FC Bayern meets FC Barcelona with former Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski in the Champions League. Vice-champion Borussia Dortmund has to deal with Manchester City and Erling Haaland, RB Leipzig meets the defending champion, but is lucky in the draw. Champions League newcomer Eintracht Frankfurt also ends up in a weaker group.
FC Bayern celebrates a reunion with world footballer Robert Lewandowski from FC Barcelona in the Champions League, Borussia Dortmund with Erling Haaland from Manchester City. The draw for the group stage of the premier class in Istanbul gave the Bundesliga teams exciting but not insoluble groups. RB Leipzig has to deal with defending champions Real Madrid, newcomers Eintracht Frankfurt with Tottenham Hotspur and star striker Harry Kane, and Bayer Leverkusen have to survive against Atlético Madrid.
Bayern boss Oliver Kahn smiled at the Barcelona draw for Group C in the Haliç Congress Center auditorium. Lewandowski had left Munich for Barcelona after a change of theater in the summer, with Bayern the Pole had won everything there was to win. “We used to joke around in the office. Only football writes such stories,” said sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic. “Barcelona have also strengthened. It will be exciting games.” Other Bayern opponents are the big Inter Milan and outsider Viktoria Pilsen. “We have to be careful, with Barcelona and Inter we have two teams that are really strong,” said Salihamidzic. “Of course we’re favorites against Pilsen. It’s not an easy group. Our boys have to give it their all.”
The BVB ticket had to be drawn into Man City Group G during the draw based on the regulations. Haaland left Dortmund for Pep Guardiola’s club in the summer for 75 million euros. Other group opponents of the German runners-up are FC Sevilla and FC Copenhagen. “Manchester City is of course a board in the Champions League,” said BVB captain Marco Reus. “We’re looking forward to it as much as we are to seeing Erling Haaland again.”
The BVB ticket had to be drawn into Man City Group G during the draw based on the regulations. Haaland left Dortmund for Pep Guardiola’s club in the summer for 75 million euros. Other group opponents of the German runners-up are FC Sevilla and FC Copenhagen.
In Group D, Europa League winners Frankfurt were also drawn to Sporting Lisbon and Olympique Marseille. In Group F, Leipzig also play politically emotional games against the Ukrainian team Shakhtar Donetsk and Celtic Glasgow. Leverkusen also have to play against FC Porto and Club Brugge.
Because of the World Cup at the end of the year, the entire preliminary round will be played until the beginning of November. “We will need all the players in the squad this season, everyone in top condition because we have a lot of games,” said Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn. The first group matchday is scheduled for September 6th and 7th, the last for November 1st and 2nd.
In the new year, the round of 16 games will follow in February and March, and the quarter-finals in April. After the semi-finals until mid-May, the final will take place on June 10 – again in Istanbul.
