8th December 2006: Barca fans: Yes to Liverpool and Bayern Munich - No to Lyon

A survey in Barcelona based daily football newspaper SPORT shows exactly where the preferences of FC Barcelona fans lie, which team to meet or to avoid in the next Champions League round.

Olympique Lyon, Arsenal and Manchester United are the ‘unholy trinity’ that Blaugrana followers would least like to see coming out of next week’s draw, whereas Liverpool and Bayern Munich would be the desired opponents given the choice. Recent polls were conducted amongst readers of Catalonia’s two leading daily sports papers ‘Sport’ and ‘El Mundo Deportivo’.

29% want to play against Bayern Munich with former Barça midfielder Mark van Bommel. Probably many Culés still remeber Barca´s magnificient performance against Bayern in august, when the Munich outfit was thrashed 4-0.

28% would like to see Barca against Liverpool with former Barça players Luís García, Zenden and Reina.

AC Milan appears in third place followed by Arsenal and Manchester United.

Olympique Lyon is the opponent who the Culés most want to avoid.

EL MUNDO DEPORTIVO made a similar survey with just slightly different results.

29% want a clash with Liverpool
26% want Bayern Munich
16% hope to be confronted with AC Milan
11% only want see an encounter between Olympique Lyon
9% are only keen to see Manchester United and last years finalist Arsenal as the next opponents.

Tags: AC Milan • Arsenal • Bayern Munich • Liverpool • Manchester United • Olympique Lyon
Flickr tags: AC Milan • Arsenal • Bayern Munich • Liverpool • Manchester United • Olympique Lyon

Add This Site To My Favourites

sven About FC Barcelona Blog, Gossip & Talk, UEFA Champions League, Season 2006-07 35 comments
Comments, Trackbacks, PingbacksThe URI to TrackBack this entry is: http://www.fcbarcelonablog.com/htsrv/trackback.php/18610

Anthony Barnes [Visitor]
As a Liverpool fan and season ticket holder, I remember in 2005 the Juventus fans saying that they had the best draw possible when they were drawn with Liverpool in the quarter finals of the Champions League and we all know what happened that season....Liverpool beatJuve and went on to win the tournament. Last season we were delighted with drawing Benfica in the round of 16 but we were beaten by them 3-0. So be carefull what you wish for as it may just come true and not in the way you think!!
12/09/06 @ 10:50
Ian [Visitor]
I am a Liverpool fan and we all want to draw Barca !!! The bigger the team, the harder they fall- In the FA cup in April we knocked Man U and Chelsea out - The champions league the previous season we knocked Juve, Chelsea and AC Milan out - bring it on !!!!
12/09/06 @ 12:43
sven [Member]
To: Anthony and Ian
Relax, guys. This is just a newspaper survey. any team Barca has to play in the next round is a very difficult task because all have won their Group. There are no easy matches anymore!
But still, the result of the survey is not a surprise. Bayern was beaten 4-0 in august by Barca and Barca showed a fantastic display. Liverpool do not have the best start into the season. 5th and 16 points behind the leader. So, I guess, we do not have to be rocket scientists when asked who Barca fans want to see as opponents in the next round.
I personally would like to see Lyon. They play similar attractive football, just with a weaker team and not as good as Barca - LOL (only joking!)
12/09/06 @ 14:34
tyrel [Visitor]
yOu guys must be smoking some high grade crack if you really think liverpool is a contender. Liverpool is a 4cylinder team. Barca is a turbocharged v12 with 8 speed transmission. u betta recognize!!!
12/10/06 @ 00:20
Ian [Visitor]
Tyrel - we have won more major trophies in English football over the last 5 years than Man U, Chelsea and Arsenal. After a slow start to the season, we have kept 9 clean sheets in our last 11 games and have scored 8 in ouur last 2 premiership games. As I said earlier - bring it on and I will talk to you afterwards !
12/10/06 @ 13:49
sven [Member]
To Ian:
LOL - we heard the same from Chelsea and Arsenal supporters and after the matches they disappeared.
But I believe it would be a great match, if it should happen!
12/10/06 @ 14:06
Ian [Visitor]
Didn't Chelsea beat you to top the group this season ?
Anyway - I think Barca are awesome and Ronaldinho is out of this world...But...Liverpool can beat awesome teams, have an awesome Manager and also have an awesome player in Steven Gerrard. We are also due to be taken over from the 5th richest man in the world - expect a few big signings in January. All I'm sayng is don't count you chickens !!
12/10/06 @ 14:26
tyrel [Visitor]
To Ian: I happen to be a huge Gerrard fan. HUGE. That guy can change the result of a game in half a second....BUT...Liverpool on their best day can maybe pull off a draw at anfield against barca. And that is a big maybe. more may than be.
12/10/06 @ 15:40
Ian [Visitor]
I pray we get you in the next round so you can eat your words !
12/10/06 @ 16:40
sven [Member]
but what, if tyrel does not have to eat his words? Do you disappear like all the other English supporters, so far?

