Countdown to Nyon

As Europe’s elite countdown to the draw for the knockout stage of the Champions league in Nyon tomorrow, I take a look at who made it to the last sixteen and how.

Group A, considered a possible group of death, proved to be too difficult for European power houses, Juventus and Bayern Munich. French champions Bordeaux surprised many as they demonstrated themselves to be the groups surprise package and possible dark horses. Les Girondins qualified at a canter – claiming the most points (16) in the group stages, beating Italy’s old lady and the German 4 time winners in the process and only dropping two points in their six matches. Juventus and Munich struggled in the group leaving it to the final group game between the pair for one to ensure making it to the last sixteen. Munich travelled to Turin and thumped the bianconeri 4-1 with Munich keeper Hans Jorg Butt scoring a penalty, helping the Germans to advance through.

Manchester united began European life without superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo in a tough looking Group B which presented them with all new European opponents. Containing German and Turkish Champions, Wolfsburg and Besiktas along with 2005 Uefa cup winners Cska Moscow; United started comfortably winning their first three games, including tough trips to Moscow and Turkey. The English champions struggled thereon in drawing and losing their next two games leaving their last game, away to Wolfsburg, to determine whether they finished first or second in the group. A Michael Owen Hat trick sealed top spot and ended the Germans hopes of progressing as Cska beat Besiktas to claim second spot.

All eyes were on Group C as the two most successful teams in the competition, Real Madrid and AC Milan, were pitted against each other along with Swiss minnows, FC Zurich and French club, Marseille. The newly formed Galatico’s, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, stated their intentions with a strong 5-2 victory away to FC Zurich but the Swiss team turned heads and odds with a 1-0 win away to Milan to blow the group wide open. Milan then caused a huge upset of their own by beating Madrid 3-2 in the Bernabeu followed by a pulsating 3-3 draw in the San Siro to state their own credentials as possible champions. As expected, competition top scorers so far this season, Madrid finished as group winners with Milan claiming Second spot ahead of Marseille.

There were no surprises in Group D as Chelsea proved to be the best of the rest. The Blues overcame tricky Spanish and Portuguese tests in the form of Athletico Madrid and Porto but passed with flying colours. Carlo Ancelotti’s men did not lose a game as they eased their way to group winners also becoming the first English team to win a group game in Porto. Spanish side, Madrid were largely disappointing in the competition after a lot was expected of their exciting attacking talent. 2004 winners, Porto earned the tag of dark horses after breezing to second place. After losing Lucho and Lisandro, the Portuguese champions impressed many with their clinical style of play and are a team to be feared in the draw.

Group E provided the biggest shock in the competition as five time winners, Liverpool, failed to reach the knockout stages. After beating Debrecen in their opening game things started to go terribly wrong after that starting with a surprise defeats to Fiorentina and Lyon putting those two teams in the ascendancy. A late Lyon goal conceded by Benitez’s men in France all but sealed their fate paving the way for Fiorentina and Lyon to progress as group champions and runners up respectively. Liverpool will now be drawn into the Europa league.

Last year’s champions Barcelona were given no easy path to qualification as they were pitted with Italian Champions, Inter Milan, Russian champions, Rubin Kazan and Ukrainian champions, Dynamo Kiev. The group, nicknamed the group of champions, proved to be very difficult for the Catalans as it looked at one point they could face elimination after losing to Kazan at home in one of the shocks of the tournament. Pep Guardiola’s men finished strongly to secure a place in the last 16 with the added bonus of finishing top. Mourinho’s, inter, struggled to begin drawing their first three games but just scraped through winning their last game to secure second spot.

Group H was more of a formality than a challenge for Spanish club Sevilla as they breezed through a group including Scottish club, Rangers, German team, Stuttgart and Romanian outfit, Unirea. The Spaniards won their first three games comfortably with the stand out match a 4-1 victory away at a hostile Ibrox, booking their place in the knockout stages. The battle for second place went right down to the wire between Unirea and Stuttgart with the 2007 Bundesliga champions coming out on top with a 3-1 victory of former Chelsea player, Dan Petrescu’s, team.

Arsenal probably had the easiest group out of all the English teams with Standard Liege, AZ Alkmaar and Olympiacos as their competition and the gunners took full advantage in Group G. After a scare in the opening match against Standard going 2-0 down, Wengers men came back to win the match 3-2 and never looked back from their winning four and drawing one to top the group. Greek champions, Olympiacos, finished second in the group creating history at the same time. Liege finished third and qualified for the Europa league no thanks to their keeper, Sinan Bolat. Bolat headed a late equaliser to ensure his team will still be playing European football and confirmed his name in the history books as he became the first keeper to score in open play in the Champions league.