The Champions League draw has taken place in Monte Carlo, with Atletico Madrid finding out their opponents for the upcoming league phase. Last season saw Los Rojiblancos make it through the league phase in the top eight before exiting in controversial fashion, while Villarreal and Athletic Club return to the competition after three and 10-year absences respectively.
Atleti face four very tough away fixtures
Atleti were drawn against Inter and Liverpool from Pot 1, with the Nerazzurri coming to the RiyadhAir Metropolitano and a trip pending to the Premier League champions. Another voyage to England is pencilled in too as they were paired with Arsenal, and there will be further treks to PSV Eindhoven and Galatasaray.
The remaining three clubs that Diego Simeone’s side will face are Eintracht Frankfurt, Bodo/Glimt and Union Saint-Gilloise.
Two of last season’s semi-finalists heading to San Mames
Athletic Club make their return to the Champions League, and they have been rewarded with some mouth-watering fixtures. Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, who faced off last season at the semi-final stage, will both be making their way to San Mames, as will Sporting CP and Qarabag.
In terms of away matches, Los Leones will be facing off against Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, Slavia Praha and Newcastle United.
European heavyweights will pull up at La Ceramica
Villarreal will also be hosting some blockbuster fixtures on their home patch, as the 2018/19 semi-finalists will take on Manchester City, Juventus, Ajax and FC Copenhagen at La Ceramica. Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side will also face two trips to Germany, as they have been paired with Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, with their two remaining away matches being against Tottenham Hotspur and Champions League new boys Pafos.
All three clubs, alongside the other La Liga participants in Real Madrid and Barcelona, will be eagerly anticipating the league phase getting underway in a few weeks’ time.
