Source: Team_Talk
British quintet learn CL opponents
Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Spurs and Rangers on Thursday discovered who they will face in the 2010-11 Champions League group stage.[LNB] United and SPL champions Rangers were drawn together in Group C of the Champions League at today's draw in Monaco.[LNB]That means a return to Glasgow for Red Devils boss and Govan native Sir Alex Ferguson, while Gers boss Walter Smith will be making a return to Old Trafford, having briefly worked as Ferguson's assistant prior to his stint in charge of Scotland.[LNB]Spanish side Valencia and Turkey's Bursaspor make up the group.[LNB]United and Rangers were drawn together at the same stage in 2003-04 with United winning 3-0 at home and 1-0 at Ibrox.[LNB]Harry Redknapp's Tottenham, who secured their first appearance in the Champions League group stage with yesterday's 4-0 win over Young Boys, were rewarded with a place in Group A alongside Italian holders Inter Milan, Germany's Werder Bremen and Steve McClaren's former club FC Twente.[LNB]Chelsea, among the top seeds, were matched with France's Marseille, Russia's Spartak Moscow and Slovakia's MSK Zilina in Group F.[LNB]Arsenal, meanwhile, appear to have the most straightforward assignment after drawing Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga of Portugal and Serbian outfit Partizan Belgrade in Group H.[LNB]All five British sides will have been glad to avoid Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid, who were in the second pot for the draw.[LNB]They were instead drawn in an exciting-looking Group G alongside AC Milan, Ajax and Auxerre.[LNB]Lyon are top seeds in Group B where they will meet Benfica, Schalke and Hapoel Tel-Aviv, while Barcelona have a chance to overturn last year's shock home defeat against Russia's Rubin Kazan in Group D. Panathinaikos and FC Copenhagen make up that four.[LNB]Group E includes Bayern Munich, Roma, FC Basel and CFR Cluj.[LNB]This year's final will take place at Wembley.[LNB]Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis said: "There is a real incentive for all English clubs, especially the London clubs.[LNB]"It's would be fantastic to play in the final in London and I know Spurs and Chelsea will feel the same way. There will probably be a mini competition within a competition there."[LNB]When asked whether English sides might re-establish the dominance they had been showing on the European stage until last year's lesser showing in the final stages, he was equivocal.[LNB]"There are so many good teams in Europe. It was probably an aberration when we had three (English clubs) in the semi-final. It's probably more usual to have a more international competition.[LNB]"Looking at the calibre of some of the other European sides, it's going to be very tough.[LNB]"We probably won't see the days of three (English) teams in the semis again this year."[LNB]Manchester United chief executive David Gill said: "There is the Rangers connection, we played them back in 2003/04 and Alex (Ferguson) and Walter Smith go back a long way.[LNB]"It will be a great atmosphere at Old Trafford and I remember when we played up there in 2003 and Phil Neville scored a fairly rare goal. It will be a great occasion, I've spoken to Sir Alex and he's looking forward to it."[LNB]On the Red Devils' other opponents, he added: "Valencia had a good season last season. We last played them in 2000, we've had five games against them and going out to Spain is always nice.[LNB]"You can talk yourself into (Bursaspor) seeming a long trip. That is the beauty of the competition, there are new teams again.[LNB]"We're looking forward to progressing to the knock-out stages."[LNB]Gill played down the draw of the final being staged at Wembley, saying "As you get nearer, the players would love to get to that but wherever the final is played it is a great occasion, it is always going to be a five-star stadium and moving it to a Saturday has enhanced the competition."[LNB]Spurs club secretary Darren Eales said: "They say there are no easy games and it's certainly true of the group we've got.[LNB]"But in the game against Young Boys we had a wonderful atmosphere. Night games in Europe at White Hart Lane...we could be matches for anyone. We could be one of the teams people were fearful to draw.[LNB]"We're certainly not looking too far ahead, we're just looking to give a good account of ourselves and we're looking at getting into the knockout stage first, that's our first aim."[LNB]Chelsea director and club secretary David Barnard told Sky Sports News: "We've got to be fairly happy with that.[LNB]"Since Wembley opened we've been there eight times now. You like to play a final on foreign soil, obvsiously for our supporters and the occasion, but you never know, Wembley is a lucky omen for us and may well be this year."[LNB]And Rangers Supporters Trust chairman Stephen Smith has moved quickly to quash any possible talk of a travelling ban on Light Blues fans for the Champions League clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford.[LNB]There was no fan trouble at Old Trafford when the Red Devils met Rangers at the same stage in 2003-04 with Ferguson's side winning 3-0 at home, following a 1-0 win at Ibrox.[LNB]However, the 2008 UEFA Cup final in Manchester between Rangers and Zenit St Petersburg, which the Govan side lost 2-0, was marred by the behaviour of some Ibrox fans in the city centre before, during and after the game.[LNB]But Smith put up a robust defence of his fellow supporters, saying: "People will make a lot of the fact that we are going back to Manchester but I don't see any reason at all why Rangers fans shouldn't be allowed to go because of the over-hyped bother in 2008.[LNB]"There were around 200,000 Rangers fans in Manchester for the final and only a tiny, tiny amount, a tiny fraction, were involved in trouble.[LNB]"The fans who go this time will be legitimate Rangers fans who are members of the travel club.[LNB]"I was down at Old Trafford when we played Manchester United in the Champions League and there was no trouble.[LNB]"What I do hope for is better policing for the game at Ibrox.[LNB]"The last time United fans came up here they were allowed to run riot down Paisley Road West."[LNB]"Any group would have been difficult," Smith added. "It will be extraordinarily difficult to get a result against United. Valencia will be a good side and Turkey is always a difficult place to go.[LNB]"I think even the most optimistic Rangers fans would expect us to finish no better than third.[LNB]"But as long as we give a good account of ourselves and do better than the two points we got in the group stages last season."[LNB]Full Champions League group stage draw:[LNB]Group A: Inter Milan, Werder Bremen, TOTTENHAM, FC Twente.[LNB]Group B: Lyon, Benfica, Schalke, Hapoel Tel-Aviv.[LNB]Group C: MANCHESTER UTD, Valencia, RANGERS, Bursaspor.[LNB]Group D: Barcelona, Panathinaikos, FC Copenhagen, Rubin Kazan.[LNB]Group E: Bayern Munich, Roma, FC Basel, CFR Cluj.[LNB]Group F: CHELSEA, Marseille, Spartak Moscow, MSK Zilina.[LNB]Group G: AC Milan, Real Madrid, Ajax, Auxerre.[LNB]Group H: ARSENAL, Shakhtar Donetsk, SC Braga, FK Partisan.
