All the Champions League talk here!

Can Milan become the first the team to win the Champions League two times in a row? Only with the right additions we could... but it's a weird trip... we'll see.

I would expect Chelsea to give everything to win it. They should be the most motivated team out of all!

Well no doubt after the disgrace of this season, the English teams will all be very motivated...

Chelsea..of course, then there's always Man U chasing the dream that was 1999. The Scousers are looking at the League Title this time I think.

I also think Inter will go all out. I read it behind the decision of Figo to stay on. To the extent Inter might even compromise on Serie A. Milan's victory this season has just been too much for them to take.

In Spain. If Capello stays, I bank on a Real assault on CL and by relation the transfer market. Otherwise they'll look to mostly defend the title. Barca will of course look to regain lost pride, but I think their downward spiral has become. Now above all Barca needs a no-sh!t manager like Capello.

In Germany, I guess the clubs will all look to acquit themselves well in Europe, but barring Bremen, I see no one make a concerted push.

IMO Real is the most motivated team. They're fans want to see them on top of Europe again. They'll do everything to win it.
I feel like Chelsea is a bit depressed after this years failure. But...you never know.
I don't see Inter as serious contenders for the title with their current squad. With Figo 3 or 4 years younger...yes. But IMO they lack the creative abilities in midfield.
German teams...well, I think Stuttgart can surprise everyone. They've got some awesome youngster like Gomez, Hilbert, Tasci and some more. Maybe it's enough for the quarterfinal. Bremen, can make it to the last 16 IMO. Frings, Diego, Mertesacker, Borowski and Naldo are class. IMO the best team in Germany...even better than the new Bayern squad.

I wouldn't exactly call it a disgrace to reach the semi finals. Would you call our campaign last season (05/06) a disgrace? I certainly wouldn't.

I think there's only 1 from 6 that can win it next season:
Milan
Liverpool
United
Chelsea
Inter
Real Madrid

Depending on the draw of course, I fully expect 2 English teams in the semi-finals. Whether one will win it who knows.

Replace Inter with Barca

Aren't you guys forgetting someone here?

Seriously, if Henry stays and Wenger bring on a good player, I think Arsenal stand a chance next year. We were within 15 minutes of doing it in Paris, and with a bit more luck...who knows?
As for Milan, my heart says yes and my head says no. If Arsenal come to face Milan in the final...WTF am I gonna do?

It's far too early to tell what sort of form the various teams are going to have next year and so I hestitate to make any guesses. But...

I'd like to see someone from outside the standard group of countries do well - ie, not from England, Spain, or Italy.

I'd be thrilled to see Stuttgart surprise people and make it fairly far into the tournament (and to think I picked them as my 'Bundesliga team to follow' because I thought their jerseys were pretty).

Maybe a Portuguese team? It'd be nice to see Benfica do well, but they'd be dark horses. So, sadly, would Lyon. I like watching 'em play, but they're terrible chokers when it comes to tournaments.

So right now, if I had to say who I wanted to win the CL next year, my response would be 'Anyone But Inter'.

You need too many players to contend. I know you got to the Final a few years back, but you've lost half of that team. Henry, Pires, Campbell, Cole, Bergkamp. All very important players to you, I think you need at least 4 or 5 top players to compete in either the CL or the EPL.

All these players are (with the addition of Gilberto..) the only experienced players Arsenal has. To reach (at least) the semi's, you need experience .. It is a lost dream if anyone thinks a young team can make the distance. Cuz it is experience that counts in the crucial moments

If there is a team (otehr than Milan..) that is gonna win the CL next year, it would be either Chelsea or Barca .. I have a strong feeling that it will be either of those three

I'm gonna say Milan, cuz by September you will see a dream-team line-up

When will the teams be seeded?
I can't wait to see the group stage draw

the draw for the group-stage is in 10 days if i'm not mistaken...

Sorry, but that's impossible right now, coz we don't even know which teams are going to be in the CL next year....remember that qualifying round Milan went through this season

End of August.

