Chelsea handed UEFA seedings
boost
Chelsea have finally been granted a place among the Champions
League's top eight seeds.
The former Premiership champions have missed out before now having
failed to amass enough 'coefficient' points.
But the European governing body have now installed Jose Mourinho's
side among the top seeds, meaning the now-deposed English champions
will be handed a supposedly easier group stage draw in the coming
season.
AC Milan, winners in Athens last month, are top seeds (133.808
`points') followed by Barcelona (119.374), Liverpool (112.618) and
Inter Milan (107.808).
Arsenal are England's second-highest seeds with 104.618 followed by
new Spanish champions Real Madrid (104.374), Chelsea (99.618) and
Manchester United (also 99.618).
Seedings are based on the club's performances in Europe over the
preceding five years as well as the ranking of their national
association.
Therefore Champions League debutants Sevilla, although not among
the eight, have a relatively high ranking score due largely to
their double UEFA Cup triumph over the last two years.
Chelsea have been drawn with Barcelona in the group phase twice in
the last three years because the Catalan side have been seeded. The
Blues' new status, however, means they will avoid Barca and other
top teams until the knockout phase.
England is the only country to have all of their teams seeded for
the tournament, which climaxes with the final in Moscow next
May.
extracted from soccernet
-------------------------------------------------------------------
finally chelsea manage to get a seeding spot n i think they deserve
it! 
actually i wonder how the seeding points r computed?
