Football News: UEFA Champions League 2022-2023
The Champions League draw was conducted on Thursday in Istanbul, Turkey
UEFA Champions League: Sadio ManéGroup C (Barcelona, Inter, Viktoria Plzen, Bayern Munich)
An immediate test awaits Barcelona after their controversial summer of spending, funded by the sale of significant assets.
After signing Robert Lewandowski, Franck Kessié, Andreas Christensen, Jules Koundé, and Raphinha, among others, to send a message to Bayern Munich, this season should show whether or not Barcelona is once again able to compete with the best.
The addition of Sadio Mané to the lineup and manager Julian Naglesmann's new 4-2-2-2 configuration have made Bayern Munich prohibitive favourites. They've had a great start to the season, so they'll be motivated to make up for last year's shocking elimination at the hands of Villarreal.
Inter are a well-oiled machine, and with Lukaku back on the pitch, they'll be even more formidable opponents.
Group D (Sporting CP, Marseille, Eintracht Frankfurt, Tottenham)
Spurs, like Atletico Madrid, had one of the most accessible draws in the group stage. That will make Antonio Conte happy.
Despite being the defending Europa League winners, Eintracht Frankfurt of Germany was the worst team in Pot 1. They had lost their star playmaker, Filip Kostic, to Juventus over the summer.
When they played Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup a few weeks ago, they were toothless and presented little threat.
A net of $75 million was spent this summer to improve upon last year's runner-up result in France, and the summer was a busy one for Marseille.
The departure of Boubacar Kamara to Aston Villa has been partially offset by the additions of Milik, Alexis Sánchez, Jordan Veretout, Chancel Mbemba, and Matteo Guendouzi.
Meanwhile, Sporting have been blown out by Porto already this season in the Portuguese league, showcasing a clear talent gap between Europe's finest and the greatest in their domestic league.