Alexandre Dalifard / Photo credit: NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP
modified to
7:54 p.m., August 31, 2023
Which opponents for the French clubs? This Thursday, the 2023-2024 edition of the Champions League is revealed. During the draw, which takes place in Monaco at the Grimaldi Forum, the European teams were able to discover the group in which they will have to fight to qualify for the round of 16. Regarding Ligue 1, eyes were on Paris Saint-Germain and RC Lens, the only tricolor representatives playing in the Cup with big ears.
The full draw:
Group A: Bayern Munich (GER), Manchester United (ENG), Copenhagen (DEN), Galatasaray (TUR)
Group B: Sevilla FC (ESP), Arsenal (ENG), Eindhoven (NED), Lens (FRA)
Group C: Napoli (ITA), Real Madrid (ESP), Braga (POR), Union Berlin (GER)
Group D: Benfica (POR), Inter Milan (ITA), Salzburg (AUT), Real Sociedad (ESP)
Group E: Feyenoord (NED), Atlético de Madrid (ESP), Lazio (ITA), Celtic Glasgow (SCO)
Group F: Paris SG (FRA), Dortmund (GER), AC Milan (ITA), Newcastle (ENG)
Group G: Manchester City (GBR), Leipzig (GER), Red Star Belgrade (SRB), Young Boys Bern (SUI)
Group H: FC Barcelona (ESP), Porto (POR), Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR), Antwerp (BEL)
Heavy for PSG
If the club of the capital could win this draw, the Parisians are not ultimately spared by their group F. PSG will have to face three major European clubs. At first, Paris inherited the Germans from Borussia Dortmund, an opponent not to be taken lightly. Then, the capital club was offered the 2022 Italian champions, AC Milan, as well as a club in full reconstruction since its takeover by Saudi Arabia, Newcastle.
A more lenient draw for Lens
For his part, Lens thought to fall on the heavy and finally sees a more lenient draw for him. Even if the Sang et Or will face the vice-champion of England Arsenal, who seems to be the toughest opponent in group B, Lens will have to seek their qualification against Sevilla FC and PSV Eindhoven, who went to obtain their place in the Champions League in the play-offs. RC Lens will try to get out of this group to seek qualification in the round of 16 for the first time in its history.