A favourable outcome for Porto, a so-so one for Sporting and a tough task for Benfica.
That was the immediate impression with regard to the chances of Portugal’s three Champions League representatives of reaching the knockout stages of this season’s competition after the Group stage draw in Istanbul this afternoon.
Porto were seeded in Pot One and landed Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Club Brugge in Group B.
It is an opportunity for the Dragons to exact revenge on Atletico. Diego Simeone’s team beat Porto 3-1 to knock them out of the tournament in a bad-tempered final group game at the Estádio do Dragão last season. The Spaniards will again prove stern opposition no doubt, but Porto will be confident of getting the better of Leverkusen and Belgian champions Brugge.
Sporting were drawn in Group D alongside Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt, English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and the runners-up in France last season, Marseille. Curiously, the Lions have never faced any of these three opponents in competitive play in their history.
Benfica on the face of it have been handed the most difficult route to the knockout stages. The Eagles lock horns with one of the favourites to win the Champions League outright Paris Saint-Germain, and another European heavyweight in the shape of Italian giants Juventus, although the Serie A side are not the beast they once were. Champions of Israel Maccabi Haifa complete Group H.
Full 2022/23 Champions League group stage draw
Bring it on! ?#UCL || #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/z9IBs4zdUA
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 25, 2022
The group stage has a tighter schedule than usual this season owing to the winter World Cup. The six matchdays will be played from 6 September to 2 November.
Boa sorte Porto, Sporting & Benfica!
by Tom Kundert
