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For the Premier League, the respective managers of Brighton, Newcastle and Chelsea are first in the hotseat as they regale us with tales of team news, current form and opposition strengths. Then after lunch Pep, Mikel, Ruben and Ange are put under the spotlight.
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That Champions League draw in Nyon takes place at 11am UK time. I’ve just read the ‘procedure’ on the UEFA website and it’s all a bit Partridge 1994 World Cup. It takes in the last 16, quarters and semis and apparently by the end of it we’ll even know the designated home team in the final. “Gooooaallll”.
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Important Events
So, if I have this right, we cannot have all English finals. Anyway, I never feel that's right. Liverpool v Spurs were Shockers.
And it doesn't stop there. And now I'm ordering the ones that are far from home for the semi-finals.
Semi-final 1:
PSV/Arsenal/Real Madrid/Atletico Madrid v PSG/Liverpool/Bruges/Aston Villa
Semi-final 2:
Benfica/Barcelona/Dortmund/Lille v Bayern/Leverkusen/Feyenoord/Inter
And now there's a draw in the quarter-finals. The duo on the left will play their first leg at home.
PSG/Liverpool v Bruges/Aston Villa
PSV/Arsenal v Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid
Benfica/Barcelona v Dortmund/Lille
Bayern/Leverkusen v Feyenoord/Inter
The other is another coker. A tough draw on the side of Arne Slot
PSG V Liverpool
Benfica v Barcelona
That's the opposite of the Netherlands for gunners.
Arsenal v PSV
Feyenoord v inter
Next, oof!!! Derby Double!!
Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid
Bayern Munich v Leberkusen
Now let's go. The ball is swirling.
The first team is the Villa.
Aston Villa v Bruge
Lille v Dortmund
“I hope the procedure is clear.” Deadpan UEFA Deputy General Secretary Giorgio Marchetti.
The video explains how drawing works. I was confused in 8 seconds. It will happen soon.
Nyon's live scene shows some of the men in suits looking at soccer highlights. Special guest is Giovan Elber, former Bayern Champions League winner. He looks particularly clever.
More Champions League drips emails. A building of excitement.
Derek Duffy wrote: “Hello David. I haven't sent you any questions so please don't answer them.”
There is no problem.
Pedro Note: “The top eight league phases ordered in alphabetical order indicates that all teams fall into the first half of the alphabet. We're calling a plot here.”
At least the last 16 opponents are now possible. So for Premier League teams, you have either of these or scenarios.
Arsenal – Feinor or PSV
Aston Villa – Club Bruges or Dortmund
Liverpool – Benfica or PSG
Good sadness. There were some real emails.
Practical from Jason: “How quickly can you know the fixture date? You need to book a flight to Liverpool away game, but you need to know if the fire and water match. Prices are in front of the rocket You need fast fingers!”
And the real dose from the v of Krishnamoll: “Don't worry about the lack of emails. Our loyal people will never disappoint you. I know Real Madrid will win anyway, but I will be bothering this draw and the next three months. Why?”
No questions have been put forward yet. Marilyn of Keswick: “How does 16 rounds work?”
Marilyn, I have no idea. It's just a waffle. So I'll paste the official advert from UEFA. Shrugging the picture.
The clubs are paired based on positions at the end of the league phase, forming four seed pairs (clubs with positions 1 and 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8).
Each seed pair club will be drawn into one of two positions in 16 rounds against the relevant winners of the Knockout Phase Playoffs.
Four bowls are available for draws, and the ball contains the name of each pair of seed teams placed in the corresponding marked bowl, according to the league rankings.
The draw assigns sides of the brackets of all seeded teams and finishes with 1/2 teams from teams ranked 7/8.
One ball is taken from a bowl containing two relevant ranked teams (i.e. teams ranked 7 and 8) and is open to display the team. The first team drawn from this bowl will be placed in the reserved spot on the silver side of the bracket (see bracket graphics below). The other seeded teams of the pairing are then drawn and displayed and assigned to the corresponding reserved spot on the blue side of the bracket (see below).
The same procedure is carried out on the remaining seed teams.
As a rule, seeded clubs will play return legs at home.
Carlisle's Ron is out of touch: “Can teams from the same country face each other in the 16th, quarter-final and semi-finals?”
Yes Ron. And get this, teams can even play against other teams they play in the league stage.
Bob from Plymouth: “Hello Dave, when will the Championsley Ground be held in 16 times, the quarterfinals and semifinals?”
This is the date, B-dog.
Rounds of 16: March 4/5 & 11/12
Quarterfinals: April 8th and 15/16 April
Semi-finals: May 29th and May 6th
final: May 31st (Munich)
Have a question about the Champions League draw? Using a set of fictional people that are not written, I answer your imaginary questions.
Bridgend's Terry wrote: “Hello Dave, you look good. Tell us the top eight in the league in alphabetical order. And follow the winners of the unseeded playoffs.
There are no Tezzer issues.
League Phase Top 8
Arsenal (England)
Aston Villa (England)
Atletico Madrid (Spain)
Barcelona (Spain)
Intel (Italy)
Leberkusen (Germany)
Lille (France)
Liverpool (England)
Playoff winners
Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
Bayern Munchen (Germany)
Benfica (Portugal)
Club Bruges (Belgium)
Feyenord (Netherlands)
Paris (France)
PSV (Netherlands)
Real Madrid (Spain)
Let's start by setting up a scene for the weekend Premier League action. Tonight starts with Brentford's trip to Leicester, so don't forget to bring Brian Mbeumo back to his fantasy team.
Friday
8pm Leicester v Brentford
Saturday
12:30pm Everton v Man Utd
3pm Arsenal v West Ham
3pm Bournemouth V Wolf
3pm Flam v Crystal Palace
3pm Ipswich v Spurs
3pm Southampton v Brighton
5:30pm Aston Villa v Chelsea
Sunday
2pm Newcastle v Nottingham Forest
4:30pm Man City v Liverpool
preamble
This is a fun double dose of grey grey (looking out the window) on a Friday morning. Yes, we have the usual build-up of weekend Premier League action, but we also have a draw in the Champions League knockout phase. This is a sight that does not feature Manchester City after Pep Guardiola's men have been cleaned up by Real Madrid.
In the Premier League, managers from Brighton, Newcastle and Chelsea are first on the hot seat as they play us with team news, current formats and opposition strengths. After that, Mikel, Reuben and Angi get in the spotlight after lunch.
The Champions League draw at Nyon will take place at 11am in the UK. I just read “Step-by” on the UEFA website and it was the 1994 World Cup. The final 16 quarters and semi-finals will even know the home teams designated in the final by the obvious end. “goooaallll.”
