Chelsea, the reigning champion of the English club scene, found themselves in a favorable group following Thursday’s draw for the Champions League group stage. Their Group E opponents include Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR), Juventus Turin (ITA), and the Danish team Nordsjaelland. In contrast, Group D shapes up as the “group of death,” featuring Real Madrid, Manchester City, Ajax Amsterdam, and Borussia Dortmund.
Despite Juventus Turin’s stature as one of the prominent teams in pot 3, Chelsea, last year’s champions against Bayern Munich, is expected to navigate Group E comfortably. The group includes Shakhtar Donetsk and the relatively unknown Nordsjaelland, the least heralded club in the UEFA index. Chelsea has had a promising start to the season, led by their Belgian addition Eden Hazard and a resurgent Fernando Torres.
On the other hand, Real Madrid, among the top seeds, faces a daunting challenge in Group D, alongside national champions Manchester City, Ajax Amsterdam, and Borussia Dortmund. Manchester City, a sought-after team from Pot 2, and Borussia Dortmund, a two-time German champion, make this group particularly tough. Another strong team in Pot 4, Malaga, adds to the competitiveness.
Barcelona, perennial favorites, landed in Group G, where they are expected to face manageable competition from Benfica Lisbon, Spartak Moscow, and Celtic Glasgow.
Last year’s finalist, Bayern Munich, is set for a balanced Group F, joined by Valencia, Lille, and BATE Borisov.
Paris SG, considered one of the dark horses in the tournament, finds itself in Group A, one of the less challenging groups, alongside Porto, Dynamo Kiev, and Dinamo Zagreb. The French club has a good chance of advancing to the knockout stage.
The group stage is scheduled from September 18 to December 5, with the final set to take place on May 25 at Wembley.
