Champions League Draw reaction 19 December, 2008

So – it’s Roma.

Not a bad draw, you can’t have too many complaints. There were some big teams in the hat so whoever got was going to be a challenge. Roma are a good side, they’re playing well at the moment and have some technically skillful players.

I think this is a good draw for us. Roma are a bit enough side to rouse our spirits but they’re not exactly the Harlem Globetrotters. We’ve done well against Italian sides in recent years and we beat Roma a few years ago in the competition thanks to Henry that night.

I’m not sure why, but I’m happy with Roma. I don’t feel quite so good now after losing 5-2 on aggregate against them on FIFA 09 this afternoon but that’s fine…we’ll come back from that.

Of course Rome is the host city for the final this year so it will be nice for us to get a feel of the stadium before we return in May. Here’s the rest of the draw:

Chelsea v Juventus
Villarreal v Panathinaikos
Sporting Lisbon v Bayern Munich
Atletico Madrid v FC Porto
Lyon v Barcelona
Real Madrid v Liverpool
Inter Milan v Manchester United

Some difficult ties in there for the English teams. I think the big one is United vs. Inter, I can just see it now Jose Mourinho recreating that celebration down the Old Trafford touchline when he was manager of Porto. Good times. Liverpool haven’t got it easy either and Juventus will be no walkover for Chelsea.

The first leg’s at home on 24th February and the return leg at the Stadio Olimpico is on March 11. I’ve looked at flights and accommodation and I’m very tempted to go. I am a poor student at the moment though and this would be coming right out of my overdraft. Hmm will have to think about it. But if you’re planning on going yourself I’d hurry up about it because those plane tickets will get expensive. I need to make a decision tonight.

Arsene reckons the tie could go either way. It’s certainly going to be a good game, both sides are famous for their football and I can tell it’s not going to be boring. Wenger’s also been saying he wants to win the Champions League for Arsenal. I think that’s got to be the aim really, we’ve won the league and it would be brilliant to win it again but the Champions League trophy is something we would dearly love to get our hands on. We came so close in 2006 and I think every Arsenal fan still looks bitterly upon that and hopes we can right those wrongs.

I do hate this Champions League draw sometimes, because the first leg isn’t for another two months now and I can’t wait. But to be fair, we need as much of that time as possible to find some form between now and then. So we’ll try forget about this for a bit and concentrate on the league.

Tomorrow I’ll have a preview of the massively important game against Liverpool on Sunday. So make sure you some back for that, see you then.

p.s. We’ve been asked to wear yellow for Sunday’s game by Red Action. I’m doing my bit. I’ll remind you again tomorrow.