Chapter 289 The Evil Champions Cup Draw

August 25, Montolivo, Monaco.

Ferguson left the training to Queiroz, but he came here. This season’s Champions League qualifying rounds ended yesterday, and today is the day for the group stage draw.

In the lottery hall, Ferguson saw many familiar people.

Wenger just passed by him and did not say hello to him, but ignored him as if he was nothing.

This is not surprising, after all, the relationship between the two people in the Premier League has been too tense in the past two years, and both sides want to eat each other...

However, when Mourinho saw him, he still greeted him very friendly. No matter how arrogant Mourinho was in England, Ferguson was his elder, and Mourinho would not be so arrogant. To the point of respect.

The top three coaches of the Premier League are all here, but the defending champion Liverpool coach Benitez has gone to the other side. As a former La Liga coach, Benitez still likes to sit with the Spaniard...

The Spaniard next to him is no ordinary person, but Florentino, the chairman of Real Madrid in La Liga. The current Real Madrid coach sitting next to him, the Brazilian Luxenberg, had an extremely ugly face, but Benitez's chin was still raised high.

He seemed to be telling Luxenberg, I am the European champion, you are nothing, I am still from Real Madrid, so what if you are the head coach of Real Madrid? One day, I will join Real Madrid...

However, Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti gave Ferguson a warm hug when he saw him. Perhaps this is what we call being opponents on the court and friends off the court, and they are true friends...

"Hey, man, there are only a few days left before the transfer deadline. I want to talk to you about the Chinese directors." Ancelotti asked in Ferguson's ear during the hug.

Ferguson's face froze for a moment, but fortunately his body did not tremble...

"Are you interested in Dong?"

Ferguson let go of his arms and looked at Ancelotti with some disbelief.

"Haha, I'm kidding you. It seems you really care about Dong."

"Haha... No, no, no, actually I want to trade Dong with you for Kaka. What do you think of this deal?"

"Ha, Sir, you are so good at joking..."

Both of them burst out laughing in the end,

There was a bit of humor on both sides. It is impossible for Ferguson to sell Dong Fangzhuo to Milan, and it is impossible for Ancelotti to give Kaká to Manchester United...

※※※※

At 16:00 local time in Monaco, the 2005-06 Champions League group stage draw ceremony was held in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

A total of 32 teams entered the group stage this time, and the 32 teams were divided into eight groups.

Among them, the top seven teams in the Champions League points will be the seeded teams, and the defending champion Liverpool will automatically become the seeded team.

According to UEFA's club points system, Porto and the top 7 points are seeded, and the other 24 teams are divided into three tiers. During the draw, one team will be drawn from each pot to form a group, with a total of 8 groups, provided that teams from the same league are in different groups.

Although the defending champion Liverpool is listed as a seed team, it does not enjoy the treatment of "avoidance from the same league" because it is specially approved to participate, so it is possible to meet Chelsea, who is in the second tier. The two teams met 4 times in 3 events last season. In the Champions League semi-finals, Liverpool eliminated the Blues with a total score of 1-0.

If we really want to win this time, the fate between the two teams will be too strong.

The specific classification of the 32 teams is:

Pot One: Real Madrid, AC Milan, Barcelona, ​​Liverpool, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Bayern, Arsenal.

Pot 2: Porto, Juventus, PSV, Lyon, Panathinaikos, Chelsea, Villarreal, Ajax.

Pot 3: Club Brugge, Anderlecht, Olympiacos, Schalke, Sparta Prague, Lille, Rangers, Werder Bremen.

Pot 4: Benfica, Rosenborg, Betis, Udinese, Fenerbahce, Rapid Vienna, Thun, Bratislava.

Thankfully, those perverts can be avoided. Ferguson murmured in his heart that as long as he finished first in the group, he could avoid the first-tier teams as much as possible. He thought so.

Last season, I accidentally fell into second place in the group, and ended up meeting AC Milan early...

However, there are always no underdogs in the Champions League. In fact, no team is easy to play. Ferguson just has a good vision in his heart and does not expect to be assigned to a good group.

Soon, Ferguson discovered that because Manchester United ranked fourth in Champions League points, Manchester United was included in Group D. The other groups were also arranged according to points. UEFA really saved their worries...

The first team to be drawn was the fourth pot. It stands to reason that there are no strong teams in the fourth pot, but Manchester United was so unlucky that they were drawn against Portugal's Benfica. The strongest teams in the fourth tier were all beaten by Manchester United.

"You're lucky, even Benfica was drawn." Ancelotti smiled next to Sir Alex Ferguson.

"I can only go to Vienna to listen to music, haha..."

Ferguson: "..."

What can he say? Milan's fate is better than Manchester United's.

Then, the third level club was drawn.

As a result, more than a minute later, when he heard the name Lille, France, he felt like vomiting blood on the spot. Lille, one of the strongest players in the third gear, also came, and no one was lucky.

But soon AC Milan drew Schalke 04, which is also a very strong team.

Finally, Ferguson cursed Ancelotti.

"Carlo, I feel like you're going to beat Chelsea."

"Then you must be in trouble..." Ancelotti is not a fuel-saving lamp. Although he usually has no working ability at work, in his spare time, he can be very tricky.

"..." Ferguson was choked again.

Then, it’s time to reach the second level opponent.

"Villarreal!"

"Hehe, hehe... The relationship between master and apprentice is deep, Sir, Fran is going home to see you. You have trained a world-class shooter,"

Ferguson: "..."

What a coincidence, what a coincidence, why did you meet Fran’s Villarreal? You said you didn't score goals at Manchester United, but you went to Villarreal to become the European Golden Boot winner, just to come back and play at Manchester United? Ferguson's heart was very blocked.

But after more than ten seconds, he couldn't help laughing.

"Haha, Carlo."

"Fate, PSV, your favorite opponent, haha."

Manchester United and Forlan are destined to be together, aren't they Milan and PSV as well? Milan was almost eliminated by PSV in the Champions League semi-finals last season...

"They are all a group of death, don't laugh at anyone."

In the end, all the top 32 groups of the Champions League were drawn.

The specific lottery results are:

Group A: Bayern, Juventus, Club Brugge, Rapid Vienna.

Group B: Arsenal, Ajax, Sparta Prague, Thun.

Group C: Barcelona, ​​Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen, Udinese.

Group D: Manchester United, Villarreal, Lille, Benfica.

Group E: AC Milan, PSV Eindhoven, Schalke 04, Fenerbahce.

Group F: Real Madrid, Lyon, Olympiacos, Rosenborg.

Group G: Liverpool, Chelsea. Anderlecht, Betis.

Group H: Inter Milan, Porto, Rangers, Bratislava.

Of course, Benitez, who laughed the most before, can't laugh anymore because he has met an old rival again. Because Liverpool really met Chelsea again.

Mourinho's expression is similar to that of Benitez...