As we're not going to have 3rd-pre, we just have to wait and see.

owh yah, I forgot about that
preliminary rounds ...

maybe in 10 days there will be draw for the 1st and 2nd preliminary stage...

Fixing what ain't broken...why the hell are they doing this?

To protect the big names.

Do you think UEFA were happy with the Porto vs Monaco final? Not at all.

They're basically trying to fix it to make it almost impossible for sides like that to get through. By seeding it, they keep all the top sides apart, ensuring that they get the easiest possible routes to the QFs/SFs.

That's not entirely true. That final was one in a million... and it will happen again some time. Now by doing this, more "small" clubs will be able to get through the groups stages.

How does that work?

-The 'big' clubs will use their better players more often. - Meaning more wins.
-The 'big' clubs will win more games. - The 'small' clubs will lose more.

With the bigger teams almost being 'told' they have to put out a strong team for every game means the lesser sides stand even less chance of getting through. Now they pick up and odd win here and there because the big teams put our weakened sides. That will happen even less now.

UEFA have always done this to protect bigger teams. What happened to the good old knockout competition that was the European Cup?

-They let more than just the Champions of each league and holders enter. - So that if United, Juve and Co. didn't win the league, they could still be in it.
-Added a group stage. - If a big side lost a fluke one off game to a small team, then the small team just defended the second leg and got away with it, the bigger side would be out. Now you get 6 games, you can afford the odd loss now.

It's simple... I'll give you an example... under these rules, Milan would have fielded against Lille a proper squad and they would have to win to secure the best feed possible for the team. That means, Milan would have probably avoided that humiliating defeat inside the San Siro and Lille would have been left out of the next round, letting AEK through...

Lille>>>>AEK anyway, but similar things have happened with other teams... I remember Milan handing the last game to Real in 2003 when they would only get through with the 3 points... that was a passive game... I have no doubt it was a giveaway...

UEFA are trying to get more small team go through the groups stages... what happens after that is another issue but this means more chances for them!

Nine times out of ten, the group stage would go as follows.

This is an example remember.

Madrid: Played 6 - Won 6. (Beats everyone twice).
Lazio: Played 6 - Won 4. (Lose both ties to Madrid. Win the other 4 games).
Bordeaux: Played 6 - Won 2. (Beat Levski home and away, lose the other 4).
Levski Sofia: Played 6 - Won 0. (Lose all 6 games).

In theory that's what will happen if all teams were to put out their best 11 in all 6 games. Obviously some games will be drew and their may be the odd shock win.

Whereas in previous years Lazio may play a weakened side and Bordeax may snatch some points off them, opening it up for second place. That'll have less chance of happening now because Lazio will be at full strength.

Well....I guess if football was as predictable as you say no one would watch it

It was. Half of the first 11 that night were subs and we played loosely.

@Kurt: It's not like that most of the time, that's for sure. Check how often the big team has to be helped at the very last moment to go through!

I shall begin by discounting Real. Sacking Capello was so dreadful a mistake their incompetence I have just to laugh at. I remian a fan of Capello and in a way glad to see him go from Real as they are less of a threat now.
Chelsea must be gagging to win it. Squad to small last season. Formation questionable.
Manchester Utd will make a big tilt for it. Sir Alex is hell bent on winning that cup again before retiring.
Arsenal no chance. Liverpool can't be lucky again.

Barcelona. Prob got selection issues as they won't know which attackers to play. big egos bound to grate but they have a great shot, especially consdiering good old former Milan man Mr Rijkaard understands the importnce ofdefence and has looked to acquire accordingly lately.

No Dutch or German club have got a hope in hell I'm afraid to say. Frankly this is bad for football in general. The relative demise of the likes of Ajax, PSV, Dortmund and Bayern mean that many struggle to even make it to the group stages, notably Ajax last season.
Lyon just not good enough.

And so Italy.
I know I rubbished our chances this year and we went and bleeding won it, but I don't believe we can meet the challenge of being the first team to retain it. I feel a focus on Serie A wouldn't go a miss, and that means making a good start to the season for once.
Inter, mentally not capable I don't think.

