The Football League has agreed to show some matches on the BBC from August 2009. The deal covers ten live matches in Division II each season, though not the play-offs, and semi-finals and finals of the League Cup. It's the first time that the League Cup final will have been televised since 2002. There will also be a weekly package of highlights from Divisions II, III, and IV.
Group A of Former Champions
Liverpool S - Besiktas (EIGHT) 8:0
Porto - Olympique Marseille 2:1
PTO 8 MAR 7 LIV 4 BES 3
Porto and Liverpool take their head-to-head wins: the latter comes after the biggest trouncing in European League history, and the third time this year an English side has put 7 (SEVEN) or more past decent opposition. Well, we say decent, but Besitkas was lucky to score 0. Liverpool's trip to Marseille on 11 December takes on new significance.
Group B of Not As Obvious As We Thoughtness
Valencia - Rosenborg 0:2 (36) Schalke 04 - CSKA Kensington 0:0 CHE 8 ROS 7 SNV 4 VAL 3
Well, we said two weeks ago that Rosenborg were bringing their pixie dust into the contest. Looks like they may be bringing that little magic into the last 16. We can't see Valencia qualifying for the second round, though they play CSKA Kensington in the final round, and the London side should have qualified by then.
Group C of Dividends
Lazio - Werder Bremen 2:1 (37)
Olympiakos - Real Madrid 0:0
RMD 8 LAZ 5 OLY 5 WER 3
It just feels like there have been a lot of draws in this group, and at least one surprise to come. Madrid will beat Olympiakos head-to-head, but Lazio and Werder have tied.
Group D of How Will Portugal Mess This One Up?
Celtic - Benfica 1:0 (31)
Shakhtar Donetsk - AC Milan 0:3
ACM 9 SHA 6 CEL 6 BEN 3
By having their star striker sent off ten minutes from the end, that's how Portugal will mess this one up. Celtic host Shakhtar in the next round; barring unfortunate circumstances, a 3-goal win will put them through. AC has the wonning of Donetsk, Celtic and Benfica drew.
Group E of Death
Olympique Lyonnais - Stuttgart 4:2
Barcelona - Rangers 2:0
BAR 10 RAN 7 LYN 6 STT 0
Stuttgart's loss means they're the first side to decide their fate, and they'll be staying at home next year to concentrate on the league. Barcelona has the advantage over Rangers, but the Scots can progress with a win against Lyon in December, or with a win in Stuttgart and Lyon losing to Barcelona. Two chances for Rangers to progress!
Group F of Tedium
Manchester Buccaneers - Dynamo Kyiv 4:0
Sporting Lisbon - Roma 2:2
MUN 12 ROM 7 SLS 4 KYV 0
The Buccaneers become the first side into the round of 16. Roma beat Sporting Lisbon head-to-head, but we remember how the Bucs fell apart a few years ago when their progress was assured. On the other hand, Kyiv have done themselves no favours.
Group G of Acronyms
Internazionale - CSKA Moskow 4:2
Fenerbahçe - PSV Eindhoven 2:0
INT 9 FEN 8 PSV 4 CSK 1
We're too bored to give any comment on this group.
Group H of Censored
Steaua Bucharest - Seville 0:2 Slavia Prague - Arsenal 0:0 (15) ANL 10 SEV 9 SLP 4 STE 0
Thanks to their 7 (SEVEN):0 win last time out, Arsenal beat Slavia on head-to-head, which means they're the second side through to the knockout phase. We believe that some of the remaining 14 places may actually be filled by sides from outside the UK!
UEFA Cup, Group Phase, Match 1
Group A of AZ
Nürnburg - Everton 0:2
Larisa - Zenit St Petersburg 2:3
Idle: AZ Alkmaar
EVE 6 ZSP 4 AZA* 1 LAR 0 NUR* 0
Group B of Mutton
Køvehaben - Panathanaikos 0:1
Aberdeen - Lokomotiv Moscow 1:1
Idle: Atlético Madrid
PAN 6 LOK 2 AMD* 1 ABD 1 COP* 0
Group C of Seeding
Mladá Boleslav - Villarreal 1:2
Fiorentina - IF Elfsborg 6:1
Idle: AEK Athens
FIO 4 VIL 4 AEK* 1 ELF 1 BOL* 0
Group D of Dwarves
Dinamo Zagreb - Basle 0:0
Rennes - Brann 1:1
Idle: Hamburg
BAS 4 HAM* 3 BRN 1 DZA* 1 REN 1
Here's a remarkable thing: Panathanaikos have already qualified for the next phase, and there are still three matchdays to go! Because every other match has ended in a draw, the Greek side cannot be overtaken by three sides. Everton should join them, and Hamburg's victory - albeit over Brann - is looking very valuable.
Group E of Goal Difference
Spartak Moscow - Bayer Leverkusen 2:1 (32)
Toulouse - Sparta Prague 2:3 (33)
Idle: FC Zürich
BYL 3 PRG 3 SPM* 3 ZUR* 3 TOU 0
Group F of Bayern
Aris Thessaloniki - Crvena Zvedza 3:0
Bayern München - Bolton 2:2 (19)
Idle: Braga
BAY 4 ASS* 3 BOL 2 BRG* 1 CRZ 0
Group G of Winners
AaB Alborg - Anderlecht 1:1
Hapoel Tel Aviv - Tottenham 0:2
Idle: Getafe
TOT 3 AND 3 GET* 2 AAL* 1 HTA 0
Group H of Upsets
Austia Wien - Bordeaux 1:2
Galatasaray - Helsingborgs 2:3
Idle: Panionios
BDX 6 HEL 4 PIO* 1 AWI* 0 GAL 0
We told you group E was going to be tight: wouldn't entirely surprise us to find all five sides on 6 points. Bayern's troubles continue, now no wins in three matches against top-flight sides. Bordeaux hasn't quite done enough, and that's a magnificent win for Helsingborgs.
Next week's live football
Fr 1900 5USA/FC LA Crackdealers -v- Minnesota Airheads (highlights) Fr 1930 Set1/DE Duisburg -v- Bochum Fr 1930 Celt/EL Celtic -v- Benfica (tape) Sa 1715 Set1/E1 Liverpool -v- Fulham Sa 1830 S4C/WA Haverfordwest -v- Llanelli (highlight) Sa 2015 Set1/DE Stuttgart -v- Bayern Munich (tape) Sa 2300 BBC1/FA Match of the Day (highlights) Su 1130 Set2/NL Feyenoord -v- Ajax Su 1400 C5/IT Match tbc Su 1515 BBC1/FA Torquay -v- Yeovil Su 2000 Set1/FR Lyon -v- Marseille Su 2000 Set2/DE Wolfsburg -v- Bayer Leverkusen (tape) Mo 1800 ESPT/AF African Champions' Cup Final (highlights) Mo 2000 Set1/E1 Reading -v- Arsenal We 1400 Set2/FR Bordeaux -v- Rennes (tape)
