The draw for the UEFA Champions League 2021/22 group stage is set to take place on August 26 in Istanbul.
Teams qualified for the group stage.
Out of 32 teams, 26 have automatically secured their place in the group stage based on last season’s league positions.
Salzburg, Sheriff Tiraspol, Shakhtar Donetsk, Benfica, Malmö and Young Boys are the other six teams who have made it to the group stage from the qualification play-offs.
England – Premier League
Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea
Spain – La Liga
Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, Villarreal
Italy – Serie A
Inter Milan, AC Milan, Atalanta, Juventus
Germany – Bundesliga
Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund, Wolfsburg
Portugal – Primeira Liga
Sporting, Porto, Benfica
France – Ligue 1
Lille, Paris Saint-Germain
Netherlands – Eredivisie
Ajax
Russia – Russia Football League
Zenit St Petersburg
Ukraine – Ukrainian Premier League
Dynamo Kiev, Shakhtar Donetsk
Austria – Austrian Football Bundesliga
Salzburg
Belgium – Belgian First Division A
Club Brugge
Turkey – Super Lig
Besiktas
Switzerland – Swiss Super League
Young Boys
Sweden – Allsvenskan
Malmo
Moldova – Moldovan National Division
Sheriff Tiraspol
Pots
The 32 teams will be divided into four pots, with Pot 1 containing the defending champions Chelsea, Europa League winners Villarreal and the title winners of Europe’s top six leagues.
The remaining pots consist of teams based on UEFA’s coefficient rankings.
Pot 1: Chelsea, Villarreal, Atletico Madrid, Man City, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Lille, Sporting.
Pot 2: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Man Utd, PSG, Liverpool, Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund.
Pot 3: Porto, Ajax, RB Leipzig, Benfica, Atalanta, Zenit, Shakhtar Donetsk, Salzburg.
Pot 4: Besiktas, Dynamo Kyiv, Club Brugge, Young Boys, AC Milan, Malmo, Wolfsburg, Sherrif Tiraspol.
Given that the teams of the same league can’t face off until the knockout stages, Manchester City and Chelsea could draw against the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
Champions League schedule
Matchday 1: September 14/15
Matchday 2: September 28/29
Matchday 3: 19/20 October
Matchday 4: 2/3 November
Matchday 5: 23/24 November
Matchday 6: 7/8 December
Matchday 1: September 14/15
Matchday 2: September 28/29
Matchday 3: 19/20 October
Matchday 4: 2/3 November
Matchday 5: 23/24 November
Matchday 6: 7/8 December
Primeira Liga jumps ahead of Ligue 1 in the coefficient rankings
Ligue 1 is now not among the top-five leagues in Europe as UEFA have confirmed that Premeira Liga (Portuguese top-flight) has jumped to the fifth place in coefficient rankings, thus pushing down the French top league.
It is mainly due to PSG’s monopoly in the French first division and their overwhelming financial wealth that have thwarted the progress of other clubs in the league.
