UEFA Champions League Group Stage: Munich, Real, AC Milan, and Newcastle in the Group of Death?
By Nam Jeong-hoon | Reporter for 스포탈코리아
As the UEFA Champions League group stage participants have been confirmed, fans are buzzing with excitement as some of the biggest European clubs are set to face off. The groups are yet to be drawn, but the possibility of a “Group of Death” consisting of Munich, Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Newcastle has caught the attention of many football enthusiasts.
Out of the 32 participating teams, 26 secured their spot in the group stage through straight qualification. The remaining six teams, Galatasaray, Young Boys, Braga, Antwerp, Köbenhavn, and PSV, entered through the playoffs and will also compete in the group stage. These teams will be distributed across four pots during the draw.
One team that stands out from the rest is Newcastle. With a recent change in ownership and a strong performance last season, the club has quickly risen in prominence. Under the management of Eddie Howe, Newcastle finished fourth in the Premier League, just four points behind Liverpool. This impressive result secured them a coveted spot in the Champions League.
Looking to strengthen their squad further, Newcastle has made notable signings, including AC Milan’s key midfielder Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes, Timo Libramento, and Louis Hall. With these reinforcements, Newcastle is poised to make a strong impact in the tournament.
However, if Newcastle ends up in pot 4 during the draw, the teams in pots 2 and 3 will have a daunting challenge ahead of them. In the Premier League last season, Newcastle finished sixth with 68 points and had the fewest goals conceded, tying with Manchester City. Thus, their objective strength places them more likely in pots 2 or 3, rather than pot 4.
The confirmed teams in pot 4 are Union Berlin and RC Lens. Union Berlin, a Bundesliga team, qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history. Despite having the lowest goal tally among the qualified teams last season, Union Berlin has made significant signings and is expected to put up a strong fight.
RC Lens, on the other hand, finished second in the French league last season, narrowly missing out on the title. However, with the transfer of key players Royce Offenda and Seco Popana, their destructive force may weaken compared to the previous season.
The much-anticipated UEFA Champions League group draw will take place on September 1st at 1:00 am (Korea time) at the prestigious Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. This ceremony will also include award presentations for the 2023/23 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, UEFA Women’s Player of the Year, UEFA Male Manager of the Year, and UEFA Female Manager of the Year.
It is worth mentioning that this is the final Champions League tie under the current format. Starting from the 2024/25 season, the finals will feature 36 teams and adopt a single Swiss round league format instead of the traditional group stage.
Champions League Group Draw Pots:
- Pot 1: Manchester City, Sevilla, Barcelona, Napoli, Munich, PSG, Benfica, Feyenoord
- Pot 2: Real Madrid, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, Leipzig, Arsenal, Porto
- Pot 3: Shakhtar Donetsk, Red Bull Salzburg, AC Milan, Lazio, Crvena Zvezda, PSV, Braga, Köbenhavn
- Pot 4: Newcastle, Union Berlin, Lens, Young Boys, Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, Celtic, Antwerp
Group Stage Games:
- Matchday 1: 19/20 September 2023
- Matchday 2: 03/04 October 2023
- Matchday 3: 24/25 October 2023
- Matchday 4: 07/08 November 2023
- Matchday 5: 28/29 November 2023
- Matchday 6: 12/13 December 2023
The schedule for the group games will be confirmed after the draw, which will determine the first and second-place finishers in each group. The teams finishing in third place will enter a playoff against the second-place finishers from each UEFA Europa League group to compete for a spot in the Europa League round of 16.
With the UEFA Champions League group stage set to begin, fans around the world eagerly await the thrilling matchups and intense competition that this prestigious tournament always delivers.
Photo: UEFA Website, Getty Images Korea, Gazzetta Shil
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Provided by Portal Korea | 2023.08.31 07:28
[스포탈코리아] Reporter Nam Jeong-hoon = With the 32 participating teams confirmed in the UEFA Champions League group stage, Munich-Real-AC Milan-Newcastle could be in the group of death.
26 teams went straight to the group stage and the other 6 teams (Galatasaray, Young Boys, Braga, Antwerp, Köbenhavn and PSV) are the play-off winners. These clubs were spread across four ports.
The most notable, of course, is the 4-port Newcastle. Newcastle grew rapidly last season with Saudi capital taking over. Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe was appointed and Alexander Isaacs, Anthony Gordon, Sven Botman, Met Target, Nick Pope, etc. were recruited and they finished in 4th place, 4 points off Liverpool’s 5th place last season, and got a ticket to the Champions League
This season, which has progressed to the Champions League, makes reinforcements more fruitful. Starting with the signing of AC Milan’s key midfielder Sandro Tonali, they did a good job signing Harvey Barnes, Timo Libramento, and Louis Hall.
If Newcastle go into pot 4, the team that meets Newcastle in pot 4 will experience hell. Newcastle finished sixth among Premier League teams last season with 68 points and tied with Manchester City for the fewest goals, conceding 33. Objective power should be on ports 2-3, not port 4.
Meanwhile, other confirmed teams from pot 4 are Union Berlin and RC Lens. Union are an exciting team who progressed to the Champions League for the first time since the team’s establishment as the fourth placed team in the Bundesliga last season. Currently, Union has recruited 9 players for the Champions League and has potential as it is the team with the least number of goals scored last season with Munich.
RC Lens are a team that finished second with a difference of 1 point behind Paris last season, and overwhelmingly 1st in the French league with 29 goals. But since Royce Offenda and Seco Popana, who are the team’s most important players, have been transferred, the destructive force is expected to weaken compared to last season.
The Champions League group draw will be held on September 1st at 1:00am (Korea time). The group draw will be held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco for the first time in three years. The schedule of games will be confirmed after the draw of the group, and through these games, first and second place in the group will be decided. The 3rd place in each group will play off the 2nd place in each UEFA Europa League group and progress to the Europa League round of 16.
During the group stage ceremony, there will be award ceremonies for the 2023/23 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, UEFA Women’s Player of the Year, UEFA Male Manager of the Year and UEFA Female Manager of the Year.
Unless the format of the competition is changed again, this tie is the final Champions League tie. Starting with the 2024/25 season competition, where 36 teams take part in the finals, the first round of the finals will be held in a single Swiss round league instead of the current group stage method where four teams are assigned to each group and then the first and second places are decided.
Champions League pots
Pot 1: Manchester City / Sevilla / Barcelona / Napoli / Munich / PSG / Benfica / Feyenoord
Pot 2: Real / Manchester United / Inter / Dortmund / ATM / Leipzig / Arsenal / Porto
Pot 3: Shakhtar / Salzburg / AC Milan / Lazio / Crvena Zvezda / PSV / Braga / Köbenhavn
Pot 4: Newcastle / Union Berlin / Lens / Young Boys / Real Sociedad / Galatasaray / Celtic / Antwerp
Champions League group stage games
Matchday 1: 19/20 September 2023
Matchday 2: 03/04 October 2023
Matchday 3: 24/25 October 2023
Matchday 4: 07/08 November 2023
Matchday 5: 28/29 November 2023
Matchday 6: 12/13 December 2023
Photo = UEFA Website, Getty Image Korea, Gazzetta Shil
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