The 2021-22 UEFA Champions League group stage draw begins at 5 pm UK time with four Serie A clubs and six Italian coaches waiting to know their fate. Here’s all you need to know.
Ex-Milan midfielder Michael Essien will assist with the draw along with his former Chelsea teammate Branislav Ivanović.
The Champions League draw can be watched on the official UEFA website, YouTube and social media channels.
Four Italian clubs are taking part in the group phase, but only Inter are in Pot 1 thanks to their status as Scudetto holders.
Juventus drop into Pot 2, with Atalanta, promoted to Pot 3 for their third consecutive Champions League campaign.
Milan finished second in Serie A last season but have been absent from this tournament for seven years, so must begin again in Pot 4.
Each Serie A club has an Italian boss in charge, but two more coaches are coming from Il Bel Paese: Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti and Shakhtar Donetsk’s Roberto De Zerbi.
There had been so many Italian coaches in Europe’s elite competition only in 2012-13 and 2017-18.
Oddly, pot 1 seems weaker than pot 2, where there are La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona as well as Juventus, Manchester United, PSG and Liverpool.
Pot 1 consists of the holders, the UEFA Europa League winners and the champions of the six highest-ranked nations who did not qualify via one of the 2020-21 continental titles, so French and Portuguese champions Lille and Sporting Lisbon and Europa League winners Villareal are included in pot 1.
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POTS
Pot 1
Chelsea, Villarreal, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Inter, Lille, Sporting Lisbon
Pot 2
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, PSG, Liverpool, Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund
Pot 3
Porto, Ajax, RB Leipzig, Atalanta, Zenit, Benfica, Shakhtar Donetsk, RB Salzburg
Pot 4
Milan, Club Brugge, Young Boys, Malmoe, Wolfsburg, Besiktas, Dinamo Kiev, Sheriff
When are the group stage games?
Matchday 1: 14/15 September
Matchday 2: 28/29 September
Matchday 3: 19/20 October
Matchday 4: 2/3 November
Matchday 5: 23/24 November
Matchday 6: 7/8 December
Awards
During the ceremony, UEFA will name the Men and Women Player of the Year as well as the best Man and Women coach and the best goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and striker for the 2020-21 Champions League campaign.
According to reports in Italy, Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho will be named Best Midfielder of last season’s Champions League.