2007/2008 Champion's League Group Stages Completed

Wednesday December 12, 2007 (http://worldsoccer.about.com/)

The preliminary stages of the 2007/2008 UEFA Champion's League have been completed for another year as the clubs competing for the trophy get whittled down and we prepare for the excitement of the knockout stages.

There were few surprises once all games had been played with the usual collection of big name clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and last season's champions AC Milan all making it through at the top of their respective groups, along with FC Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Sevilla. Last season's beaten finalists Liverpool scraped through in second place in Group A while several other clubs left it late to also claim the second qualifying place from their respective groups, most notably Lyon in Group E with a last game win away to Rangers and Fenerbahce in Group G thanks to a little help from Inter Milan.

For the third placed clubs there is the scant consolation of entry into the knockout stages of the 2007/2008 UEFA Cup and with clubs such as Marseille, Rosenborg, Werder Bremen, Benfica, Rangers, Sporting Lisbon, PSV Eindhoven and Slavia Prague now involved the UEFA Cup is looking a much tougher nut to crack.

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