2007-08 UEFA Champions League Draw

Wow! Liverpool got a favorable draw, as did Real Madrid. It looks like the toughest groups will be Groups E, F and G.

I tried to tidy it up a bit. Is that better?

My picks to advance:

A Liverpool, Porto
B Chelsea, Valencia
C Real Madrid, Lazio
D AC Milan, Celtic
E Barcelona, Lyon
F Manchester United, Roma
G Inter Milan, PSV Eindhoven

H Arsenal, AEK Athens

My picks:

ALiverpool, Porto

Bscummers, Schalke

CReal Madrid, Bremen

DAC Milan, Celtic

EBarca, Rangers

FManU, Roma

GInter, PSV

HArsenal, Steaua Bucharest

Group H is a cakewalk for Arsenal.

They really ought to change the Champions League, to simply feature the winners from each country. None of this top 4 stuff. There are 50 countries in UEFA? The teams in it would be:

• The winners of Spain, Italy, England, France, Germany, Portugal, Scotland and Netherlands (8)
• The other teams have to pre-qualify, so that eventually you get a further 24 teams to join (or 8 depending on whether you want 16 or 32 in the "Main Event"). Then just hold a straight knockout tournament over two legs. Unseeded.

I think that would be a better format. Also, the UEFA Cup would just be for the Cup winners in that country. And if it was the same teams (I.e. a team does a double in the country) then take the runner up in the final to enter the Champions' League (it would be renamed Champions' Cup - as it used to be).

My picks to advance:

A- Liverpool, Porto B- Chelsea, Valencia C- Real Madrid, Olympiakos D- AC Milan, Celtic E- Barcelona, Rangers F- Man United, Roma G- Inter, Fenerbahce

H- Arsenal, AEK Athens

Praise Scientology! Us gunners are sure to see Arsenal adavance from that half cracker-jack group.

I wouldn't say that any of these groups can be considered a "Group of Death." The big name teams all seemed to dodge bullets in this draw, which makes for a very exciting group stage part of the tournament.

United v Roma will be interesting matches. Hopefully, there will be no problems at the Olympic Stadium this year.

A- Liverpool, Porto

B- Chelsea, Valencia C- Real Madrid, Werder Bremen D- AC Milan, Benfica E- Barcelona, Lyon F- Manchester United, AS Roma G- Inter Milan, PSV

H- Arsenal, Athens

The biggest surprise in this years draw is that there is no Bayern Munich