Socceroos midfielder Tom Rogic will get the chance to play against Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Co.as well as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City following the draw for the group stage of the Champions League.
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Spanish coach Guardiola, who won the Champions League twice with Barca, suffered a 5-3 aggregate defeat when he faced his old team with Bayern in the semifinals two seasons ago.
Sporting Lisbon and Legia Warsaw should give Real few problems, though Dortmund will certainly be a tough proposition.
“There was a lot of anticipation in our camp ahead of the draw”.
“It’s a very challenging group”, he said on his club’s official website.
Madrid beat Dortmund in the quarterfinals in 2014, avenging its semifinal defeat the previous campaign. “It is a delightful group, equally hard and attractive”.
No team have defended the Champions League since its inception in 1992 but Real Madrid’s Welsh forward Gareth Bale hopes his side can become the first to do so, with the final being staged in his home city of Cardiff.
“UEFA, the clubs, the leagues and the national associations speak with one voice on these matters”, UEFA said in a statement.
Five-time winners Bayern Munich will play a year ago s beaten finalists Atletico Madrid in Group D, which also features PSV Eindhoven and Russian first timers Rostov.
Porto are taking part in the group stage for the 21st time, a record they share with Real and Barca.
PSV Eindhoven and debutants Rostov are the other sides in that group.
Napoli will be hoping for better luck than the last time they reached the group stages.
Spurs’ north London rivals Arsenal make the short trip to Paris Saint-Germain in the stand-out fixture of a Group A line-up that includes FC Basel and Ludogorets.
After the Foxes stunned the football world to win the Premier League last season, they finally discovered the identity of their opponents in the continent’s top competition in Thursday’s draw.
On whether Roberts was looking to face Manchester City, Tierney told Celtic TV: “I think he was”.
Meanwhile, 2015 finalists Juventus will face Europa League winners Sevilla, Lyon and Dynamo Zagreb. “I can’t wait for the tournament to start”.
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“It would be unbelievable to experience a Champions League final in Cardiff”, Bale said.
