2011/2012 UEFA Champions League

[MJB]

He looks a bit like a young Mika Hakkinen.

[Jimmy]

Yeah, Michael Chopra admitted an addiction to gambling and he's massively in debt, or something. It's not uncommon.

[9 to 5]

Ditto Matthew Etherington.

[stokeriño]

The deadness of this thread now that the Manchester clubs are out (and Liverpool were never in) will forever amuse me.

Lyon v APOEL

Napoli v Chelsea

AC Milan v Arsenal

Basel v Bayern Munich

Bayer Leverkusen v Barcelona

CSKA Moscow v Real Madrid

Zenit St Petersburg v Benfica

Marseille v Inter

Well, at least that should produce good matches to watch.

[IAceI]

The best part about working in an office where no one likes football is I haven't once had to listen to someone remark on the CL draw: "Who did Man Utd/City get LOLOLOL"

And for that, I don't absolutely despise this job.

[DavidMarrio]

Basel are gonna win it, don't care about anyone else. Joo-Ho, Frei, Chipperfield and of course Liverpool legend Phillip Degen are all gonna tear Bayern Munich apart.

Tough games for both London teams although playing at home in the second leg is a huge advantage.

[Lineker]

Moscow are going to get torn a new arsehole.

[IAceI]

Basel are gonna win it, don't care about anyone else. Joo-Ho, Frei, Chipperfield and of course Liverpool legend Phillip Degen are all gonna tear Bayern Munich apart.

Tough games for both London teams although playing at home in the second leg is a huge advantage.

That Shaqiri chap who is one of the brightest young stars in the world isn't too bad either mind.

[stokeriño]

Chelsea will play the return leg at Stamford Bridge just a few days before traveling to Manchester to face City in the Premier League. Lovely.

[Starvinho]

Manchester United could be handed Champions League place

Manchester United could return to this season's Champions League if the Swiss Football Association fails to comply with Fifa and punish FC Sion.

Sion were thrown out of the Europa League for fielding ineligible players in their match against Celtic.

The Swiss FA has until 13 January to act and Fifa has threatened to suspend Switzerland and their club sides.

If the ban took effect, FC Basel would be ejected from the Champions League and United could be reinstated.

The Swiss champions knocked Sir Alex Ferguson's side out of European football's elite competition and into the Europa League, earning a 3-3 draw at Old Trafford before winning the home match 2-1.

Sion were put under a transfer embargo over the signing of Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, but proceeded to sign six players in the summer.

The six players took their case to a civil court in the canton of Valais, which ruled they could play, and subsequently fielded them in the Swiss league.

Sion then fielded five of the six players during the Europa League play-off tie against Celtic and were kicked out of the competition as a result, with Uefa's decision to expel them upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Thursday.

Fifa has now ordered the Swiss FA to enforce a ban on registering six Sion players signed during the transfer embargo.

"As a consequence, all matches in which the relevant players participated shall be declared forfeit or three points shall be deducted respectively," Fifa said. "Should this deadline not be respected, the Swiss FA will be automatically suspended from 14 January 2012 onwards."

Under the terms of a Fifa suspension, a country's national and club teams, referees and officials are prohibited from taking part in international matches and meetings, or receive Fifa funding.

I won't be holding my breath for getting a reprieve but it's an interesting situation nevertheless.

[Lineker]

FC Sion have been deducted 36 points by the Swiss Football Association (SFV) for fielding ineligible players.

The club had been adjudged to have fielded six ineligible players signed during a transfer embargo.

Subsequently, Fifa had threatened to suspend the Swiss national side and the country's club sides from all competitions if Sion were not punished.

This could have meant FC Basel being ejected from the Champions League and Manchester United reinstated.

The Swiss champions knocked Sir Alex Ferguson's side out of European football's elite competition and into the Europa League, but could have fallen foul of Fifa's sanction had the SFV not moved to punish Sion.

Sion had been placed under a Fifa transfer embargo after football's world governing body ruled the club had been guilty of inducing Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary to break his contract with Cairo-based club Al Ahly in 2008.

However, the Swiss club proceeded to sign six players in the summer. Those six players took their case to a civil court in the canton of Valais, which ruled they could play, and Sion subsequently fielded them in the Swiss league.

Sion then fielded five of the six players during the Europa League play-off tie against Celtic and were kicked out of the Uefa competition as a result, but had not hitherto been punished by their national FA.

The Swiss side have now been docked three points for each of the 12 league and cup matches in which one or more of the six ineligible players appeared.

The penalty leaves them 10th and last in the Swiss Super League, on minus five points.

The SFV confirmed that Sion have the right to appeal to Court of Arbitration for Sport against the points deduction, while Fifa said an emergency committee would study the SFV documents relating to the sanction early next month.

So that's that.

[Lineker]

Messi is so fucking good.

[Matticus]

Predictions for tonight?

[MDK]

I've got a bet on AC to win 2-1, Zlatan to score first.

Good start to the match, quite pacy.

[MDK]

Oh well, whatever, nevermind

[DavidMarrio]

What a fucking goal

[MDK]

It was a peach of a goal.

[Colly]

I love English pundits (well, Irish. Sort of). Zlatans got 8 titles in a row, but he's never played well when Andy Townsends watched him. Must be shite.

[Summers]

Fantastically worked goal.

[DavidMarrio]

I love English pundits (well, Irish. Sort of). Zlatans got 8 titles in a row, but he's never played well when Andy Townsends watched him. Must be shite.

Andy Townsend is a utter cock. I hate ITVs commentary team

Also great worked goal, been coming tbf to them. Arsenal aren't offering anything whatsoever. Question I've got is what is with the pitch?