Champions League group stage draw: Tough tests for Liverpool and Man City as Bayern and Barcelona meet again
Liverpool and Manchester City face challenging autumns while Bayern will look to continue their recent dominance over Barcelona in a mouth-watering section that also includes Inter after the draw for the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League group stage was made in Istanbul, Türkiye on Thursday.
Teams were divided into four pots based on their UEFA club coefficients. One team from each of the pots was then drawn into the eight groups, A–H. There were a few caveats: no team could play a club from their own association, and sides from the same association were paired to ensure they play on different nights.
Holders Real Madrid will take on RB Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk and Celtic as Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski take on his former side in the group stage after the five-time champions were drawn with Bayern in Group C along with Inter and Viktoria Plzen.
Manchester City forward Erling Haaland will also face his former employers as the English champions were drawn in Group G with Borussia Dortmund. Sevilla and FC Copenhagen completed the group.
Qatari-owned Paris St Germain begin their quest for a maiden trophy in Europe’s elite club competition in a tricky Group H with Juventus, Benfica and Maccabi Haifa.
Last season’s runners-up Liverpool meet Ajax Amsterdam, Napoli and Rangers in Group A.
The Champions League group stage will begin earlier than usual on September 6 and conclude ahead of this year’s World Cup finals which take place in Qatar from November 20.
The Champions League knockout stages begin in February, with the final taking place in Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium in June.
FULL DRAW:
Group A: Ajax (NED), Liverpool (ENG), Napoli (ITA), Rangers (SCO)
Group B: FC Porto (POR), Atletico Madrid (ESP), Bayer Leverkusen (GER), Club Brugge (BEL)
Group C: Bayern Munich (GER), Barcelona (ESP), Inter Milan (ITA), Viktoria Plzen (CZE)
Group D: Eintracht Frankfurt (GER), Tottenham Hotspur (ENG), Sporting (POR), Marseille (FRA)
Group E: AC Milan (ITA), Chelsea (ENG), Red Bull Salzburg (AUT), Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Group F: Real Madrid (ESP), RB Leipzig (GER), Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR), Celtic (SCO)
Group G: Manchester City (ENG), Sevilla (ESP), Borussia Dortmund (GER), FC Copenhagen (DEN)
Group H: Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Juventus (ITA), Benfica (POR), Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
Dates:
Matchday 1: September 6-7
Matchday 2: September 13-14
Matchday 3: October 4-5
Matchday 4: October 11-12
Matchday 5: October 25-26
Matchday 6: November 1-2
