Champions League 2016/17: Playoff Round - Steaua Bucharest

[Eds]

Didn't realise they'd dropped the pairings - that's a good thing.

Are you sure the pairings have been dropped

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Are you sure the pairings have been dropped

I was going to ask the same question.

 

[mancitymick]

Rostov flights over £600 with 2 changes. No thanks

 

[BlueAnorak]

I was going to ask the same question.

For the draw yes - for match scheduling after the draw no.but it's pretty much irrelevant as there is only one live broadcaster.
Instead of going for the biggest match each week (as sky used to) they seemingly want two big matches on PPV and the other two shown on the free to air BT Sports advert channel.
Thar said it could get even more barmy if Celtic and ourselves both qualify.

 

[BlueAnorak]

It used to be heavily rigged against the lowest seeded team, but from last season they removed the TV pairs and added automatic pot 1 deployment for the champions. TV now helps decide the match running order rather than rigging the draw itself.

It's a major improvement (IF WE GET THROUGH THE QUALIFYING ROUND) this year as we will not be one of 3 pot 2 teams - just Us & Arsenal.
We got a relatively bad draw last year but only because we were the last english team drawn from pot 2.
If we come out first there will be 1 of 7 groups to be in, 2nd 1 of 6 rather than the 1 in 5 we got last year

When it's 1 in 5 there is a high chance of getting One of Barca, Real or Bayern.We missed them last year but got a choice of two groups but were automatically forced into the Juventus group because the remaining pot 2 team came from the same country as the pot 1 team in the other remaining group. By being last out of the pot we got hit twice by the "1 team from each country in the same group" rule.

 

[DClarkMiamiU]

in Pep we trust.
it'll be fine.

 

[Corky]

in Pep we trust.
it'll be fine.

He isn't organising the draw is he? We will definitely qualify for the group stage, just not sure which competition yet. We may by a few more players who fit the bill, £30M who are injured or won't play until next year.

 

[makinghistory]

Dont mind anyone but Wigan.

 

[aguerrrroooooooooooo]

I'm nervous as hell lads

 

[lloydy]

Al be OK... what's happening Thursday's? Nothing at etihad...