NYON: European kings Bayern Munich have landed a apparently reassuring start to the defence of the Champions League Cup after the group stage draw matched them with Atletico Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow.
But most football eyes will also be drawn to Group G which provides a competitive reunion for Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo after Barcelona and Juventus were matched with Ferencvaros and Kiev Dynamo.
Last season’s runners-up, Paris Saint-Germain, will face Manchester United, last term semi-finalists RB Leipzig and İstanbul Basaksehir.
By contrast, Manchester City will feel very happy with their draw having been pitted against Porto, Olympiacos and Marseille, while Chelsea were paired with Europa League winners Sevilla, Russian debutants Krasnodar and Rennes.
Champions League group stage draw
Group A
- Bayern Munich
- Atletico Madrid
- FC Salzburg
- Lokomotiv Moscow
Group B
- Real Madrid
- Shakhtar Donetsk
- Inter Milan
- Borussia Monchengladbach
Group C
- Porto
- Manchester City
- Olympiacos
- Marseille
- Liverpool
- Ajax
- Atalanta
- FC Midtjylland
- Sevilla
- Chelsea
- Krasnodar
- Rennes
- Zenit St Petersburg
- Borussia Dortmund
- Lazio
- Club Brugge
Group G
- Juventus
- Barcelona
- Dynamo Kiev
- Ferencvaros
- Paris St Germain
- Manchester United
- RB Leipzig
- İstanbul Basaksehir
Champions League fixture schedule
- October 20/21: Group stage matchday 1
- October 27/28: Group stage matchday 2
- November 3/4: Group stage matchday 3
- November 24/25: Group stage matchday 4
- December 1/2: Group stage matchday 5
- December 8/9: Group stage matchday 6
- February 16/17, 2021: Round of 16
- April 6/14, 2021: Quarter-finals
- April 17 & May 5, 2021: Semi-finals
- May 29, 2021: Final (Istanbul)
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