Salzburg in CL Group D against Benfica and Inter Milan

2023-08-31 16:58:00

Austria’s football champions were spared the big name in the draw on Thursday in Monaco, as Group D is once morest Portugal’s champions Benfica Lisbon, last year’s finalist Inter Milan with ÖFB record team player Marko Arnautovic and the Spanish club Real Sociedad.

Salzburg found themselves in pot three, avoiding encounters with Shakhtar Donetsk, who play their home games in Hamburg, AC Milan, SC Braga, PSV Eindhoven, Lazio Roma, FC Copenhagen and Red Star Belgrade. In the group phase, six rounds will take place until August 12th/13th. December played, it starts on 19./20. September.

The groups
Image: (APA/AFP/NICOLAS TUCAT)

The two best teams in each group qualify for the round of 16, while those third in the group continue to play in the Europa League. In the past season, Salzburg ended up there in the round of 36 once morest eventual finalists AS Roma. The Champions League final will take place on June 1, 2024 at Wembley Stadium in London.

From 2024/25, the well-known Champions League format with group stages will be history. 36 clubs then play in a league system with eight games once morest eight different opponents for a place in the round of 16. The top eight qualify directly for the knockout round, the other 16 teams up to 24th place fight in play-offs for a place in the round of the top 16.