UEFA Champions League Update

The Knock Out Round is here!  Now the fun really begins.  This past week completed the first phase of the Champions League where the Field was reduced from 32 to 16. Now we get into the big boys and the win and go home phase of the tournament.

Lets take a closer look at the remaining teams.

Group winners

Group A:Manchester United (ENG)
Can play: Bayern, Juventus, Sevilla, Shakhtar, Porto, Real Madrid
Last season: Europa League winners
Previous European Cup best: winners x3 (1968, 1999, 2008)

Group B: Paris Saint Germain (FRA)
Can play: Basel, Chelsea, Juventus, Sevilla, Shakhtar, Porto, Real Madrid
Last season: round of 16
Previous European Cup best: semi-finals (1995)

Group C: Roma (ITA)
Can play: Basel, Bayern, Sevilla, Shakhtar, Porto, Real Madrid
Last season: UEFA Europa League round of 16
Previous European Cup best: runners-up (1984)

Group D: Barcelona  (ESP)
Can play: Basel, Bayern, Chelsea, Shakhtar, Porto
Last season: quarter-finals
Previous European Cup best: winners x 5 (1992, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015)

Group E: Liverpool (ENG)
Can play: Basel, Bayern, Juventus, Shakhtar, Porto, Real Madrid
Last season: N/A
Previous European Cup best: winners x5 (1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005)

Group F: Manchester City (ENG)
Can play: Basel, Bayern, Juventus, Sevilla, Porto, Real Madrid
Last season: round of 16
Previous European Cup best: semi-finals (2016)

Group G: Besiktas (TUR)
Can play: Basel, Bayern, Chelsea, Juventus, Sevilla, Shakhtar, Real Madrid
Last season: group stage
Previous European Cup best: quarter-finals (1987)

Group H: Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)
Can play: Basel, Bayern, Juventus, Sevilla, Shakhtar, Porto
Last season: group stage
Previous European Cup best: semi-finals (1962)

Group runners-up

Group A: Basel (SUI)
Can play: Paris, Roma, Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester City, Beşiktaş, Tottenham Hotspur
Last season: group stage
Previous European Cup best: quarter-finals (1974)

Group B: Bayern Munich (GER)
Can play: Manchester United, Roma, Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester City, Beşiktaş, Tottenham Hotspur
Last season: quarter-finals
Previous European Cup best: winners x 5 (1974, 1975, 1976, 2001, 2013)

Group C: Chelsea (ENG)
Can play: Paris, Barcelona, Beşiktaş
Last season: did not play in Europe
Previous European Cup best: winners x 1 (2012)

Group D: Juventus (ITA)
Can play: Manchester United, Paris, Liverpool, Manchester City, Beşiktaş, Tottenham Hotspur
Last season: runners-up
Previous European Cup best: winners x 2 (1995, 1996)

Group E: Sevilla (ESP)
Can play: Manchester United, Paris, Roma, Manchester City, Beşiktaş, Tottenham Hotspur
Last season: round of 16
Previous European Cup best: quarter-finals (1958)

Group F: Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
Can play: Manchester United, Paris, Roma, Barcelona, Liverpool, Beşiktaş, Tottenham Hotspur
Last season: third qualifying round
Previous European Cup best: quarter-finals (2011)

Group G: Porto (POR)
Can play: Manchester United, Paris, Roma, Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur
Last season: round of 16
Previous European Cup best: winners x 2 (1987, 2004)

Group H: Real Madrid (ESP)
Can play: Manchester United, Paris, Roma, Liverpool, Manchester City, Beşiktaş
Last season: winners
Previous European Cup best: winners x 12 (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2017)

Next Round Draw. Monday, December 11th is the draw for the Round of 16.  It is pretty complicated as it is not a straight draw.  They try to avoid teams playing against teams from their own league.  So…Chelsea can’t play the other 4 teams from the English Premier League.  Here is the deal…all the teams remaining are good, so the goal is to try to avoid Real Madrid, the current top team in UEFA.

Fun Facts.  This is the first time ever that 5 teams from the English Premier League have made it to the Round of 16.

How About Some Highlights

Top Goals All Time Champions League.

 Top Goals from 2016/2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fb0g6J1fEs

I love these videos.  The quality of the goals, the incredible skills required, the creativity….it is really amazing to watch.  How can they do that!

Last video….just because.  If you are a new soccer fan, you will really appreciate this video!  If you are a long time soccer fan…you will also really appreciate this!  What would happen if an NFL head coach took over an English Soccer team.  Well…here is one interpretation.

 

English Premier League updates coming soon along with the match ups in Champions League after the Monday draw.

 

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