[funkdoctorspock]

Almost time for one of my favourite club competitions to get underway.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.

The group stage draw will be conducted on Thursday.

Date: Thursday, 30 August
Time: 1700 BST

Wouldn't mind facing Benfica again... would be an easy night for whoever has to mark Adu...

You can go HERE to see the draw. Last year the servers were flooded with traffic. So, if you can't manage to see it live, I think I might have a lil surprise for you later in the day...

The draw for the Champions League group stages takes place on Thursday at 1700 BST with Celtic and Arsenal hoping to make it six British teams among the 32.

Celtic drew 1-1 at Spartak Moscow and will fancy their chances in the home leg, while Arsenal will be confident following a 2-0 win at Sparta Prague.

Liverpool and Rangers booked their passage on Wednesday, joining Chelsea and Manchester United in the hat.

Both Sevilla and AEK Athens will be in the draw despite playing next Monday.

The second-leg tie between the pair was postponed following the death of the Spanish club's 22-year-old defender Antonio Puerta.

Sevilla, who hold a 2-0 lead from the first leg, will be among the group of second seeds while AEK Athens are ranked among one of the bottom seeds.

Uefa general secretary David Taylor told uefa.com: "The draw will take place on Thursday at 1700 BST, as scheduled.

"There are additional complications this season related to the tragic and unforeseen circumstances that caused the postponement of the AEK Athens v Sevilla match.

"This means that both clubs will be 'provisionally' entered in this season's competition."

Uefa splits the 32 entrants into four pots of eight teams, divided according to their current European ranking.

Each group will contain one team from the top seeds, one from the second seeds, one for the third and one from the fourth.
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