Champions League, Europa League & Europa Vauxhall Conference League 25/26

[genome]

The enigma that is Tottenham:

17th in the Premier League home table
2nd in the Premier League away table

2nd in the Champions League home table
28th in the Champions League away table

Worth noting that Spurs qualified directly to the last 16 - they did this with 4 of their wins coming against sides who failed to make the next round - FCK (31st), Eintracht (33), Slavia Prague (34), Villarreal (35) - the other Dortmund (17) and 2 draws against Monaco (21) and Bodo/Glimt (23). Their one loss was to PSG (11).

Just in comparison as I know their games best - Eintracht finished 33rd having played the sides who finished 3rd (L), 4th (L), 5th (L), 14th (L), 15th (L), 20th (w), 22nd, 30th (d)

So one could say Spurs got a very favourable draw in terms of how their opponents performed.

Quite, although Spurs played West Ham, Burnley, Sunderland, Brentford and Bournemouth in recent weeks and did not win a match

[Winston Biscuit]

English clubs also have an advantage in the group stage over every other nation and that is that they dont get to play against any English clubs.

So the worst English team got to avoid 5 of the very best other clubs in the tournament

[Sutekh]

English clubs also have an advantage in the group stage over every other nation and that is that they dont get to play against any English clubs.

So the worst English team got to avoid 5 of the very best other clubs in the tournament

Why is that rule a thing? Why can’t English sides play each other or us get to watch RM v Barca?

[Stranded]

English clubs also have an advantage in the group stage over every other nation and that is that they dont get to play against any English clubs.

So the worst English team got to avoid 5 of the very best other clubs in the tournament

Why is that rule a thing? Why can’t English sides play each other or us get to watch RM v Barca?

Yeah I don't really understand why it's still a rule - I guess to maximise more "interesting" fixtures early on i.e. Man City v Real is seen as more appealing than Man City v Arsenal but come the knockout stages you can't force it as much.

Personally, I would love it to be a "free" draw, so you still face 2 teams from each pot but they could be from your league - if you need to minimise it somehow allow a maximum of 1 opponent from the same division.

[Winston Biscuit]

Newcastle Vs Qarabag
Benfica Vs Real Madrid
Monaco Vs PSG
Brugge Vs Atletico
Galatarasay Vs Juventus
Dortmund Vs Atalanta
Bodo/Glimt Vs Inter Milan
Olympiakos Vs Leverkusen

Round of 16:
Chelsea to play the winner of Monaco Vs PSG or the winner of Qarabag Vs Newcastle
Liverpool to play the winner of Juventus Vs Galatasaray or the winner of Brugge Vs Atletico
Spurs to play the winner of Juventus Vs Galatasaray or the winner of Brugge Vs Atletico
Arsenal to play the winner of Dortmund Vs Atalanta or the winner of Olympiakos Vs Leverkusen
Man City to play the winner of Bodo/Glimt Vs Inter or the winner of Benfica Vs Real Madrid
Newcastle to play Chelsea or Barcelona (if they get through their play off)

[Sutekh]

Newcastle Vs Qarabag
Benfica Vs Real Madrid
Monaco Vs PSG
Brugge Vs Atletico
Galatarasay Vs Juventus
Dortmund Vs Atalanta
Bodo/Glimt Vs Inter Milan
Olympiakos Vs Leverkusen

Round of 16:
Chelsea to play the winner of Monaco Vs PSG or the winner of Qarabag Vs Newcastle
Liverpool to play the winner of Juventus Vs Galatasaray or the winner of Brugge Vs Atletico
Spurs to play the winner of Juventus Vs Galatasaray or the winner of Brugge Vs Atletico
Arsenal to play the winner of Dortmund Vs Atalanta or the winner of Olympiakos Vs Leverkusen
Man City to play the winner of Bodo/Glimt Vs Inter or the winner of Benfica Vs Real Madrid
Newcastle to play Chelsea or Barcelona (if they get through their play off)

How do they decide which po winner goes where in the round of 16?

