frings back on board, so they have a fair chance.

Benfica Lisbon - FC Nuremberg (AEK/Getafe)
Nuremberg have been the undisputed positive surprise in Europe for the Bundesliga. Making it to the group stage was great. But finishing second in a group with Everton, Alkmaar and Russian champions Zenit St. Petersburg easily topped that. I was somewhat hoping they might get Slavia Prague. But this way they earned themselves a trip to the world’s biggest club (by membership numbers) and a former Champions Cup (CL predecessor) winner.

Check out Ian’s UEFA Cup Offside for the complete draw.

Category: 1. Bundesliga, 1. FC Nuremberg, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Champions League, FC Bayern Munich, FC Schalke 04, Facts and Figures, Hamburger SV, International, UEFA Cup, Werder Bremen

Tags: 1. Bundesliga, 1. FC Nuremberg, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Champions League, Facts and Figures, FC Bayern Munich, FC Schalke 04, Hamburger SV, International, UEFA Cup, Werder Bremen

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• Johnny on the Spot |  December 21st, 2007 at 7:28 am

  
  
  

  I think we should see Werder, Bayern and Hamburg through to the final eight (although Leverkusen could surprise). If this happens, it’s definitely a step in the right direction as the UEFA is usually indicative of overall league strength, where as CL indicates just how rich your richest clubs are. And all the wins to get there will aid the UEFA Coefficient, and we could use that to go up so we can pass Portugal hopefully in the next few years.

  And I called Schalke/Sevilla in the final of the CL when I was drunk in August. The dream lives on!

  Posted from United States

  

• Jan |  December 21st, 2007 at 12:18 pm

  
  
  

  True, Bremen, Bayern and Hamburg have good chances. I’m a bit disappointed that Leverkusen would potentially face Hamburg. They are good quarter final material as well.

  I would agree that the UC is a good indicator for league strength. Even the EPL with fixed top four finishers, has more variety when it comes to the teams that compete in the UC each year. That’s why I currently rate La Liga above the EPL in terms of strength and depth.

  It’s great to see the Bundesliga playing to its potential in this competition for a change. All four teams qualified for the group stages, all four qualified for the knockout rounds - three topping their groups and Nuremberg coming in second. That’s more than a 100% improvement over previous seasons. Last year Schalke and Berlin didn’t even make the group stages and Leverkusen needed a lot of luck to sneak through on the final matchday - though they made it to the 1/4 finals from there. If the teams continue to take this competition seriously, nobody has to worry about any UEFA coefficients. And it helps the team’s individual UEFA rankings as well, which determine which pot you’re in = fewer groups of death.

  Though, Bremen shouldn’t be playing in the UC, they should be in the next CL round. Them being dropped to the UC doesn’t indicate league depth or strength. I give it to Bremen, that they can blame it on the injuries if they want to.

  Posted from Germany

  

• Jan |  December 21st, 2007 at 12:21 pm

  
  
  

  P.S.: Did you mean France instead of Portugal? The Bundesliga has been ahead of the Portuguese league all the time.

  Posted from Germany

  

• online sports guy |  December 22nd, 2007 at 2:37 pm

  
  
  

  The structure of the UC means it is harder not to qualify from the group than to go through!

  Posted from Germany

  

• Sam |  January 5th, 2008 at 7:27 pm

  
  
  

  Please Jan don’t tell me you’ve left…

  Posted from Canada

  

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