UEFA Champions League holders AC Milan will begin their trophy defence against fellow European title-winners SL Benfica and Celtic FC as well as FC Shakhtar Donetsk after the group stage draw was made at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.
The 32 teams were split into eight sections of four and while Milan were joined by Benfica and Celtic in Group D, last season's runners-up Liverpool FC must also play two former European champions, meeting FC Porto and Olympique de Marseille along with Beşiktaş JK in Group A. PFC CSKA Moskva, hoping to reach the final in their home city, will take on Group G rivals FC Internazionale Milano, PSV Eindhoven and Fenerbahçe SK.
One place in the group stage is yet to be filled, as the second leg of AEK Athens FC's third qualifying round tie with Sevilla FC was postponed to Monday 3 September due to the death of the Spanish club's midfielder Antonio Puerta on Tuesday. The eventual winners will play in Group H against Arsenal FC, FC Steaua Bucureşti and SK Slavia Praha, newcomers to this stage.
The group stage fixtures will be played on 18/19 September, 2/3 October, 23/24 October, 6/7 November, 27/28 November and 11/12 December, though Milan's last game will be on 4 December due to their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup. The winners and runners-up from each pool will progress to the first knockout round in the spring, with the final set for Moscow on 21 May. Teams finishing third in each section will have the consolation of going into the UEFA Cup Round of 32.
2007/08 UEFA Champions League group stage:
Group A:
Liverpool FC (ENG), FC Porto (POR), Olympique de Marseille (FRA), Beşiktaş JK (TUR)
Group B:
Chelsea FC (ENG), Valencia CF (ESP), FC Schalke 04 (GER), Rosenborg BK (NOR)
Group C:
Real Madrid CF (ESP), Werder Bremen (GER), SS Lazio (ITA), Olympiacos CFP (GRE)
Group D:
AC Milan (ITA), SL Benfica (POR), Celtic FC (SCO), FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
Group E:
FC Barcelona (ESP), Olympique Lyonnais (FRA), VfB Stuttgart (GER), Rangers FC (SCO)
Group F:
Manchester United FC (ENG), AS Roma (ITA), Sporting Lisbon (POR), FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)
Group G:
Inter Milan (ITA), PSV Eindhoven (NED), PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS), Fenerbahçe SK (TUR)
Group H:
Arsenal FC (ENG), FC Steaua Bucureşti (ROU), SK Slavia Praha (CZE), Sevilla FC (ESP) / AEK Athens FC (GRE)
The 32 teams were split into eight sections of four and while Milan were joined by Benfica and Celtic in Group D, last season's runners-up Liverpool FC must also play two former European champions, meeting FC Porto and Olympique de Marseille along with Beşiktaş JK in Group A. PFC CSKA Moskva, hoping to reach the final in their home city, will take on Group G rivals FC Internazionale Milano, PSV Eindhoven and Fenerbahçe SK.
One place in the group stage is yet to be filled, as the second leg of AEK Athens FC's third qualifying round tie with Sevilla FC was postponed to Monday 3 September due to the death of the Spanish club's midfielder Antonio Puerta on Tuesday. The eventual winners will play in Group H against Arsenal FC, FC Steaua Bucureşti and SK Slavia Praha, newcomers to this stage.
The group stage fixtures will be played on 18/19 September, 2/3 October, 23/24 October, 6/7 November, 27/28 November and 11/12 December, though Milan's last game will be on 4 December due to their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup. The winners and runners-up from each pool will progress to the first knockout round in the spring, with the final set for Moscow on 21 May. Teams finishing third in each section will have the consolation of going into the UEFA Cup Round of 32.
2007/08 UEFA Champions League group stage:
Group A:
Liverpool FC (ENG), FC Porto (POR), Olympique de Marseille (FRA), Beşiktaş JK (TUR)
Group B:
Chelsea FC (ENG), Valencia CF (ESP), FC Schalke 04 (GER), Rosenborg BK (NOR)
Group C:
Real Madrid CF (ESP), Werder Bremen (GER), SS Lazio (ITA), Olympiacos CFP (GRE)
Group D:
AC Milan (ITA), SL Benfica (POR), Celtic FC (SCO), FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
Group E:
FC Barcelona (ESP), Olympique Lyonnais (FRA), VfB Stuttgart (GER), Rangers FC (SCO)
Group F:
Manchester United FC (ENG), AS Roma (ITA), Sporting Lisbon (POR), FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)
Group G:
Inter Milan (ITA), PSV Eindhoven (NED), PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS), Fenerbahçe SK (TUR)
Group H:
Arsenal FC (ENG), FC Steaua Bucureşti (ROU), SK Slavia Praha (CZE), Sevilla FC (ESP) / AEK Athens FC (GRE)
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