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The UEFA Champions League group stage draw is over and it has launched a host of exciting clashes and storylines for the coming months with a series of Europe’s biggest clubs drawn against each other. CBS Sports and Paramount + will be your go-to home for anything Champions League related.
Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain will face off in Group A, in what could ultimately be a clash between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The latter has already moved to the French capital as the Premier League champions are in talks with Ronaldo’s representatives over a possible transfer. Either way, their quartet could be the most exciting of all with German side RB Leipzig joining them a year after knocking out Manchester United in the group stage.
Meanwhile, Messi’s former club Barcelona will face a repeat of their nightmarish 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the 2020 quarter-finals in Group E. Defending holders Chelsea will face Juventus in the Group H while Group B contains three former winners – Liverpool, Porto and AC Milan – alongside Spanish champions Atletico Madrid.
Champions League group stage results
- Group A: Manchester City, Paris Saint Germain, RB Leipzig, Club Brugge
- Group B: Atlético Madrid, Liverpool, Porto, AC Milan
- Group C: Sportsman, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax, Besiktas
- Group D: Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sheriff
- Group E: Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Benfica, Dynamo Kiev
- Group F: Villarreal, Manchester United, Atalanta, Young Boys
- Group G: Lille, Seville, Red Bull Salzburg, Wolfsburg
- Group H: Chelsea, Juventus, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Malmö
Winners and losers
Winners – Residents of Group C
None of the Sporting, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax and Besiktas quartets are expected to take their passage to the round of 16 for granted, but Branislav Ivanovic and Michael Essien have also done them a great service with today’s draw. ‘hui. With the possible exception of the German giants, neither of these teams would have been particularly favored to reach the round of 16, but they will all feel that a place in the top two is firmly within their grasp.
For Borussia Dortmund in particular, the draw could hardly be more favorable and although first place is no longer quite a boon to the round of 16 draw than it was ten years ago, these opponents could offer to Erling Haaland and his company a chance to really win on this ground. competition from the start.
Losers – Paris Saint-Germain
Nasser Al Khelaifi’s face said it all. The last thing he wanted was a game against European football’s other financial juggernaut at Manchester City, a stiff expression stretching across his face as the camera turned on him following the revelation his team would be placed in. Group A. Add RB Leipzig to the mix – a team that beat them at home in last season’s group stage – and it’s a tough group for all of its participants.
So why are PSG losing? Unlike Man City, they won’t enter the group stage with a squad familiar with their own strengths and weaknesses, with the odd addition rounding out Pep Guardiola’s finalists from last season. Instead, Mauricio Pochettino has just a few less than competitive Ligue 1 games to put in place a system that brings out the best of Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos and Georginio Wijnaldum. The talent is there, but is there enough time to ensure that this team, widely expected to win the entire tournament, doesn’t suffer from a few early swings?
Winners – Sheriff Tiraspol
The champions of Moldova will know that this kind of opportunity does not present itself so often. They are the first representatives of their country to reach the group stages of the competition and although they were good value for their 3-0 aggregate victory over Dinamo Zagreb, it is fair to wonder if they will be. come back here so often.
If this is a one-off, or at least infrequent, visit to the business side of the Champions League, then what better way than to welcome the most prestigious club in the history of this competition to Tiraspol? And it is not only Real Madrid but Inter Milan, triple European champion, which makes the trip to Transnistria. The sheriff might also think they may give Shakhtar Donetsk a few headaches after battling Monaco in the playoffs.
Losers – Anyone who has long lost interest in the Messi-Ronaldo debate
If Cristiano Ronaldo moves to City, God help us all. A cocktail of nonsensical and sickening tweets “can’t we just appreciate them both for what they are” seems inevitable. Someone turns off Twitter for City-PSG matches.
Winner – Thomas Tuchel
Another who will be more than happy with his lot, the Chelsea manager will feel a bit like Goldilocks with this particular group. Not so easy that expectations are exaggerated for the holders, not so difficult as to seriously question their qualification. If Cristiano Ronaldo gets the exit, he wishes Juventus might not have enough offensive firepower to really test the continent’s best defense. During this time, Tuchel withdraws from it trips to Turin, Saint Petersburg and Bruges. Good job if you can get it.
Group stage dates
Thursday August 26
Group stage draw (Paramount +)
Tuesday September 14
Day 1 (Paramount +)
Wednesday September 15th
Day 1 (Paramount +)
Tuesday September 28
Day 2 (Paramount +)
Wednesday September 29
Day 2 (Paramount +)
Tuesday October 19
Day 3 (Paramount +)
Wednesday October 20
Day 3 (Paramount +)
Tuesday, November 2
Day 4 (Paramount +)
Wednesday November 3
Day 4 (Paramount +)
Tuesday 23 November
5th day (Paramount +)
Wednesday, November 24
5th day (Paramount +)
Tuesday, December 7
Day 6 (Paramount +)
Wednesday December 8
Day 6 (Paramount +)
Dates of knockout stages
Monday 13 December
Round of 16 draw (Paramount +)
Tuesday February 15
Round of 16 first leg (Paramount +)
Wednesday February 16
Round of 16 first leg (Paramount +)
Tuesday February 22
Round of 16 first leg (Paramount +)
Wednesday 23 February
Round of 16 first leg (Paramount +)
Tuesday March 8
Round of 16 second leg (Paramount +)
Wednesday March 9
Round of 16 second leg (Paramount +)
Tuesday March 15
Round of 16 second leg (Paramount +)
Wednesday March 16
Round of 16 second leg (Paramount +)
Friday 18th March
Quarter-finals and semi-finals draw (Paramount +)
Tuesday, April 5
Quarter-finals first leg (Paramount +)
Wednesday 6 April
Quarter-finals first leg (Paramount +)
Tuesday 12 April
Quarter-finals second leg (Paramount +)
Wednesday April 13
Quarter-finals second leg (Paramount +)
Tuesday April 26
Semi-finals first leg (Paramount +)
Wednesday April 27
Semi-finals first leg (Paramount +)
Tuesday 3 May
Semi-finals return (Paramount +)
Wednesday, May 4
Semi-finals return (Paramount +)
saturday 28 may
Champions League Final at Saint Petersburg Stadium (Paramount +)
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