But I still think, you should relax a little bit. We are talking here simply about a survey and what does it really say? 29 out of 100 (not even a third) would rather play Liverpool than Olympique Lyon for example. This also means that 61 out of 100 would prefer one of the other teams than Liverpool. may be this makes you happier?
They do not even say, that Barca will win. Just when the people would have a choice, who would they prefer to play against.
and to be honest, who can blame them. Liverpool is 5th and trailing leaders Man U by 16 points. so, who would you prefer to play if you have a choice? Man U or Liverpool
Of course, I know your answer...!

again, i think Liverpool v Barca would be a great match.
12/10/06 @ 17:14
tyrel [Visitor]
yeah!! it will be a great match for barca fans because we will be punishing them.
12/10/06 @ 21:08
tyrel [Visitor]
to ian: i dont know if the community shield and carling cup count as major trophies. I guess the FA cup can barely make it but then again, u only play against english teams.
12/10/06 @ 21:10
Haydrian [Visitor]
Barca Fans What da F**K u so upset about (Chelsea,Liverpool, Man Utd, Hahaahahahahahah)
U guys Forgot a wounded Barca made it to the last 16 without their hitman Eto'o and the Wiz Kid Messi and even Saviola, these players will be back in action in Jan & Feb 07. No thats great news for us, bad news for the rest.
12/13/06 @ 12:46
Haydrian [Visitor]
TO Chelsea Fans: its only a matter of time B4 chelsea start suffering from the real madrid syndrome. Barca is Balanced, like real, chels is gonna become a star studded mess of a great team

Liverpool enjoyed a true underdog story in 2005 but their showing in the premiership is bitchie,

Man U has worked out most of their tactical problem, but speed with inexperience and blatant ignorance they r bound to f**k up in Europe.

how can i forget about Arsenal and the idiot henry. Arsenal has lost most of their experienced defenders (A. Cole, S. Campbell), this exposes a young back four and a immature midfield that will b thoroughly tested by the best strikers in Europe, Not even Lehman can reproduce wat he did last season without the seasoned defence arsenal boasted (Eboue, Campbell, cole) guess he has to resort to pulling down strikers like he did to Eto'o in paris. and to henry, he must be thinking "i should of joined barca"

this champion league is a classic league Vs league clash La liga Vs Premiership
12/13/06 @ 13:09
ian [Visitor]
Firstly Sven - of course I will dissapear...this is a Barca site not a Liverpool site. Why would I hang around ? I came upon it by mistake when I saw you mention Liverpool.

Tyrel - are you a schoolboy by any chance ? The FA cup is the biggest domestic knock out trophy in the world with the biggest worldwide tv audience - look at the man u and chelsea players sat on the picth crying when we knocked them out in the quarter and semi finals and tell me it's not an important trophy. The carling cup ? What are you talking about....we did not win that and that is by the way the only trophy that man u have won over the last 2 years and it is a small cup. The charity shield is not even a cup and is just thought of as a pre-season minor piece of silverware.

Listen - I want to make a couple of things clear...

I have been to liverpool matches since the 70's and have been to 4 european cup finals(Tyrel - that's the champions leage in case you don't know)! What makes a team great and their supporters is passion, respect and humility. Chelsea show no respect or humility in England and are hated because of that. Even when Liverpool were winning most things home and abroad in the laste 70's/early eighties we showed teams respect. We never thought we had won a game until our players had done the talking in that game. Now - are you lot so shallow and short on respect that you are saying Barcelona have already won this game if you get drawn against us ? If so - you have all gone down in my estimation.
12/13/06 @ 18:26
tyrel [Visitor]
to ian: didnt mean to upset you. FA cup is a big tournament. Liverpool is a great team. All i'm saying is i love my team and we will beat the crap out of liverpool. if i knew a less annoying way to put it trust me i would. I have a lot of respect for liverpool. I actually feel craig bellamy is one of the best strikers in the EPL, but i just know barca will crush liverpool. CRUSH CRUSH AARRGGHH!!!!!!
12/14/06 @ 01:04
sven [Member]
To Ian: We brought it on! Now we will see! Exciting pairing, looking forward to it!
12/15/06 @ 12:14
Ian [Visitor]
Oh Yes !!!!!!!!

I think I will come back onto this website afterall - maybe it will be Tyrell that goes missing from the website in March."CRUSH" he said "CRUSH" !!! Ho Ho - loving it !!! Bring it on !!!!!
12/15/06 @ 19:35
ian [Visitor]
Remember my comments regarding lack of respect ? The below is from one of many newspapers today talking about the Barcelona arrogance !! Roll on March !!

