Champions League dates and a bit more...

 

Champions League dates and a bit more...

It was touch and go whether we would get into the top four and thus play in the champions league for 2022/23. Still, we did it with a combination of Conte's influence/ focusing the players' minds and giving them a purpose (which Santo-Clause Nuno failed to do), and Woolwich-Arse-Sleepers throwing it all way; their bleary-eyed manager and his sheepy-like dog-eared-players refused to jump the last hurdle at St. James' park and therefore handing us the baton.

Not wanting to rub salt into Arteta's wounds… (because we wouldn't do that… would we!!), so here goes… Mikel "tickle-his-Arse" Arteta; who won the famed prize of a comedian of the year, voted by Jokers anonymous, sponsored by KY Jelly, has been managing Woolwich since 2019 (he is also a former player) and has never managed to get above us as that manager. Still, the club owners – in their wisdom - want to persist in his failures. So another season for them looking up at us and watching the true kings of North London battle with the elites… anyway, we'll leave him where he belongs – along with his team – in the Twilight Zone dreams.

Conte came after the disastrous Santo-Clause was given the boot, then worked miracles with a mixed punch of dejected, star-quality, shapeless and hapless players and then turned them into Champions League wannabees.

Yes, we are in Europe and in the prestigious Trophy competition for elites…

The 68th season of Europe's elite club competition, the 31st since it was renamed the UEFA Champions League, begins on 21 June 2022 and runs to 10 June 2023.

As a Spurs traveller to home, away and abroad games, I am looking forward to this season. I've been to some of the best stadiums in Europe and am looking to add new stadiums to my list and, of course, win a few trophies along the way.

The other English teams in this competition will be City (the more prosperous part of Manchester), the Scousers (that is Liverpool, not near relegation hot doggers Everton (that is "doggers, and not dogging), famous for chewing toffees and the once pride of Russia, Chelski. As you will see, there are no Woolwich, United or bubbling-blowing specialities competing in this competition, just the elites of European football.

The season will begin earlier than usual to accommodate the winter World Cup

Preliminary round semi-finals: 21 June 2022

Preliminary round final: 24 June 2022

First qualifying round: 5/6 & 12/13 July 2022

Second qualifying round: 19/20 & 26/27 July 2022

Third qualifying round: 2/3 & 9 August 2022

Play-offs: 16/17 & 23/24 August 2022

Champions League group stage start?

Matchday 1: 6/7 September 2022

Matchday 2: 13/14 September 2022

Matchday 3: 4/5 October 2022

Matchday 4: 11/12 October 2022

Matchday 5: 25/26 October 2022

Matchday 6: 1/2 November 2022

The knockout stages of the Champions League start?

Round of 16: 14/15/21/22 February & 7/8/14/15 March 2023

Quarter-finals: 11/12 & 18/19 April 2023

Semi-finals: 9/10 & 16/17 May 2023

Final: 10 June 2023

The final will take place at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, home of the Turkish national team.

When are the 2022/23 Champions League draws?

Preliminary round: 7 June 2022

First qualifying round: 14 June 2022

Second qualifying round: 15 June 2022

Third qualifying round: 18 July 2022

Play-off round: 2 August 2022

Group stage: 25 August 2022

Round of 16: 7 November 2022

Quarter-finals & semi-finals: 17 March 2022

So, there you have it… a league that the world of football fans will be focused upon… don't you just love Spurs? Hopefully, Conte can restore us to our proper place, despite the potential interference of Levy and Lewis. Or, I am probably being a bit unfair; we must (providing Conte is allowed to prosper within the fortress of Levy) give credit to the master supremo for coming to his senses and realising that you can't put a pig in a poke and expect its grunting to make all the running. It takes a bit of financial input, spurs running through one's blood and good management, not a blind driver who has asked his managers to swap a Roll Royce engine for a hearse's and then expects the near-walking-dead to come alive and play wonders beyond their capabilities for you for the sake of less money.

To the future….

COYS!

Glenn