HJK really got a hard opponent. I think this draw will be close. HJK is very ambitious for success in this year's UEFA Cup but we must remember Parma are former winners.
As for the other Finnish team in the UEFA Cup Haka they were drawn a 2 division team from Germany. How lucky are Haka? First get a ticket to the third qualification round of the UCL and now they get the easiest opponent in the UEFA Cup draw. I bet they'll loose anyway. heh
Haka is terrible in European competition although they managed 4-1 against Liverpool at Anfield.
Does someone have a list of all the teams drawn?
Who did your team get drawn against and how do you fancy their chances?

[ 08-24-2001: Message edited by: Jari Litmanen ]

I really don't care much about UEFA CUP...but yes about ucl and particularly this time...its gonna be a Cracker!!!

Liverpool come back and some good teams as well

Right now I am very interested in the UEFA Cup. The team I support HJK Helsinki has a good chance of going far in the UEFA Cup but that wouldn't be the case in the UCL. We have very hard competition in the first round against Lazio. We had bad luck in the draw. Italian football has been poor during recent years but I still think Parma is a very strong team and they just bought Hidetoshi Nakata to strengthen them up front. Last time HJK played in the UCL was in '98 when we beat Benfica and Kaiserslautern but we didn't reach the second round after loosing 1-3 to PSV Eindhoven in Helsinki. Van Nistlerooy scored all three for PSV. UEFA Cup success is more realistic for a club like ours. We wouldn't stand a chance against the likes of ManU and Real Madrid.

Man, be a bit optimistic!
This is football, anything can happen.
Indeed in theory Parma is indeed the strongest team. But last year they were elimated by (the one and only! :D) PSV.
And Anderlecht isn't the biggest club either, but last year they reached the 2th round of the UCL and beated FC Porto, Dinamo Kiev, PSV :(, Manchester United, Lazio Roma and even Real Madrid. Normally (in theory) They wouldn't stand a chance. What i'm trying to say i wouldn't count to much on it, but you know miracles do happen! ;)

a Russian team, Chernomorets Novorosiisk got VALENCIA, I think. And Chernomorets are tipped for relegation from the russian Premier Division this season as they are DEAD LAST right now.. The thing is that Russian league ends in October and the teams that get into the european Cups have 10 MONTHS until the games in CL/UEFA Cup start. And a lot can happen in 10 months; in Chernomorets case 10 months can ruin a club as they are tipped for a shamful result against Valencia.


other clubs, though, appear to get not bad opponents. Some club will play a team from MALTA.. Torpedo Moscow will play Imspwich (and that's great -- I might see the game as our Fox Sports World channel shows English teams in the UEFA Cup), and some other team got Glasgow Rangers as opponents..

PS. Last year FSW showed Parma's UEFA Cup games (because they won it in 99/00).. If they do the same this year, I might as well see the HJK-Parma game.

Then you can see Alexei Jeremenko playing for HJK. I think we will win Parma at home depending on what form they are in right now. Our team has lost many good players to clubs abroad. Last year we beat Celtic 2-0 at home.
Btw Russian rocket if you want more information on the match against Parma and HJK's squad go to : www.hjk.fi (http://www.hjk.fi)
They have an English section

Porto is on Group E, along Juve, Celtic and Rosenborg. It will be a tough one, altough when Porto is on shape, is unbeatable at home (ask Real Madrid). Maybe we can qualify second.

Boavista will play Liverpool, Dortmund and Kiev... (very) Luckly they might play the UEFA Cup.

Sporting will play a danish team... I won't make any comments, as they were already eliminated by Viking two years ago :rolleyes:

Maritimo will play Leeds... If they can give a fight and maybe get a draw, I'll be happy.

i think HJK can win at home but make your game at the Finnair count.

Rangers beat parma to get into the champs league so i think you are capable of winning

FORZA HJK!!!

and good luck to FC Porto against the knuckle draggers

I think HJK should win. HJK has a good home record from Champions league and UEFA Cup competitions and I don't think this match will be an exception. I sincerly hope ity won't be! =)
C'mon The Hearts !!!
I really hope the Hearts will get to challenge Celtic and Rangers this year. I've had enough of seeing them always win the Scottish Premiership.

Give me a break guys. The reason that Anderlecht did so well is because they had Koller, Radzinski, and company. Truly a great team. HJK don't stand a chance against Parma either home or at the Tardini. They don't have the funds, the scouting, or the training grounds and such of Parma. Parma is an Amazing team. How many goals do you honestly think some Finish team can get past Sebastian Frey in goal, and Fabio Cannavaro in defence. Who in Finland could slow down Alex, Savo Milosevic, Hidetoshi Nakata, Sergio Conceicao, etc. No one! Sorry HJK, but you will get creamed.