Rafa will make ‘disrespectful’ Barcelona pay

The draw for the Champions League today opened up the clash we all expected. The 2006 European Champions Barcelona will take on the 2005 European Champions Liverpool over two legs.

Barcelona had made noises before the draw that they would relish the opportunity to face Liverpool. Now, with the names inked in to UEFA’s fixture list, Rafael Benitez has ensured that Liverpool will be going all out to make Barcelona pay for their over-confidence.

Firstly, Barcelona’s President Joan Laporta said:

“I am happy with the draw, Liverpool are a team that I had a preference for in order to face at this stage.

“Liverpool are powerful opponents who play very physical football and have players that we know very well, such as Luis Garcia and Xabi Alonso.

“Let’s not forget, we are the team to beat this season.”

Rafa Benitez however is keen to take on Barcelona, firing an uncharacteristic opening salvo, against his old enemy from his Real Madrid days. Insisting to Liverpool fans that while at Valencia, Benitez had many happy visits to the Nou Camp.

“All I have heard is how they hoped to draw us — they seem to think they are better.’

“I have received a lot of phone calls from people in Spain and they were all saying how much Barcelona wanted to draw us. They will not lack confidence, but this is the Champions League, and everyone knows what a big difference it makes to our players.

“As Valencia coach, I won many times at the Nou Camp. In fact, over the past few years, Valencia have become their bogey team, so we will not have anything to fear.

“You only have to look at last season to see what can happen. Everyone thought it would be easy for us against Benfica. Now they are saying this is mission impossible against Barcelona. We have a lot of respect for them, but we have shown what we’re capable of in this competition.”



12/16/06 @ 11:45
ian [Visitor]
Internacional 1 Barca 0 - I thought you lot were unbeatable !!!
12/17/06 @ 14:23
Grace Colorada [Visitor]
"Glória do desporto Nacional...VIVA O COLORADO CAMPEAO DO MUNDO, shame on u barcelona!!!!!!!!!
12/17/06 @ 15:32
Grace Colorada [Visitor]
VAMO VAMO INTER!!!!!!!
SALVE COLORADO!!!!
BARCA FREGUES!!!!
12/17/06 @ 15:34
Grace Colorada [Visitor]
SANTA CLAUSS IS COLORADO!!!
12/17/06 @ 15:35
Edson [Visitor]
We ain't no ARSEnal, we ain't no chelsea, we ain't no Liverpool We are the RED TIDE INTERNACIONAL
12/17/06 @ 17:59
Haydrian [Visitor]
F**King Jetlag, but i respect the results 0:1, what an effort. Just imagine if the entire internacional front four were wiped put in one season due to injury and the team made it into the final of the club world cup. Nuff said.
12/20/06 @ 12:47
ian [Visitor]
The team you fielded last night - Is that the team you will field against Liverpool ?

I can't wait !!!
01/14/07 @ 14:17
sven [Member]
I have seen the last 2 Cup matches of Liverpool when they lost 1-3 and 3-6 against Arsenal last week. 9 goals in 2 matches. Does Liverpool have a defence problem? I can´t wait either!
Just imagine, Eto´o and Messi are back? Bring it on!
01/14/07 @ 18:27
ian [Visitor]
I gather Barcelona also made 9 changes to their first team for their defeat then ???
01/17/07 @ 21:23
ian [Visitor]
Now this is with our full team...Liverpool 2 Chelsea 0 !

Ooooh - we're so scared of Barcelona !!! Sven - Are you listening ?
01/20/07 @ 15:26
ian [Visitor]
I wathced you lot on Tv last night - Boy, am I quaking in my boots!!!!
02/19/07 @ 21:23
Ian [Visitor]
I bet you lot feel really silly now !!!
02/23/07 @ 20:19
I'm With Ian [Visitor]
Ian you were proved right. But because we know the job is only half done we won't be bleating out any foolishness like Mr CRUSH CRUSH AARRGGHH!!!!!! Total idiocy.
02/24/07 @ 00:44
ronaldinho (hmmm_) [Visitor] · http://www.fcbarcelonablog.com/htsrv/trackback.php/18610
barca are goin through, did you see them against bilbao, hopefully theyre back for a long tym and not just 1 match!!
02/26/07 @ 14:27
Ian [Visitor]
Is that so? Erm - Just watched you get beat again!!!!
03/04/07 @ 14:06
Ian [Visitor]
I am gonna sign off after 3 days of partying with the words of Tyrel....i just know barca will crush liverpool. CRUSH CRUSH AARRGGHH!!!!!!

Ho Ho - Bye Bye y'all !!!!

Look out for me in Athens in May!

Ian