By Samindra Kunti
October 1 – It’s only been a few weeks since Bayern Munich lifted the European Cup with a slick enough display to defeat first-time finalists Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in Lisbon behind closed doors. This afternoon the Champions League is back with the group stage draw and the big club interest.
The German win was the finale to an unprecedented and truncated European club season, but the madcap final eight tournament on Portuguese soil that UEFA rolled out in response to the coronavirus crisis was also a triumph of sorts for the governing body. The competition’s completion against the dystopian backdrop of the pandemic had long looked uncertain, with UEFA’s organisational resources stretched to the limit.
This month, Europe’s premier club tournament gets underway again in earnest after FC Krasnodar, Salzburg and FC Midtjylland were the last three clubs to ensure their participation on Wednesday. But the menacing presence of the coronavirus will never be far away.
UEFA had to shift Thursday’s draw from Athens to Geneva, Switzerland. The reigning champions and 31 other participants will be drawn into eight groups for the Champions League group stage.
Pot one consists of the defending champion, the Europa League winner and the champions of the six highest-ranked nations who didn’t win either competition. Pots two to four are determined by the club coefficient rankings, leaving a group of heavyweights in pot two. The presence of Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, Ajax, Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund in the second pot means that there will be some formidable ties in the group stage.
Even so, in recent seasons the first round has carried a certain predictability. Last season, all clubs in the knockout phase represented one of Europe’s top five domestic leagues. Even if RB Leipzig and Olympique Lyon upset the established order and enjoyed a long run in the competition, it was another indictment of the competitive inequality that is strangling the European game.
With vast prize money at stake, the Champions League does have a redistributing effect. Last season, winner Bayern collected roughly €87 million, but even mere participation in the competition entitles a club to a base fee of €15.25 million. A victory in the Champions League group stage brings in €2.7 million.
No other club competition offers these riches, but it is not enough to address Europe’s structural disparities. The expectation then is of few upsets, even if some old familiar names return to the competition, alongside three debutants.
On Tuesday, Ferencvaros qualified for the Champions League after overcoming Norwegian club Molde in the play-off. They will be the first Hungarian club since Debrecen to play in the competition. Ferencvaros last played in the Champions League group stage in 1995 and defeated the champions of Sweden, Scotland, Croatia and Norway to progress to this season’s edition.
Rennes from France, FC Krasnodar from Russia and İstanbul Başakşehir from Turkey are set to make their debut when the Champions League groups kick off on October 20. UEFA have tweaked their rules to allow for some flexibility. Clubs can stage matches on neutral ground when faced with travel restrictions.
The entire group stage will be completed by early December with Istanbul hosting the final next year, coronavirus permitting. Last May, the Turkish capital was forced to relinquish its hosting rights because of the global health crisis.
Draw details
The draw takes place Thursday 5pm CET.
Pot one: Bayern, Sevilla, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Porto.
Pot two: Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Ajax.
Pot three: Dynamo Kyiv, RB Leipzig, Internazionale, Olympiakos, Lazio, Atalanta, FC Krasnodar, Salzburg.
Pot four: Lokomotiv Moscow, Marseille, Club Brugge, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Istanbul Basaksehir, Rennes, Ferencvaros, FC Midtjylland.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1714193192labto1714193192ofdlr1714193192owedi1714193192sni@o1714193192fni1714193192