Thirty-two élite clubs are gathering in Monaco today in advance of the 18.00CET draw for the group stage of the 2006/07 UEFA Champions League.
Monaco setting
Wednesday's eleven victorious sides from the third qualifying round and Tuesday's five winners take their place alongside the 16 automatic entrants in the draw for the eight UEFA Champions League groups at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. The ceremony will also include the prestigious UEFA Club Football Awards. For a full list of nominees, click here.
Fixtures
The UEFA Champions League group stage schedule is: Matchday 1 - 12/13 September; MD2 - 26/27 September; MD3 - 17/18 October; MD4 - 31 October/1 November; MD5 - 21/22 November; MD6 - 5/6 December. The winners and runners-up from each pool will progress to the knockout phase next year, with the final set for Athens on 23 May. Teams finishing third in each section will have the consolation of going into the UEFA Cup.
Pairings
Where two clubs from the same association have qualified, they are paired to split their matches between Tuesday and Wednesday. In the case of associations with three representatives, only two sides have been paired in terms of their fixtures; in the case of associations with four representatives, two pairings are made. For more details on the draw procedure, click here.
2006/07 UEFA Champions League
Group stage draw - 18.00CET, Thursday
POT 1 | | Team | Pairing | | FC Barcelona (ESP) | A | | AC Milan (ITA) | B | | Real Madrid CF (ESP) | A | | FC Internazionale Milano (ITA) | B | | Liverpool FC (ENG) | C | | Arsenal FC (ENG) | D | | Manchester United FC (ENG) | C | | Valencia CF (ESP) | |
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| POT 2 | | Team | Pairing | | Olympique Lyonnais (FRA) | E | | FC Porto (POR) | | | PSV Eindhoven (NED) | | | FC Bayern München (GER) | F | | Chelsea FC (ENG) | D | | AS Roma (ITA) | | | Celtic FC (SCO) | | | LOSC Lille Métropole (FRA) | |
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| POT 3 | | Team | Pairing | | Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR) | G | | SL Benfica (POR) | G | | FC Girondins de Bordeaux (FRA) | E | | FC Steaua Bucuresti (ROU) | | | Werder Bremen (GER) | | | Olympiacos CFP (GRE) | H | | PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS) | I | | AEK Athens FC (GRE) | H |
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| POT 4 | | Team | Pairing | | RSC Anderlecht (BEL) | | | FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) | J | | PFC Levski Sofia (BUL) | | | FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) | J | | Galatasaray SK (TUR) | | | Hamburger SV (GER) | F | | FC Spartak Moskva (RUS) | I | | FC København (DEN) | |
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