Champions League 2022/23: Group stage fixtures announced

Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham all learned their European schedules on Saturday as the fixtures for the Champions League group stage were announced.

With the World Cup to take place later in 2022, all of the games will be played between September and early November this time around, with the knockout phase to get underway as usual in February of next year.

The draw for the Champions League group stage was carried out on Thursday in Istanbul, venue for the final on June 10, 2023. 

Group A – Ajax, Liverpool, Napoli, Rangers

Liverpool kick off their Champions League campaign with a tough trip to Napoli on Wednesday September 7, before a home game against Ajax six days later.

Last season's finalists then host Rangers in an all-British clash on Tuesday October 4, with the fixture at Ibrox to take place the following week (Wednesday, October 12).

The Reds are away to Ajax in Matchday 5 on Wednesday October 26 and Jurgen Klopp's side conclude their group-stage campaign at Anfield against Napoli on Tuesday, November 1).

Rangers will play all of their group games on the same days as Liverpool, starting away to Ajax on September 7, before the visit of Napoli to Ibrox six days later.

Following the two meetings with the Reds, the Glasgow giants are away to Napoli on October 26 and at home to Ajax on November 1.

Group B – Porto, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Club Brugge

The two fixtures between Porto and Atletico Madrid will be the most anticipated in Group B.

Those two matches bookend the sector, with Atletico hosting Porto at the Wanda Metropolitano in Matchday 1 on September 7 and the return at the Estadio do Dragao on November 1.

Bayer Leverkusen, finalists in 2002, start and finish against Club Brugge, with their four fixtures against Atleti and Porto in between.

Group C – Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Inter, Viktoria Plzen

Group C features three of Europe's biggest clubs in Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Inter.

Bayern were surprisingly beaten by Villarreal in the quarter-finals last season and have lost Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona, but the Bavarians have started strongly this term and Sadio Mane is impressing following his move from Liverpool.

The German champions are away to Inter on September 7, before welcoming Barcelona to the Allianz Arena six days later in Matchday 2.

Bayern are at home to Viktoria Plzen on October 4 and away to the Czech champions eight days later. The German champions then travel to Barcelona on October 26 and conclude their group-stage campaign against Inter in Munich on November 1.

Barcelona, meanwhile, open and close their group-stage campaign against Viktoria Plzen, with the four fixtures against Bayern and Inter in between.

Barça are away to Bayern (September 13) and Inter (October 4), before welcoming the Italian side to Camp Nou (October 12) and meeting the German champions at home (October 26).

Inter face Bayern in Matchdays 1 and 6, with their two games against Barcelona to take place consecutively in October.

Group D – Eintracht Frankfurt, Tottenham, Sporting CP, Marseille 

Champions League football returns to Tottenham for the first time since the 2019-20 season and there are some fascinating fixtures in stall for fans of the north London club.

Spurs kick off their European campaign at home to Marseille on September 7, before a trip to Lisbon to take on Sporting CP six days later.

Antonio Conte's side face Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt twice in the space of eight days after that (away on October 4, at home on October 12).

After that, Spurs welcome Sporting to north London on October 26 and conclude their group-stage campaign with a trip to Marseille on November 1.

Group E – AC Milan, Chelsea, Salzburg, Dinamo

Chelsea fans can look forward to some interesting away trips in Europe this season after they were drawn with AC Milan, Red Bull Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb in Group E.

The Blues are away to Croatian champions Dinamo in an early kick-off on September 6 (17:45 UK time), before home games against Salzburg (September 14) and AC Milan (October 5).

The 2021 winners then travel to San Siro to meet the Italian champions on October 11, with another early kick-off in Salzburg on October 27 and then a clash against Dinamo back at Stamford Bridge on November 2.

AC Milan won Serie A last season for the first time in 11 years.

The Rossoneri start and finish their group-stage campaign against Salzburg this time around, with the two huge games against Chelsea both taking place in October.

Group F – Real Madrid, Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk, Celtic

Real Madrid look to have a fairly straightforward path to the last 16 following Thursday's Champions League group stage draw in Istanbul.

The defending champions and 14 time winners have never gone out in the group stages and that record seems set to continue as Los Blancos face Leipzig, Shakhtar and Celtic this time around.

Madrid open their 2022/23 campaign against Scottish champions Celtic in Glasgow on September 6, with the two teams meeting again at the Santiago Bernabeu in Matchday 6 (on November 2).

The meeting in Madrid is an early kick-off (18:45 CET; 17:45 UK time).

After their home match against Real Madrid on September 7, Celtic are away to Shakhtar and Leipzig (both early kick-offs; on September 14 and October 5, respectively).

The Hoops are then at home to Leipzig on October 11 and meet Shakhtar at Celtic Park on October 25, before the trip to Madrid on November 2.

Due to the conflict in Ukraine, Shakhtar's Champions League home matches will be played in at Legia Warsaw's stadium after an agreement was reached with the Polish club.

Group G – Manchester City, Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund, FC Copenhagen

Manchester City have dominated domestically in recent seasons, but are still seeking their first Champions League trophy.

City will be expected to advance, but could face some tough tests in Group G, starting away to Sevilla on September 6.

After that, Pep Guardiola's side host Borussia Dortmund on September 14, before meetings with FC Copenhagen home and away (on October 5 and 11, respectively) – the first of those an early kick-off – and a potential group decider against Sevilla at the Etihad on November 2.

Meanwhile, Sevilla and Dortmund meet on October 5 and October 11 – first at the Sanchez Pijuan and then at the Signal Iduna Park.

Group H – Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Benfica, Maccabi Haifa

Paris Saint-Germain are another of Europe's elite clubs never to have won the Champions League and the Parisians will fancy their chances in 2022/23.

PSG are scoring freely in Ligue 1 under new coach Christophe Galtier but, as usual, the real tests will come in Europe.

The French champions are at home to Juventus on Matchday 1, with their trip to Turin coming on Matchday 6.

In October, PSG twice face Benfica – away on the 5th and at home on the 11th, with games against Maccabi Haifa either side.

Meanwhile, Juventus are at home to Benfica on September 14 and away to the Portuguese side on October 25 in two key Group H fixtures.