Overall, Man Utd, Chelsea or Barca.

Transfers far from over I know but thats how I think its weighing up atm.

I agree with almost everything you said there, there's just one thing I don't, Inter.

They have serious fire-power and if the Chivu deal goes in their favour, a decent, experienced defense.

As with Costacurta I see no none English/Spanish/Italian side getting close.

United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Milan, Inter, Valencia, Real and Barca will be the quater-finalists (Draw dependant of course). With Inter, Chelsea, United and Barca as the final four. I pick Inter to go all the way. *Prepares for a beating*

If merda wins it, that's how you know the end of the world is coming...

Even though i hate to admit it, i think they're very desperate for the cup. After they won serie A they felt proud to be on top of italy. After we won cl, they go knocked down to 2nd and that reallly hurt there pride badly. I mean what is scudetto to Cl cup. Like SAF, Morrati will be hell bent on winning the cup. I just hope we can contend to semi's because this year it was kaka + luck that we won.

What else is new. They are desperate to win it for many years and spent ridiculous amounts in the past to achieve so. CL is for winners and merda just can't fit in

Concerning the german CL clubs, I think Stuttgart will be a good surprise. Not that they have a realistic chance to win the CL but I'm sure they'll surprise many football fans as they did it in the Bundesliga last season. They have one of the most talented strikers in Europe (Mario Gomez) and good playmaker in Yildiray Bastürk who already has a lot of CL experience. Hildebrands transfer will be a problem though. their new keeper just doesn't have his class.
Besides them there are the usual suspects of course. With their new I would Bayern give a chance to win the CL as well, but they'll have a nice time in the loser cup

Stuttgart have Der Hammer, they'll always have a chance.

It's not a loser Cup.

Hitzsperger, well he's been much better last season than he has been before. Didn't he play for Villa before he joined Stuttgart in '06? Well, he surely is THE Hammer

If Bayern plays the UEFA Cup it has to be a loser cup

He was a trainee at Bayern, told he wasn't good enough so we picked him up. He never scored a bad goal for us, all of 'em for 30 yard screamers.

What better way to treat the club that gave you a chance by telling them you'll re-sign in january with 6 months left on your deal, then deciding you want to leave on a free at the end of the season. I still like him, but he's about as welcome as any Blues player at Villa Park.

Good to see he's a regular in the NT now, and getting some success in Germany.

You guys are crazy. There's 1 month and 20 days to close the market and you're already saying "Onighted to win bla bla bla".

Let's just wait. 1st of September we're here to say who are the favourites.

Many things can change.

I don't think that saying that it'll be up to the usual suspects (Milan, Chelsea, Real etc..) to win the CL is crazy. It's basically up to the same teams to win the CL every year. I dunno which of these teams will be the favourite, but it's very likely that one those "usual suspects" will win.

I don't know about you guys .. But this CL has Milan's name written all over it

Arsenal V Sparta Prague, anyone else get the feeling of a shock?

Note For Arsenal Fan: It's just my opinion!

i hope adu gets a great CL experience with benfica!

It won't be easy to get in the first 11. At least for now. But we'll see.

what? benfica signed freddy adu?
how about Rui Costa, is he still there?

In all honesty...yes.
After last season I'm now scared sh*tless of underdogs.
Good thing Sheffield United was relegated...

Yep, Rui Costa is still at Benfica. He played the entire 90 minutes in a friendly yesterday (0-0 draw with Betis). Freddy will have someone veryvery good to learn from.

Lippi says Barca and Inter are the teams to watch in the CL

Lippi says alot of stuff...

Poor guy, he is going old...

Lippi said that Roma was going to knock United out last season.

Bunch of third round qualifiers underway today.

In the 26th minute, it's Lazio 0 - 1 Dinamo Bucharest. Each team has already made an injury sub (Cribari out, Kolarov in for Lazio).

In the 12th minute, Rangers and Red Star Belgrade are scoreless. Red Star has already picked up a yellow for a bad foul.