[cn-social-icon]
The UEFA Champions League group-stage draw details: When is the draw, how it works, teams and pots, and the end of away goal rule
Thursday 26 August is a key day in every Champions League football lover as that is when clubs European path will be carved out in Istanbul in the Champions League group-stage draw, which will start at 18:00 CEST.
HOW THE DRAW WORKS
Each group will be made up of one team from each pot. Thursday’s draw will consider the classic rule which states that teams from the same association cannot face each other in the group stage.
Any other confinements will be announced ahead of the draw ceremony.
UEFA has stated that if an association has two representatives, the clubs will be paired in order to split their fixtures between Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
If an association has four (or more) representatives, two pairings will be made, which will be based on TV audiences and will be confirmed prior to the draw.
THE 26 TEAMS TO HAVE QUALIFIED SO FAR: THE POTS
At the moment, 26 clubs have automatically qualified for the Champions League group stage. The other six teams will be decided by the results of the play-offs. The return fixtures of the following ties are scheduled to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday: Salzburg 2-1 Brondby; Young Boys 3-2 Ferencvaros; Malmo 2-0 Ludogorets; Sheriff Tiraspol 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb; Monaco 0-1 Shakhtar Donetsk; Benfica 2-1 PSV.
With the exception of pot 1 which is already confirmed, the pots will be finalised after the play-offs.
Pot 1
This includes the UEFA Champions League holders, the UEFA Europa League holders and the winners of the six highest-ranking leagues (Spain, England, Germany, Italy, France and Portugal).
Chelsea (ENG) [98,000] – UEFA Champions League holders
Bayern Munich (GER) [134,000]
Manchester City (ENG) [125,000]
Atletico Madrid (ESP) [115,000]
Villarreal (ESP) [63,000] – UEFA Europa League holders
Inter (ITA) [53,000]
Sporting CP (POR) [45,500]
LOSC Lille (FRA) [14,000]
Pot 2
Real Madrid
Barcelona
Juventus
Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain
Liverpool
Sevilla
Borussia Dortmund
Pot 3
Porto
Ajax
Leipzig
Atalanta
Zenit
Pot 4
Besiktas
Bruges
Dynamo Kyiv
Milan
Wolfsburg
THE END OF THE AWAY-GOAL RULE
The five-substitution rule remains in place in the 2021/22 Champions League. It is worth noting that if the aggregate score is level after the second leg, extra-time will be played, followed by a penalty shootout to determine the winner if necessary, regardless of the number of goals that each side has scored away from home.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DATES
GROUP STAGE
Matchday one: 14/15 September
Matchday two: 28/29 September
Matchday three: 19/20 October
Matchday four: 2/3 November
Matchday five: 23/24 November
Matchday six: 7/8 December
KNOCKOUT STAGE
Round of 16: 15/16/22/23 February and 8/9/15/16 March 2022
Quarter-finals: 5/6 and 12/13 April 2022
Semi-finals: 26/27 April and 3/4 May 2022
Final: 28 May 2022
Draw dates
26 August 2021: group stage (Istanbul, Turkey)
13 December 2021: round of 16
18 March 2022: quarter-finals and semi-finals
THE FINAL WILL BE PLAYED IN SAINT PETERSBURG
Saint Petersburg will stage the 2021/22 Champions League final. Zenit’s home ground was originally scheduled to host the 2021 final, which was eventually moved to Lisbon due to the pandemic.
ALSO READ:
- End of UEFA Financial Fair Play: UEFA set to ‘replace’ Financial Fair Play rules as salary cap looms for European clubs
- Blow to UEFA as Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid win their court dispute on ill-fated European Super League launch.
- UEFA confirms major Champions League change that will affect Liverpool, Man City, Man United, and Chelsea.
- UEFA react to allegations of pushing Denmark’s players to play on after Christian Eriksen collapsed.
- Finally UEFA ‘decides to scrap off 56 years historic away goals in European competitions.’
[cn-social-icon]
The UEFA Champions League group-stage draw details: When is the draw, how it works, teams and pots, and the end of away goal rule
