2023/24 Champions League: Who can Real Madrid face in the group stage?
The Champions League returns next month and as always, Real Madrid will be relishing the opportunity to fight for the European Cup.
The fourteen time Champions will find out their opponents for the 2023/24 Champions League group stage on Thursday.
The draw will take place on August 31, at 18:00 CEST. The competition will kick-off on 19 September and the last matchday of the group-stage will be played on 13 December.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2023/24 Champions League group-stage draw and who Real Madrid could face:
When is the 2023/24 Champions League group stage draw?
The 2023/24 Champions League group stage draw will take place on Thursday August 31, 2023. The draw proceedings will commence at 18.00 CEST. UEFA will also present awards to the best players, teams and coaches of the 2022/23 competition.
How can I watch it?
The Champions League draw will be livestreamed on UEFA’s website.
How does the draw work and who could Real Madrid face?
The draw features 32 teams. The teams will be split into four pots. Pot 1 consists of the holders (Manchester City), the Europa League winners (Sevilla) and the champions of the six highest-ranked nations who did not qualify via one of the 2022/23 titles; Pots 2 to 4 are determined by the club coefficient rankings. No team can play a side from their own domestic league.
Group stage draw pots:
Real Madrid cannot be drawn against Barcelona or Sevilla, so that means Madrid will face one of Manchester City, Bayern Munich, PSG, Benfica, Napoli or Feyenoord.
Real Madrid cannot be drawn against any team from pot 2.
Real Madrid will be able to face any of the teams from Pot 3.
Real Madrid cannot be drawn against Real Sociedad, so that means Madrid will face one of Young Boys, Galatasaray, Celtic, Newcastle United, Union Berlin, Royal Antwerp or RC Lens.
When does the Champions League 2023/24 group stage start?
The Champions League 2023/24 group stage will kick-off with matches on Tuesday September 19 and Wednesday September 20.
- Matchday 1: 19-20 September 2023
- Matchday 2: 3-4 October 2023
- Matchday 3: 24-25 October 2023
- Matchday 4: 7-8 November 2023
- Matchday 5: 28-29 November 2023
- Matchday 6: 12-13 December 2023