[Winston Biscuit]

Newcastle Vs Qarabag
Benfica Vs Real Madrid
Monaco Vs PSG
Brugge Vs Atletico
Galatarasay Vs Juventus
Dortmund Vs Atalanta
Bodo/Glimt Vs Inter Milan
Olympiakos Vs Leverkusen

Round of 16:
Chelsea to play the winner of Monaco Vs PSG or the winner of Qarabag Vs Newcastle
Liverpool to play the winner of Juventus Vs Galatasaray or the winner of Brugge Vs Atletico
Spurs to play the winner of Juventus Vs Galatasaray or the winner of Brugge Vs Atletico
Arsenal to play the winner of Dortmund Vs Atalanta or the winner of Olympiakos Vs Leverkusen
Man City to play the winner of Bodo/Glimt Vs Inter or the winner of Benfica Vs Real Madrid
Newcastle to play Chelsea or Barcelona (if they get through their play off)

How do they decide which po winner goes where in the round of 16?

I make the assumption another draw will be made after the play offs, but honestly I just couldn't even be arsed to read up on it

[Sutekh]

Newcastle Vs Qarabag
Benfica Vs Real Madrid
Monaco Vs PSG
Brugge Vs Atletico
Galatarasay Vs Juventus
Dortmund Vs Atalanta
Bodo/Glimt Vs Inter Milan
Olympiakos Vs Leverkusen

Round of 16:
Chelsea to play the winner of Monaco Vs PSG or the winner of Qarabag Vs Newcastle
Liverpool to play the winner of Juventus Vs Galatasaray or the winner of Brugge Vs Atletico
Spurs to play the winner of Juventus Vs Galatasaray or the winner of Brugge Vs Atletico
Arsenal to play the winner of Dortmund Vs Atalanta or the winner of Olympiakos Vs Leverkusen
Man City to play the winner of Bodo/Glimt Vs Inter or the winner of Benfica Vs Real Madrid
Newcastle to play Chelsea or Barcelona (if they get through their play off)

How do they decide which po winner goes where in the round of 16?

I make the assumption another draw will be made after the play offs, but honestly I just couldn't even be arsed to read up on it

Jobs for the boys

[Winston Biscuit]

Prize money paid out for participating in UEFA competitions for the 24/25 season

€117M - Arsenal
€98.1M - Liverpool
€83.7M - Villa
€76.2M - Man City
€46.2M - Celtic
€41.4M - Spurs
€36.4M - Man Utd
€21.8M - Chelsea
€20.7M - Rangers
€5.7M - Hearts

[South Coast Royal]

Bloke from my local shop is an avid Galatasaray fan and was smiling from ear to ear (as they say) this morning.
It may well have been Juventus' biggest loss in European competitions.

Next up for them if they get through will probably be Spurs or Liverpool.
Although they have already beaten Liverpool once this season my man doesn't fancy playing Liverpool over 2 legs but Spurs.........

[Sanguine]

Take a long bow, Bodø/Glimt. What an incredible result. To beat Inter in the first leg was incredible. To then win in Italy too is something else entirely.

Wonder what 'route' Liverpool and Spurs would prefer - R16 opponents will be either Atletico, with a QF against Newcastle, Chelsea or Barcelona; or likely Galatasaray, but with a QF against PSG, assuming the champions get past Monaco.

[Sutekh]

Play off teams through so far:

Atletico
Glimt
Newcastle
Leverkusen

Most likely to be joined by:

Galatasaray (5-2 lead over Juve)
PSG (3-2 lead on Monaco with home leg to come)
Real Madrid (1-0 lead over Benfica and home leg to come)
Dortmund (2-0 lead over Atalanta, away leg next)

My guess is Liverpool & Spurs would both prefer Galatasaray or Juventus to Atletico Madrid
Arsenal presumably would want Atalanta, then Leverkusen
City will obviously prefer Glimt over Real
And Chelsea would prefer to be lumbered with Newcastle rather than PSG

Draw on Friday.

[Winston Biscuit]

[Sutekh]

Chelsea, Liverpool & City have the harder side of the draw

Arsenal appear to have the easiest route through to the SFs for any of the English teams.

Expecting the final 4 to be PSG, Bayern, Arsenal & Barcelona.

Think ‘I’ll go for Barca to win the CL overall though.

[Winston Biscuit]

Barca are my tip to win too. They seem to have gone under the radar for the last couple of years as everyone is so focused on what a financial basket case they are, but Flick has done a sensational job there. current La Liga champions (more than 100 goals last season) and currently top again.