[retired_noramae]

According to UEFA.com, Zigic is going to join Valencia for €20m http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/news/kind=1/newsid...id=rssfeed&att=index

[retired_shaneargy]

Originally posted by ghostwriter:
<BLOCKQUOTE>Originally posted by Qolumbo:
UEFA's ranking system is horrible. IIRC you can actually get more points from the UEFA cup than the CL.

the fact that romania got more ranking points than any other country in 05-06 is a little strange, yeah. </BLOCKQUOTE>

No, they didn't get more ranking points than all other countries but because the accumulated points are divided by numbers of teams in Europe they got the highest average. I think ALL Romanian teams in Europe that year reached last 16 in the UEFA Cup.

[retired_anneduck]

Yes, and now Romania have 5 teams in Europe so their total point are divided by five instead of 3. That year rapid made the quarters, Steaua the semis, and Dinamo the group stage after easily beating Everton

[retired_anneduck]

The third and final QR for the group stage is confirmed and starts in a few days time, there could be anywhere from 3 to 13 teams from Eastern Europe represented in the group stage (CSKA Moscow are already there)

Teams I think will win are:

2007/08 UEFA Champions League
Third qualifying round draw
First leg: 14/15 August
Second leg: 28/29 August

FC BATE Borisov (BLR) v FC Steaua Bucuresti (ROU)
Tampere United (FIN) v Rosenborg BK (NOR)
FC Spartak Moskva (RUS) v Celtic FC (SCO)
Werder Bremen (GER) v NK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
FC Salzburg (AUT) v FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
AFC Ajax (NED) v SK Slavia Praha (CZE)
Valencia CF (ESP) v IF Elfsborg (SWE)
FK Sarajevo (BIH) v FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)
Fenerbahçe SK (TUR) v RSC Anderlecht (BEL)
Rangers FC (SCO) v FK Crvena Zvezda (SRB)
Toulouse FC (FRA) v Liverpool FC (ENG)
SL Benfica (POR) v FC København (DEN)
S.S. Lazio (ITA) v FC Dinamo 1948 Bucuresti (ROU)
AC Sparta Praha (CZE) v Arsenal FC (ENG)
FC Zürich (SUI) v Beşiktaş JK (TUR)
Sevilla FC (ESP) v AEK Athens FC (GRE)


So I expect we'll have 7 Eastern European teams in the competition proper this season, CSKA Moscow, Steaua Bucharest, Spartak Moscow, Shakhtar Donestk, Dynamo Kiev, Fenerbahce and Besiktas. Plus maybe one or two upsets (Lazio?)

[retired_hbjohns]

Hi all,

How good is Luka Modric?

thx xx

[retired_anneduck]

Modric is excellent, but Dinamo won't be selling again until January at the earliest after Corluka and Eduardo went. According to the Dinamo president (who is known to exaggerate), they recently rejected a 20m euro offer from Shakhtar for Modric

[retired_hbjohns]

Someone said that we (Arsenal) have a first option clause on Modric. I think it was the Dinamo chairman and that we had bid £12million

[retired_anneduck]

It's heavily rumoured that he'll be moving to Arsenal in the January transfer window for around that money yes. Would be a good buy for Arsenal, although i'm not sure that more attacking midfielders are what Arsenal need at the moment

[retired_prettygirl9156]

Cracking idea for a thread this :thup:

Spartak Moscow and Dinamo Zagreb are the two sides I look out for in the East of Europe, and have also been to UEFA games in Tallinn and Borisov

and ofc any away trip to see Vladivostok play in Europe should be via Moscow and the Trans Siberian Railway

Might do that actually :cool:

[retired_anneduck]

Via the Trans-Siberian Railway is the proper way to do it :thup:

Half of the West Russian teams that turn up in Vladivostok have jet lag, which explains Luch's great home record, shame they just missed out on Europe last year, they'd be unbeatable at home

Speaking of Spartak, their game against Celtic next week is really intriguing , hope its on TV somewhere, the Ruskies to sneak the tie overall