All you need to know ahead of the 2023/24 Uefa Champions League season

Ayomikun Elemikan Sports 19/09/2023

The 2023/24 Uefa Champions League season is scheduled to kick start on Tuesday September 19, 2023 and run till June 1, 2024. The draws for this term’s competition was conducted on 31 August with juicy fixtures to look forward to.

A total of 32 football clubs from across Europe’s top leagues are split into eight groups of four teams each.

Manchester City will be hoping to win the 2023/24 Champions League title just as they did last season (Image: CBC)

Interestingly, these teams will fight for round of 16 spots during the course of six matchdays. The Champions League games will be played in a home-and-away format with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockouts.

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Manchester City are the defending champions, as well as winning the English Premier League and English FA Cup titles. Pep Guardiola’s team defeated Inter Milan in the 2022-23 Champions League final. It was their first UEFA Champions League crown.

The Treble winners are drawn in Group G alongside Young Boys, RB Leipzig and Red Star Belgrade. Last season’s top-scorer Erling Haaland is expected to lead the line for City. They begin their title defence bid against Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday.

Erling Haaland will lead City’s attack line this Champions League season (Image: BBC)

Record 14-time winners Real Madrid have been pitted in Group C with Braga, Napoli, and Union Berlin. Los Blancos will welcome the inclusion of Fran Garcia and Jude Bellingham who are new signings.

Meanwhile, five-time champions FC Barcelona will be tested by Shakhtar Donetsk, Royal Antwerp and Porto in Group H.

Group of Death?

Group F is termed the ‘Group of Death’. AC Milan Newcastle, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain are expected to battle in this unenviable group.

Arsenal, back in the tournament after a six-year absence face PSV, Lens and Europa League champions Sevilla in Group B.

Mbappe will carry the weight of leading PSG in the 2023/24 Champions League campaign. However, he cannot do it alone (Image: CNN)

The group stages of the 2023/24 Champions League will be concluded on December 13. Meanwhile, the knockout round, starts with the round of 16 on December 18. Wembley Stadium will be host to the final of the season’s UCL on June 1, 2024.

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Click here for the full group stage draws.