UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW: For the first time England had four representatives going into the draw for the Champions League yesterday and Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United all emerged with the tempting possibility of going through to the second phase.
Odds on all four English clubs making it through are as low as 3 to 1 with Corals and an all-English final is a meagre 8 to 1 with William Hill. It will be held at Old Trafford next May and the greatest impediment at this point to Alex Ferguson leading out his team at their own ground is Bayer Leverkusen.
Leverkusen beat United in last season's semi-final, having already accounted for Arsenal and Liverpool. The German team were then a little unlucky to lose the final to Zinedine Zidane's soaring volley for Real Madrid at Hampden Park. Leverkusen have since lost Michael Ballack to Bayern Munich but will be United's biggest threat in Group F - they host United's first away game.
Of the others in United's group, Olympiakos were beaten home and away by United in last season's competition and Maccabi Haifa, the Israeli champions, will be forced to play their home games in Nicosia in Cyprus because of the political situation in the Middle East.
Maccabi visit Old Trafford for the first game and they can hardly contain themselves. "This is so exciting for us. It is fantastic and no one can believe it," said their general manager Itamar Chizic, a self-confessed Manchester United supporter. The whole of Israel wanted this. It is a miracle."
United seemed almost as pleased. "From the travel point of view it's not too difficult and it's a great chance for us," said their chief executive Peter Kenyon.
Newcastle, back in the competition for the first time in five seasons, visit Kiev, Turin and Rotterdam, but then they were among the clutch of qualifiers drawn fourth and, compared with Lens especially, they were somewhat fortunate.
Lens, who finished second in the French league after being overtaken by Lyon on the last day of the season, face Bayern, Deportivo La Coruna and Milan. That was immediately labelled the group of death, even though none of the four won their domestic league title.
"I think it will be a fantastic test for my team," said Newcastle's manager Bobby Robson. "We could have ended up in Group G with some very difficult teams but I think it's quite an acceptable draw. It will be great going back to Holland to play Feyenoord. I think of the country as my second home."
Liverpool are actually in a mini-Champions League of their own. Gerard Houllier's side finished second in the Premiership but Valencia won La Liga in Spain - by seven points - Spartak Moscow are the champions of Russia and Basel did a domestic double in Switzerland. Basel knocked Celtic out on Wednesday night and, having survived Parkhead, will not be intimidated by Anfield.
"We are not disheartened," said Liverpool's chief executive Rick Parry. "There are three decent teams in our group but it could have been a lot worse - I would not like to be in the position of many other clubs."
The meeting with Valencia in Spain in just over a fortnight will be a key clash.
The most challenging games on paper for Arsenal will be against the German champions Borussia Dortmund - they meet at Highbury on the opening day, Tuesday, September 17th - but Arsenal will be heartened by the memory of Liverpool's win and draw over the same opposition at the same stage last year.
Yet Arsenal went out to German opposition last season. They were a goal up through Robert Pires in their second-phase game in Leverkusen, but they then had Ray Parlour sent off and conceded a 90th-minute equaliser to Ulf Kirsten.
"The Champions League is the one trophy that has eluded us over the years and I know there is a lot of determination to try and put that right," said the Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein.
Non-flying Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp should be pleased too. Arsenal's longest trip is to Auxerre - only 380 miles by road.
- Guardian Service
Group A
Arsenal
Bor Dortmund
PSV Eindhoven
Auxerre
Group A: Fixtures
Tue, Sept 17th: Auxerre v PSV Eindhoven; Arsenal v Borussia Dortmund. Wed, Sept 25th: Borussia Dortmund v Auxerre; PSV Eindhoven v Arsenal. Wed, Oct 2nd: PSV Eindhoven v Borussia Dortmund; Auxerre v Arsenal. Tue, Oct 22nd: Borussia Dortmund v PSV Eindhoven; Arsenal v Auxerre. Wed, Oct 30th: PSV Eindhoven v Auxerre; Borussia Dortmund v Arsenal. Tue, Nov 12th: Auxerre v Borussia Dortmund; Arsenal v PSV Eindhoven.
Group B
Valencia
Liverpool
Spartak Moscow Basel
Group B: Fixtures
Tue, Sept 17th: Valencia v Liverpool; Basel v Spartak Moscow. Wed, Sept 25th: Spartak Moscow v Valencia; Liverpool v Basel. Wed, Oct 2nd: Liverpool v Spartak Moscow; Valencia v Basel. Tue, Oct 22nd: Spartak Moscow v Liverpool; Basel v Valencia. Wed, Oct 30th: Liverpool v Valencia; Spartak Moscow v Basel. Tue, Nov 12th: Valencia v Spartak Moscow; Basel v Liverpool.
Group C
Real Madrid
AS Roma
AEK Athens
Genk
Group D
Inter Milan
Lyon
Ajax
Rosenborg
Group E
Juventus
Feyenoord
Dynamo Kiev
Newcastle Utd
Group E: Fixtures
Wed, Sept 18th: Feyenoord v Juventus; Dynamo Kiev v Newcastle Utd. Tue, Sep 24th: Newcastle Utd v Feyenoord; Juventus v Dynamo Kiev. Tue, Oct 1st: Juventus v Newcastle Utd; Feyenoord v Dymano Kiev. Wed, Oct 23rd: Newcastle Utd v Juventus; Dynamo Kiev v Feyenoord. Tue, Oct 29th: Juventus v Feyenoord; Newcastle Utd v Dymano Kiev. Wed, Nov 13th: Feyenoord v Newcastle Utd; Dynamo Kiev v Juventus.
Group F
Manchester Utd
Bayer Leverkusen
Olympiakos
Maccabi Haifa
Group F: Fixtures
Wed, Sept 18th: Man Utd v Maccabi Haifa; Olympiakos v Leverkusen. Tue, Sept 24th: Leverkusen v Man Utd; Maccabi Haifa v Olympiakos. Tue, Oct 1st: Maccabi Haifa v Leverkusen; Man Utd v Olympiakos. Wed Oct 23rd: Leverkusen v Maccabi Haifa; Olympiakos v Man Utd. Tue, Oct 29th: Maccabi Haifa v Man Utd; Leverkusen v Olympiakos. Wed, Nov 13th: Man Utd v Leverkusen; Olympiakos v Maccabi Haifa.
Group G
Bayern Munich
Deportivo La Coruna
AC Milan
Lens
Group H
Barcelona
Galatasaray
Lokomotiv Moscow
Club Brugge
