Aug 26

Champions League draw sees Manchester United face Rangers

• Tottenham in group with holders Internazionale
• Have your say on the Champions League draw

English clubs largely had reasons to be pleased with the draw for the Champions League group stages, which took place in Monaco this afternoon. Manchester United will travel to Scotland to take on Sir Alex Ferguson’s former club Rangers with Valencia and Turkish champions Bursaspor completing Group C.

Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham, who secured their first appearance in the Champions League group stage with yesterday’s 4-0 win over Young Boys, appear to have the trickiest assignment of the Premier League sides after they were drawn in Group A alongside holders Internazionale, now managed by Rafa Benítez, Werder Bremen and Dutch side FC Twente, who Steve McClaren led to the Eredivisie title last season.

Chelsea were matched with Marseille, Spartak Moscow and Slovakian champions MSK Zilinain in Group F. Arsenal appeared to have the most straightforward assignment after drawing Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga and Partizan Belgrade in Group H.

Group A

Inter Milan

Werder Bremen

Tottenham

FC Twente

Group B

Lyon

Benfica

Schalke 04

Hapoel Tel-Aviv

Group C

Manchester United

Valencia

Rangers

Bursaspor

Group D

Barcelona

Panathinaikos

FC Copenhagen

Rubin Kazan

Group E

Bayern Munich

Roma

Basle

CFR Cluj

Group F

Chelsea

Marseille

Spartak Moscow

MSK Zilina

Group G

AC Milan

Real Mardid

Ajax

Auxerre

Group H

Arsenal

Shakhtar Donestsk

Braga

FK Partizan

First round of fixtures will be played on the 14th and 15th September 2010

Champions LeagueManchester UnitedChelseaArsenalTottenham HotspurRangersguardian.co.uk

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Aug 26

Champions League 2010-11: have your say on the draw

What do you think of the group stages of Europe’s premier club competition?

After a ceremony that lasted approximately 10 hours, we have the Champions League draw for 2010 and there are some intriguing match-ups in Europe’s top club competition.

Spurs were delighted to go through against Young Boys last night, their reward is a date with the competition’s holders, Internazionale. Will Inter be a different proposition now that José Mourinho has gone or will Rafael Benítez’s experience against English opposition come to his aid?

There’s a British element to Group C as Manchester United face Rangers. Valencia and Turkey’s Bursaspor are also in what looks like a tricky group. The Premier League champions, Chelsea, should go through from a group that also features Marseille, Spartak Moscow, MSK Zilina. Arsenal face a long trip to Shakhtar Donetsk in Group H.

Group G perhaps provides the biggest clash of the group stages. Milan will play Real Madrid and another former champion, Ajax, make up the group along with Auxerre.

Do you see any potential upsets in the group stage? And which one so you think will provide the most entertainment?

Champions LeagueArsenalManchester UnitedChelseaTottenham HotspurRangersguardian.co.uk

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Jul 21

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech ruled out for a month with calf injury

• Blow for Chelsea as Cech tears calf muscle in training
• Goalkeeper missed a month of last season with similar injury

Chelsea’s goalkeeper Petr Cech will be out of action for a month after tearing a calf muscle in his right leg.

Cech, 28, suffered the injury in training on Tuesday, and medical tests confirmed he will miss the start of the new season as a result.

Cech missed a month of last season with a similar injury sustained at Internazionale in the Champions League.

A spokesman for Chelsea confirmed: “Petr will be out for around a month after scans showed a tear in his right calf. He is expected to miss the rest of the pre-season campaign.”

Chelseaguardian.co.uk

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