Champions League 22-23 Draw For The Group Stage Is Confirmed
The draw for the group stage of the Champions League 22-23 took place this Thursday in Istanbul, Turkey. The final will take place in Istanbul next year, June 10, 2023. Real Madrid, the current champions, will be defending the title, starting their campaign from group F. Notably, the championship will take a break for the FIFA world cup scheduled for November in Qatar. Therefore, the round 16 match will takes place next year in February and March 2023. The heavyweights of Europe will lock horns for the prestigious title, and the journey will begin on September 6, 2022.
Champions League 22-23 Draw
Real Madrid, the defending champions, is placed in Group F and will battle Shakhtar (Ukraine), Celtic (Scotland), and Leipzig (Germany) in the group stage. The runner-up, Liverpool, is placed in group A, where it will face Napoli (Italy), Ajax (Netherlands), and Rangers (Scotland).
Meanwhile, Barca finds itself in group C, the so-called group of death, and will be pitched against Viktoria Plzen, Bayern Munich, and Inter Milan. Robert Lewandowski will take on his former team, and undoubtedly, the tussle between the Germans and Spanish clubs will be interesting.
Full results of the draw
Group A: Ajax Amsterdam (NED), Liverpool (ENG), Napoli (ITA), Glasgow Rangers (SCO)
Group B: FC Porto (POR), Atlético 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 Portugal (POR), Marseille (FRA)
Group E: AC Milan (ITA), Chelsea (ENG), RB Salzburg (AUT), Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Group F: Real Madrid (ESP), RB Leipzig (GER), Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR), Celtic Glasgow (SCO )
Group G: Manchester City (ENG), Sevilla FC (ESP), Borussia Dortmund (GER), FC Copenhagen (DEN)
Group H: Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Juventus (ITA), Benfica (POR), Maccabi Haifa (SRI)
Champions League group stage schedule
Matchday 1 – 6th/7th September
âš½ Matchday 2 – 13th/14th September
âš½ Matchday 3 – 4th/5th October
âš½ Matchday 4 – 11th/12th October
âš½ Matchday 5 – 25th/26th October
âš½ Matchday 6 – 1st/2nd November
Why this Champions League is special?
The Champions League title is undoubtedly the main objective of all major European clubs. Primarily due to the prestige that comes with lifting the coveted trophy. However, this year’s champions league is different.
Although the league was divided into two primary phases, this year, it will be separated by the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The players will return to play for their nations. In any case, be prepared for a season full of excitement and thrill.
If we look at the last season, one thing becomes apparent; you can’t underestimate the Champions League group stage draw. The previous year, big teams like Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, and Sevilla were eliminated early in the tournament, which was kind of a shocker but set a clear precedent.
Furthermore, the likes of Atlético Madrid and Inter Milan only managed to reach the round of 16 in group matches. Therefore, it’s evident how crucial the group stage matches are, and no team will take them lightly.
How many teams have qualified for the Champions League?
In total, 32 teams have qualified for the group stage to test their strength and compete for the Champions League title. Six of these 32 secured their place through the preliminary stage, while the remaining 26 obtained the ticket directly.
Last teams to secure a ticket for the champions league are Dinamo Zagreb, Viktoria Pilsen, Maccabi Haifa, Copenhagen, Ranger FC and Benfica.
Real Madrid defeated Liverpool last time to claim the champions league title and are the defending champions. They are still the favorites and most likely to claim the trophy again. However, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, or BRACA are possible contenders too.
How will the Champions League proceed with FIFA World Cup 2022?
Each team in the group will play six matches, all against all, home and away. Teams that were able to secure first and second place in the group stage will qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.
The sixteen clubs qualifying for the round of sixteen will again go through a draw to decide their opponent. The round of 16 draws is scheduled to take place on November 7, 2022.
