FC Basel pleased at draw
In the draw for the group stage of the European Champions League made on Thursday, Basel face Bayern Munich, AS Roma and the Romanian team CFR Cluj.
The FC Basel website quoted coach Thorsten Fink as saying after the draw that he had had a feeling that they would meet Bayern, his old club.
“I am greatly looking forward to it,” he said.
“We have got a good and attractive group,” he added, while admitting that Bayern and Roma were the favourites.
The German team are the most successful club in German football, having won 22 German titles and 15 German cups. They secured the double last season. They were also the runner up in last year’s Champions League.
AS Roma have been Italian champions three times, the last in 2001, and have won the Italian cup nine times, the last time in 2008.
CFR Cluj were Romanian Liga 1 champions for the first time in 2008. Having thus qualified for the group stage of the 2008-09 Champions League they caused a shock by beating Roma in their opening game, and holding Chelsea to a 0:0 draw.
FC Basel have competed in European competition every season since 1999-2000.
Their first match is at home against Cluj on September 15.
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