Football: Champions' League Guide
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* Seeded.
H Seeded as holders.
Q Qualifier.
2 Second in domestic league.
EC European Cup/Champions' League.
ECWC European Cup-Winners' Cup.
UEFA Uefa Cup/Fairs' Cup.
GROUP A
AJAX*
Best EC: Winners (4) 1971, '72, '73, '95. Also won: ECWC '87; UEFA '92.
Star players: Georgi Kinkladze, Jari Litmanen, Benni McCarthy.
Super league verdict: Not enough domestic viewers, but the name will pull in punters elsewhere. IN.
CROATIA ZAGREB (Q)
Best EC: 1R. Also won: UEFA '67.
Star: Robert Prosinecki.
SL verdict: Will have the players, but not the team. OUT.
OLYMPIAKOS (Q)
Best EC: 2R.
Star: Ilija Ivic.
SL verdict: Handy for the yacht, but sorry. OUT.
PORTO*
Best EC: Winners '87.
Stars: Jardel, Rui Barros.
SL verdict: Wealthy, decent TV audience, some pedigree. BORDERLINE.
GROUP B
ATHLETIC BILBAO (Q2)
Best EC: QF '57.
Stars: Julen Guerrero, Joseba Etxeberria.
SL verdict: Big with Basques, not elsewhere. OUT.
GALATASARAY (Q)
Best EC: SF '89.
Stars: Gheorghe Hagi, Hakan Sukur.
SL verdict: Booming domestic league, would give geographical breadth. BORDERLINE.
JUVENTUS*
Best EC: Winners (2) '85, '96. Also won: ECWC '84; UEFA '77, '90, '93.
Stars: Alessandro Del Piero, Zinedine Zidane, Edgar Davids.
SL verdict: VIP entry. IN.
ROSENBORG TRONDHEIM (Q)
Best EC: QF '97.
Stars: John Ivar Jakobsen.
SL verdict: Tell the bouncers to watch out for these gatecrashers. OUT.
GROUP C
INTERNAZIONALE (Q2)
Best EC: Winners (2) '64, '65. Also won: UEFA '91, '94, '98.
Stars: Ronaldo, Roberto Baggio, Ivan Zamorano.
SL verdict: This way, Mr Ronaldo. IN.
SPARTAK MOSCOW (Q)
Best EC: SF '91.
Stars: Alexander Shirko.
SL verdict: Crumbling economy, terrible winters, no thanks. OUT.
REAL MADRID* (H)
Best EC: Winners (7) '56, '57, '58, '59, '60, '66, '98. Also won: UEFA '85, '86.
Stars: Roberto Carlos, Raul, Fernando Hierro, etc.
SL verdict: Climb aboard, but leave the debt at the door. IN.
STURM GRAZ (Q)
Best EC: Debut.
Stars: Ivica Vastic.
SL verdict: Sorry, what was your name again? OUT.
GROUP D
BARCELONA*
Best EC: Winners '92. Also won: ECWC '79, '82, '89, '97. UEFA '58, '60, '66.
Stars: Nadal, Rivaldo and assorted Dutchmen.
SL verdict: All those cups and the Pope's a member? Step right up. IN.
BAYERN MUNICH (Q2)
Best EC: Winners (3) '74, '75, '76. Also won: ECWC '67; UEFA '96.
Stars: Bixente Lizarazu, Stefan Effenberg, Lothar Matthaus.
SL verdict: Pedigree, wealth and large TV audience. Perfect. IN.
BRONDBY (Q)
Best EC: QF '87.
Stars: Ebbe Sand.
SL verdict: Nice city, so maybe for pre-season warm-ups. OUT.
MANCHESTER UNITED (Q2)
Best EC: Winners '68. Also won: ECWC '91.
Stars: Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Peter Schmeichel.
SL verdict: Munich, Sir Matt and Murdoch. We'll screen game slive and exclusive - for a price. IN.
GROUP E
ARSENAL*
Best EC: QF '72. Also won: ECWC '94; UEFA '70.
Stars: Dennis Bergkamp, Marc Overmars, the defence.
SL verdict: Home games at Wembley, welcome aboard. IN.
DYNAMO KIEV (Q)
Best EC: SF '77, '87. Also won: ECWC '75, '86.
Stars: Andrei Shevchenko, Sergei Rebrov.
SL verdict: Only if we need a token team from the eastern bloc. BORDERLINE.
LENS*
Best EC: Debut.
Stars: All gone, or injured.
SL verdict: Someone tell Paris St-Germain not to let this happen again. OUT.
PANATHINAIKOS (Q2)
Best EC: Finalists '71.
Stars: Asa Asanovic, Krzysztof Warzycha.
SL verdict: If we need a Greek side, they're in. BORDERLINE.
GROUP F
BENFICA (Q2)
Best EC: Winners (2) '61, '62.
Stars: Karel Poborsky, Brian Deane... enough said.
SL verdict: Love the history, but not the poverty. BORDERLINE.
HJK HELSINKI (Q)
Best EC: 2R.
Stars: Piracaia.
SL verdict: Don't call us, we'll call you. OUT
KAISERSLAUTERN*
Best EC: 2R.
Stars: Ciriaco Sforza, Olaf Marschall.
SL verdict: Do we have to invite the Bundesliga champions? BORDERLINE.
PSV EINDHOVEN (Q2)
Best EC: Winners '88. Also won: UEFA '78.
Stars: Luc Nilis, Gilles de Bilde.
SL verdict: Can Philips do a deal on the electrics? BORDERLINE.
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