Advertisement

Arsenal handed favourable Champions League group as Mikel Arteta’s side avoid big-hitters

Arsenal handed favourable Champions League group as Mikel Arteta’s side avoid big-hitters

Arsenal have been handed what on paper appears to be a favourable draw on their return to the Champions League.

The Gunners are back at Europe’s top table for the first time since the 2016/17 campaign, after pushing Man City all the way last season in the Premier League title race.

Arsenal have been drawn in Group B, with Europa League specialists Sevilla their Pot 1 opponents as they avoided the likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

They will also take on PSV, who they faced in the Europa League group-stage last season, and Lens.

The Gunners have fallen to a last-16 exit on their last seven appearances in the Champions League, the most recent of those coming in 2017 when Arsene Wenger was in charge and the Premier League side were beaten 10-2 on aggregate by Bayern Munich.

This season will be Mikel Arteta’s first experience of managing in the Champions League, and the first time a large number of Arsenal players have featured in the competition.

The opening group-stage matches take place on September 19/20 and continue over two months until the sixth and final fixture are held on December 12/13.

Champions League groups in full

Group A: Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Copenhagen, Galatasaray

Group B: Sevilla, Arsenal, PSV, Lens

Group C: Napoli, Real Madrid, Braga, Union Berlin

Group D: Benfica, Inter Milan, RB Salzburg, Real Sociedad

Group E: Feyenoord, Atletico Madrid, Lazio, Celtic

Group F: PSG, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Newcastle

Group G: Manchester City, RB Leipzig, Red Star Belgrade, Young Boys

Group H: Barcelona, Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Royal Antwerp