UEFA Champions League General Thread 23/24

[2Smokeyy]

Finally the CL is back and this is Arteta’s chance at redemption for years of below par European campaigns.

These are the teams in the pots:

The group stage games will take place on:

Matchday 1: 19/20 September 2023
Matchday 2: 3/4 October 2023
Matchday 3: 24/25 October 2023
Matchday 4: 7/8 November 2023
Matchday 5: 28/29 November 2023
Matchday 6: 12/13 December 2023

So, who do you want from those teams mentioned above?

For me I want Bayern, AC Milan and RC Lens/Real Sociedad to make things interesting and test ourselves in a tough group.

 

[A_G]

PSG, Arsenal, Salzburg, Celtic

Minimal travel so it’s not another excuse for Arteta

 

[Vinci]

Would like PSG, don't think we have faced them many times.

And then maybe Lazio and Celtic.

 

[Tomb Bombadil]

I go for the opposite:

• Feyenoord: Easiest opponent from Group A
• Rangers: Proximity, tradition and also one of the easier opponents
• Young Boys: To see the game

Feels like an EL groupe. With this groupe we could even rotate some players.

 

[lamby22]

Rather have Bayern, Milan and Celtic than the Europa group Feyenoord, Braga and Copenhagen

 

[Blaziken]

Feyenoord, Rangers and Lens.

 

[OnlyOne]

Feyenoord, AC Milan, Celtic.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Napoli, Gala and Rangers please!
Napoli cause i want to see Osimhen, Gala cause i want to see their merry band of thieves and crooks (spearheaded by our beloved midget Torreira) and Rangers cause of the viiiiiiiiibe!
Avoid boring as **** Milan pls

 

[field442]

Barca, Milan and Sociedad. Make it feel like we are actually in the Champions League and not some ****ty Europa League style group. Imagine if we got Feyenoord, Rangers and Young Boys. Poverty fixtures.

 

[A_G]

Barca, Milan and Sociedad. Make it feel like we are actually in the Champions League and not some ****ty Europa League style group. Imagine if we got Feyenoord, Rangers and Young Boys. Poverty fixtures.

@Riou will have to turn his alerts off if we draw Young Boys.

 

[lamby22]

Think Rangers will be lucky to make it through. Though I kind of hope they do for the banter potential.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Can't believe Arsenal are back in the Champions League it has been way too long. Really took it for granted under Wenger.

 

[jones]

Barca, Milan and Sociedad. Make it feel like we are actually in the Champions League and not some ****ty Europa League style group. Imagine if we got Feyenoord, Rangers and Young Boys. Poverty fixtures.

Can't draw both Barca and Real Sociedad.

CL is about knockout ties. Would rather a ****ty Europa League Group then face a big team in the Ro16 than having a CL level group then go play in the Europa League in the Ro32. Give me Sevilla Lazio and Gala.

 

[Bloodbather]

The pots are inaccurate. Dinamo Zagreb didn't make it to the Playoffs, they lost to AEK Athens. The winner of Antwerp vs. AEK will make it to the groups instead of them, which changes the way Pot 3 and Pot 4 look also because Dinamo would've been in Pot 3.

The Playoffs haven't finished yet, none of the ties are a formality, either. The first legs all ended in close results. It could well be PSV instead of Rangers, Panathinaikos instead of Braga, Maccabi Haifa instead of Young Boys, etc.

 

[SA Gunner]

Close proximity is best, I want the boys ready for the hard pre and post CL group fixtures.

So like the sounds of Feyernoord, Rangers/Celtic and Spanish team.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Close proximity is best, I want the boys ready for the hard post CL group fixtures.

So like the sounds of Feyernoord, Rangers/Celtic and Spanish team.

Is the amount of travel really that big of factor?
It feels like something fans just have a hang up on

 

[SA Gunner]

Is the amount of travel really that big of factor?
It feels like something fans just have a hang up on

Surely less travel is better, no?

 

[A_G]

As @SA Gunner says, we have some tricky games around the CL:

Everton A
Matchday 1: 19/20 September 2023
Tottenham H

Bournemouth A
Matchday 2: 3/4 October 2023
Man City H

Chelsea A
Matchday 3: 24/25 October 2023
Sheffield Utd H

Newcastle A
Matchday 4: 7/8 November 2023
Burnley H

Brentford A
Matchday 5: 28/29 November 2023
Wolves H

Aston Villa A
Matchday 6: 12/13 December 2023
Brighton H

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Surely less travel is better, no?

Yeah I guess, but I’m questioning the impact the difference between 1 or 3 h of flying really has on performance

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

I've googled the flying distances now and seems the furthest is Pireas, Greece, with a 3 h 40 min. So ofc u might prefer teams more in the vicinity but i shan't be hearing any arguments that it will be a difference in performance. If mikel was to use such excuses i would go absolutely mental