Champions League Dossier 2008/09

[Hammer]

Group E for Electric, Exhilarating, Ecstacy?

This evening, in the lavish surroundings of the Principality of Monaco, Celtic were drawn in Group E of the Champions League along with European Champions Manchester United, Spanish side Villareal CF and Aalborg BK of Denmark.


Manchester United:


The draw marks another fabled 'Battle of Britain' as once again the Champions of Scotland face the Champions of England in European competition. Both sides have collided at this stage of the competition before of course, in 2006/07, with both securing a win a piece at home. Strachan's reaction to pulling out the reigning champions was typically tongue in cheek;

“I had a funny feeling that we would get Man United. I was down south earlier in the week and I took in their game against Portsmouth. I just had a wee feeling when I was watching that game, so I suppose I got my scouting in early.”

Celtic fan's still hold the memory of Shunsuke Nakamura's glorious 81st minute strike at Parkhead close to them, which ultimately saw the hoops through to the last 16, and they'll be hoping for another moment of history to be played out when both sides meet again.


Villareal CF:


The 'jokers in the pack' of Group E could very well be Spanish side Villareal. A side not overly lauded for their remarkable history or their great names of the past but one that has made huge waves in European football in recent seasons. Celtic will realise acutely the danger posed in taking a side that finished second in La Liga last year lightly, especially considering Villareal knocked them out of the Uefa Cup at the quarter final stage in season 2003/04 winning 3-1 on aggregate. An all the more remarkable result when you consider Celtic had only just knocked out Catalan giants Barcelona 1-0 in the previous round.


Gordon Strachan is fully aware that the Spanish side are now a team most other's don't want to face;

“They are a first-class side. Sometimes you can meet teams with a lot of history, but who aren’t up to much at present. Villarreal are making their own history now. They are a top side.”


Aalbork BK:


As Aalborg were placed in Group E as the first team out of pot 4 a lot of fans would be excused for muttering 'Aalwho?'. The Danish side, managed by Scotsman Bruce Rioch, are untested at this level of European competition having only won their domestic title 4 times in their history in 1987, 1995, 1999 and 2008. This is the first time they've managed to navigate their route through the qualifiers successfully and go into the group as the major underdogs.


A point of note however is that the slayers of Rangers, Kaunas were put to the sword by this side in the third qualifying round, defeating the Lithuanian cracks 2 nil both at home and away, and although they're newcomers to the top table of competition you can be assured they won't be here to make up the numbers, a point picked up on by Strachan;

"We know all about Manchester United and Villarreal, but Aalborg will be a good side, that's for sure. We played Copenhagen a few years back and we saw how good they were. If they can finish above them in the Danish league, Aalborg must be a good side."


So, a tough draw for the Scottish Champions? Reaction has been somewhat mixed from the support so far. Yes there are no easy games when you play the best sides in Europe but with a home record the equal of any other, a passionate support lauded as the same and with a renewed vigour provided by the 2 tastes of the last 16 in previous years this is a draw which Celtic should delve head first into with no fear.


The 3 in a row SPL champions will be hoping for another significant 3 in a row achievement and a place in the last 16 for the third year running all but cements Celtic as a team worthy of being held in the highest regard as a regular in the knockout stages of the greatest tournament on the planet.