Champions League draw: Who is playing who in this year’s competition?

August 25, 2022 9News Nigeria Latest News 0

Holders Real Madrid have been drawn against Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in the group stage of the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.

The 14-time winners will also have to take on German side RB Leipzig and Scottish outfit Celtic to begin their title defence.

Shakhtar Donetsk — the only team from Ukraine left in the competition — played their first competitive game on Tuesday after football was suspended following Russia’s invasion.

The Ukrainian champions will play their group games at the Stadion Wojska Polskiego in the Polish capital, Warsaw. Russian teams were banned from UEFA competitions in February.

Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Inter Milan — who have won a combined 14 European Cups or Champions Leagues — were drawn together in a mouthwatering Group C alongside Viktoria Plzeň.

Last year’s runners-up Liverpool will face another British side Rangers, as well as Dutch champions Ajax, and Napoli.

Paris Saint-Germain take on Juventus, together with Benfica, and Israeli side Maccabi Haifa — the lowest ranked side in the Group Stage.

Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are set to compete in the Champions League while also fighting in the European Court of Justice for the right to form their own breakaway competition.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland will return to play against his former club Borussia Dortmund after moving for €60 million in the summer. The English champions were also drawn against Sevilla and Copenhagen in Group G.

Meanwhile last year’s UEFA Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt will play Tottenham Hotspur, Sporting CP, and Marseille.

This season’s fixture schedule has been tightened to an eight-week period due to the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which begins in November.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout rounds, which will begin in 2023.

This season’s Champions League final will take place at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium on 10 June.

The venue last hosted the 2005 showpiece, when Liverpool dramatically came from 0-3 down against AC Milan to win on penalties after extra-time.

Here is the full draw:

Group A

Ajax (Netherlands)

Liverpool (England)

Napoli (Italy)

Rangers (Scotland)

Group B

Porto (Portugal)

Atlético Madrid (Spain)

Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)

Club Brugge (Belgium)

Group C

Bayern Munich (Germany)

Barcelona (Spain)

Inter Milan (Italy)

Viktoria Plzeň (Czech Republic)

Group D

Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany)

Tottenham Hotspur (England)

Sporting CP (Portugal)

Marseille (France)

Group E

AC Milan (Italy)

Chelsea (England)

Salzburg (Austria)

Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)

Group F

Real Madrid (Spain)

RB Leipzig (Germany)

Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)

Celtic (Scotland)

Group G

Manchester City (England)

Sevilla (Spain)

Borussia Dortmund (Germany)

Copenhagen (Denmark)

Group H

Paris Saint-Germain (France)

Juventus (Italy)

Benfica (Portugal)

Maccabi Haifa (Israel)

Source

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