2023-24 UEFA Champions League Group Stage Draw: Winners and Losers
August 31, 20232023-24 UEFA Champions League Group Stage Draw: Winners and Losers
The group stage for the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League has now been confirmed.
A total of 32 teams will battle it out for the chance to reach the final at Wembley Stadium in London, but only two will play under the famous arch on June 1.
The field features plenty of huge teams and a couple of clubs returning for the first time in years. And, as always, they'll all want to make a statement in Europe's premier club competition.
The draw delivered winners and losers even before a ball had been kicked. Ahead is just a handful of them, but first, here's a full roundup of how the lottery balls fell in Monaco.
Complete UEFA Champions League Group Stage Draw
Group A
Bayern Munich
Manchester United
FC Copenhagen
Galatasaray
Group B
Sevilla
Arsenal
PSV
RC Lens
Group C
Napoli
Real Madrid
SC Braga
Union Berlin
Group D
Benfica
Internazionale
Red Bull Salzburg
Real Sociedad
Group E
Feyenoord
Atletico Madrid
Lazio
Celtic
Group F
Paris Saint-Germain
Borussia Dortmund
Milan
Newcastle United
Group G
Manchester City
RB Leipzig
Crvena zvezda
BSC Young Boys
Group H
Barcelona
Porto
Shakhtar Donetsk
Royal Antwerp
Winners: Arsenal
After a Premier League campaign that brought Arsenal so near but yet so far from the title in 2022-23, players and fans could at least console themselves with the knowledge that the club would be returning to Europe's big stage.
The Gunners haven't heard the Champions League anthem played at the Emirates since the 2016-17 season. Arsène Wenger was still in charge then, and few fans will want to remember the back-to-back 5-1 defeats to Bayern Munich in the round of 16 that saw them dumped out of the competition.
But, times have changed, and Arsenal look revitalized under the stewardship of Mikel Arteta.
In the Gunners' long-awaited UCL return, they will be fairly happy with the group they've been drawn into.
Sevilla was one of the less-threatening names from Pot 1, although the Europa League champion should not be underestimated. But the presence of respective Eredivisie and Ligue 1 runners-up PSV and RC Lens makes for a comfortable pool that the North Londoners will be confident of qualifying from, perhaps as group winners.
Losers: Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain
Group F seems to be most worthy of the not-so-coveted title of Group of Death.
In Newcastle United's first appearance in the competition proper since the 2002-03 campaign (they crashed out at the third qualifying round in 2003-04), the Magpies probably wouldn't have wanted to see Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan as opponents.
For fans, away days in France, Germany and Italy will be fantastic, and they will probably welcome the European adventure after so long away from the top table.
But it doesn't look like they'll go much further, and a few heavy defeats might be on the cards, too.
Meanwhile, PSG won't be happy to see the teams joining them in Group F. It's no secret the club desires the Champions League trophy more than any other, and it will be tough to even qualify for the round of 16 with seriously competitive sides in the way.
With no Lionel Messi and no Neymar around, either, that's a lot of pressure on Kylian Mbappé's shoulders—and it's not even clear if he still wants to be at the club.
Winners: Real Madrid
Real Madrid, the undoubted kings of the UEFA Champions League, were handed a pretty favorable group to go up against.
Napoli will give them something to worry about, but Braga and first-timers Union Berlin won't be as much of a challenge.
In the hunt for a remarkable 15th European Cup and their first since 2021-22—such a long wait for them—Real will be confident of progressing to the knockout stages in serene fashion, perhaps allowing them to rest some stars in the final couple of group games.
Losers: Manchester United Fans
Manchester United fans haven't had the best of summers in terms of excitement, with several big-name transfers passing them by.
One of those was Harry Kane, who was long linked with a move to Old Trafford to give United their first true No. 9 in years.
But, as has been the case for most of the window, they just couldn't catch that big fish.
Kane will be turning up in Manchester this year, just not in the shade of red fans were hoping for.
He's now calling Munich his home, and United's loyal fanbase will have to watch on as he faces them in the competition they have such fond memories of.
Just imagine if he scores against them.
Winners: Union Berlin
Union Berlin will make their first-ever appearance in the Champions League this season.
It's been a remarkable rise for the capital club, who only reached the Bundesliga in 2019-20.
Now they'll be rubbing shoulders with Champions League royalty when they face Real Madrid, while a meeting with reigning Serie A champions Napoli in Europe's biggest club competition will not have been imagined even five years ago.
Then, of course, they'll go to Braga, home to one of the most remarkable stadiums in all of Europe.
It's a long way away from the German second division. They might not get much further in the competition, but that won't matter to them all that much.
Losers: Fans Hoping Man City Wouldn't Get a Kind Draw
Every. Single. Year.
Every year we tune into the Champions League group-stage draw, and every year Manchester City seem to get off lightly.
The reigning champions will face RB Leipzig, Crvena Zvezda and BSC Young Boys in what amounts to a kind route to the knockout stages, in which the Citizens will likely qualify as group winners.
In their bid to be back-to-back champions, they couldn't have wished for a much better start.
It won't be so easy next year, right?