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Champions League group-stage draw: All you need to know

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Champions League draw

After a summer season jam-packed with worldwide soccer motion in Euro 2020 and the Olympics, Europe’s showpiece home membership competitors returns with the Champions League.

The group stage draw will decide which golf equipment will face one another within the opening stage of the competitors, doubtlessly shaping the trajectory of the event as an entire.

Chelsea are present defending champions after defeating Premier League rivals Manchester Metropolis within the final season’s last, including a second Champions League trophy to their assortment.

Different European heavyweights in Actual Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and Manchester United may even be gunning for this 12 months’s continental prize.

#Premier League

However the continuous soccer carousel retains on turning and the holders, Manchester Metropolis, Liverpool and Manchester United will all discover out who they are going to face within the group stage of the elite European competitors this week.

Sportsmail supplies all you might want to know forward of the draw, together with tips on how to observe it, which groups can nonetheless e-book a spot within the money-spinning competitors and all the important thing dates on the highway to the 2022 last in Russia on Could 28.

When is the Champions League draw?

The draw for the group stage of the 2021-22 Champions League will happen on Thursday, August 26 with the ceremony beginning at 5pm (BST).

The Europa League draw will happen on Friday, August 27 at 12pm (BST).

The Europa Convention League draw may even occur on Friday, August 27 however at 12.30pm (BST).

Tips on how to watch the group stage draw?

You’ll be able to observe Sportsmail’s stay weblog on Thursday whereas the ceremony shall be on a stay stream on the UEFA web site.

UK viewers can even watch the draw stay on BT Sport 1, with protection beginning at 4.45pm and ending at 6.45pm.

Antonio Conte

The place is the draw going down?

The draw will happen in Istanbul, Turkey.

How does the draw work?

Thirty-two golf equipment will take part within the group stage of the Champions League with 26 routinely qualifying and the other six by way of the play-offs.

The groups shall be drawn into eight teams of 4 groups every however for the aim of the draw they’re going to be divided into 4 pots of eight (see under).

No staff can play a membership from the identical nation within the group stage.

What is the dream/nightmare draw for the English golf equipment?

For Chelsea and Manchester Metropolis the same old benefit that comes with being in Pot 1 is just not actually there this season after Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and Lille have been all shock winners of their respective leagues last season.

Because of this Thomas Tuchel’s holders and the reigning Premier League champions could be pitted in opposition to LaLiga giants Actual Madrid or Barcelona, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus or face Paris Saint-Germain with the deadly triumvirate of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.

Oh… and each Chelsea and Metropolis might additionally come up in opposition to a striker they have been eager on signing this summer season in Erling Haaland with Borussia Dortmund additionally in Pot 2.

Subsequently being unseeded might be a blessing for each United and Liverpool as they can’t be drawn in opposition to of these Pot 2 European heavyweights and though they will nonetheless have Atletico and Bayern, the prospect for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jurgen Klopp is considerably much less daunting.

Inter aren’t the pressure they have been final 12 months following Antonio Conte’s departure and with Romelu Lukaku now at Chelsea whereas Villarreal, Lille and Sporting Lisbon shouldn’t trigger any issues for United or Liverpool.

Unai Emery’s Villarreal aspect would have needed to accept the Europa Convention League had they not overwhelmed United within the Europa League last after ending simply seventh within the Spanish prime flight final season. The Purple Devils will need revenge ought to the 2 golf equipment be drawn in opposition to one another on Thursday.

The group stage, which kicks off subsequent month, guarantees to be enthralling proper from the beginning this time round.

Association football

What are the Champions League pots?

Pot 1: Chelsea, Villarreal, Manchester Metropolis, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Lille, Sporting Lisbon.

Pot 2: Actual Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, PSG, Liverpool, Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund.

Pot 3: Porto, Ajax, RB Leipzig, Atalanta, Zenit St Petersburg, Benfica plus Shakhtar Donetsk or Monaco, RB Salzburg or Brondby, Besiktas or Dinamo Kiev.

Pot 4: Membership Brugge, Young Boys, AC Milan, Malmo, Wolfsburg, plus Dinamo Zagreb or Sheriff Tiraspol, Shakhtar Donetsk or Monaco, RB Salzburg or Brondby, Besiktas or Dinamo Kiev.

When are the group stage matches performed?

Matchday 1: September 14/15

Matchday 2: September 28/29

Matchday 3: October 19/20

Matchday 4: November 2/3

Matchday 5: November 23/24

Matchday 6: December 7/8

barcelona

What are the opposite key dates?

Final 16: February 15/16 and February 22/23 (first legs), March 8/9 and March 15/16 (second legs)

Quarter-finals: April 5/6 (first legs) and April 12/13 (second legs)

Semi-finals: April 26/27 (first legs) and Could 3/4 (second legs)

Ultimate: Could 28