Unluckiest 5 years of Champions League Group/Knockout draw?

I'm playing as Ajax Amsterdam, and have qualified for the Champions League every season. I'm happy, money is coming in, raising the Rep of the club. But could I be any more unlucky in my draws?

Season One, drawn in Group with Real Madrid and CSKA. Qualified 2nd, got drawn Manchester United, go out.

Season Two, drawn in Group with Manchester United and Ac Milan. Finish 3rd, go out.

Season Three, drawn in Group with Chelsea and Juventus. Qualified 2nd, got drawn Manchester United, go out

Season Four, drawn in Group with Manchester City. Qualified 2nd, got drawn Barcelona, go out.

Season Five drawn in Group with Arsenal and Benfica. haven't played yet...

I understand that as Ajax we're 2nd seeds for the group stage, and never finishing 1st in my group also makes it difficult, but I need to catch a break! I've never gotten one of the 'smaller' teams who've finished top of their groups :confused:

I'm not intending this as whinging about the game, I like the challenge, but just for one season I'd like a nice draw, is that too much to ask?

I would say you have been unlucky three years, the years you made the knockout stages. Getting Barca once and Man U twice is quite unlucky. The groups dont seem to bad considering you were probably 2nd or 3rd seed, especially the latest one with Benfica and Arsenal. Maybe the Juventus draw was unlucky, they were probably a low seed due to their recent troubles and being out of europe for so long. Hopefully you will get a kind draw if you get through this year

It's kind of a revolving cycle. Losing means you don't get enough coefficient points to improve your standings, which puts you in line to draw tough opposition again, and it repeats.

Maybe what you can do is when you end up in the Europa League somehow (whenever you do), make a fist out of it and try to win the thing. That might earn you valuable points to increase your coefficient.

Some tough draws there- I have regularly found that the last 16 draw is the toughest one. Having got through the group stages, usually with a bit of a battle, it is amazing how often you appear to draw one of the favourites and not one of the teasm that you have an eye on as one you could beat.

As FC Zwolle I've won this tournament twice and have easily a top 8 squad in Europe yet it is so enfuriating for me to see how many times I wina group and yet draw the eventual winners in the next round...

This has happened to me three times in 5 years, twice I've been drawn against Man City and once against AC Milan. Admittedly we have had success in the past drawing teams like FC Zurich in the 2nd Round so I do feel a bit silly bringing it up.

Some tough draws there- I have regularly found that the last 16 draw is the toughest one. Having got through the group stages, usually with a bit of a battle, it is amazing how often you appear to draw one of the favourites and not one of the teasm that you have an eye on as one you could beat.

I second that. Playing also as Ajax I drawed Manchester United in the last 16. Won 3-2 on aggregate and had Celtic in the quarters and Lyon in the semis. I'm not saying the draw is fixed in any way, but you seem to draw awfully often against strong teams in the first knockout round.

Then again, IRL there are far more upsets in the CL Group Round. The last 16 in the season I talked about were Ajax, Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern München, AC Milan, Juventus, Celtic, Lyon, Internazionale, Valencia, Schalke, Zenith and Porto.

I'm also playing as Ajax and half way through my second season!

My first year in the Champions League my group was: Manchester United, Valencia, Ajax, Napoli. I finished 2nd in this group but went out to Chelsea in the 2nd round 3:2 on aggregate.

This season my group was: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Ajax, FC Zurich. I finished 3rd but hoping to get a good Europa League run going!

I keep getting paired with Barcelona.

We were in the same group when we made our Champions League debut & were paired at the group stage last year along with being drawn against each other at the QF stage, this year we have once again been drawn together at the QF stage.

Thankfully it's now 2032 & although they are a very good side they are not the all conquering force they once were.

The CL is tough when your coefficient is still low. I just got sent packing by Marseille, who have the best GK in the world, and my best winger got injured only days prior, and in both legs he showed it! I am also playing with Juventus, and they advanced to the next round to face... Marseille! Guess what, this time their star GK got injured just before the tie! They really were pushovers without a world beater in goal!

I keep getting paired with Barcelona.

We were in the same group when we made our Champions League debut & were paired at the group stage last year along with being drawn against each other at the QF stage, this year we have once again been drawn together at the QF stage.

Thankfully it's now 2032 & although they are a very good side they are not the all conquering force they once were.

In my first CL appearance with Tenerife I got Leverkusen, Porto and Spartak Moscow despite being 4th seeds. I don't think I could have got it easier. Got Inter Milan in the first knockout round after only getting second in the group but my style totally neutralised them and crushed them at home and scraped through away, came up against Leverkusen again and lost on penalties. The knockouts were kind to me too I guess

The CL is tough when your coefficient is still low. I just got sent packing by Marseille, who have the best GK in the world, and my best winger got injured only days prior, and in both legs he showed it! I am also playing with Juventus, and they advanced to the next round to face... Marseille! Guess what, this time their star GK got injured just before the tie! They really were pushovers without a world beater in goal!

I forgot to mention that we were also paired in the group stage this season, that'll make it 10 matches in 3 years of the competition.

I'll move to being a top seed next season so thankfully I'll at least miss them in the group stage.

The CL is tough when your coefficient is still low. I just got sent packing by Marseille, who have the best GK in the world, and my best winger got injured only days prior, and in both legs he showed it! I am also playing with Juventus, and they advanced to the next round to face... Marseille! Guess what, this time their star GK got injured just before the tie! They really were pushovers without a world beater in goal!

I don't think it's a pushover at all, even with a high coefficient. As Zwolle I found it really difficult to get further than the 1/4 finals through sheer horrible draws.

I manage Juventus, and my 'feeder' club is Sevilla (although I never transfer a world class player from Sevilla to Juventus, I will develop youths, or get Spanish citizenship for talented South Americans) and I happened to face Marseille in the First Knockout Round (w Sevilla) and lost, and then with Juventus in the Quarter Finals. My comment was that Marseille were pushovers without their star goalie, the only reason they beat my Sevilla team.

Champions League football is definitely tough, it helps to have some experienced veterans, and some big-game players, though, that is for sure! And squad depth! If you don't have home-grown players atleast up your squad size (in the CL) by using talented u20s!

I don't think it's a pushover at all, even with a high coefficient. As Zwolle I found it really difficult to get further than the 1/4 finals through sheer horrible draws.

After 6 seasons with Newcastle, i finally made the champions league. I got Madrid,Inter and Ajax in the groups and came last very tough group

I manage Juventus, and my 'feeder' club is Sevilla (although I never transfer a world class player from Sevilla to Juventus, I will develop youths, or get Spanish citizenship for talented South Americans) and I happened to face Marseille in the First Knockout Round (w Sevilla) and lost, and then with Juventus in the Quarter Finals. My comment was that Marseille were pushovers without their star goalie, the only reason they beat my Sevilla team.

Champions League football is definitely tough, it helps to have some experienced veterans, and some big-game players, though, that is for sure! And squad depth! If you don't have home-grown players atleast up your squad size (in the CL) by using talented u20s!

I wasn't really replying to that part, just saying that CL football will be tough in most years due to the embarrassment of good teams and lack of upsets, especially in the first 10 years of game time. I don't mind though because of the challenge.

I have won it 4x on this save, twice with Zwolle and once each with Man City and Real Madrid, and I have to say my second Zwolle team was the best "blend" of talent as you might call it. I had a squad who were all in their primes and I was unbeaten all year in the cups and lost only twice in the league. Was fun.