Group F analysis: Madrid, Dortmund, Sporting, Legia
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Article summary
"Matches against Real Madrid are becoming like derbies for Dortmund," joked coach Thomas Tuchel as his side lined up the European champions in Group F.
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Who's in Group F?
Real Madrid (ESP)
• UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2015/16): 1
• How they qualified: holders
• Previous group stage campaigns: 20 (last appearance: 2015/16)
• Last season: UEFA Champions League winners
• Best European Cup performance: winners (1955/56, 1956/57, 1957/58, 1958/59, 1959/60, 1965/66, 1997/98, 1999/2000, 2001/02, 2013/14, 2015/16)
Borussia Dortmund (GER)
• UEFA coefficient ranking: 8
• How they qualified: second in Bundesliga
• Previous group stage campaigns: 10 (last appearance: 2014/15)
• Last season: UEFA Europa League quarter-finals
• Best European Cup performance: winners (1996/97)
Sporting CP (POR)
• UEFA coefficient ranking (end of 2015/16): 40
• How they qualified: second in Portuguese Liga
• Previous group stage campaigns: 6 (last appearance: 2014/15)
• Last season: UEFA Europa League round of 32
• Best European Cup performance: quarter-finals (1982/83)
Legia Warszawa (POL)
• UEFA coefficient ranking: 74
• How they qualified: first in Polish Ekstraklasa, play-off winners
• Previous group stage campaigns: 1 (last appearance: 1995/96)
• Last season: UEFA Europa League group stage
• Best European Cup performance: semi-finals (1969/70)
Matchday one fixtures (Wednesday 14 September)
Real Madrid v Sporting CP
Legia v Dortmund
Key facts
• Real Madrid and Dortmund have already met ten times, all of those games in the UEFA Champions League, including two semi-finals: Real Madrid won in 1997/98 and Dortmund reached the final in 2012/13, Robert Lewandowski scoring all four goals in a 4-1 home win for the Bundesliga side.
• Cristiano Ronaldo set to meet Sporting, the side with whom he started his professional career.
Reaction to the draw
Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid forward
[Sporting is] a special match, it's a special team. I wanted to draw Sporting again, because I think they have a good team, they have a good coach, and it will be another beautiful moment in my life. To play Sporting again is a privilege for me. We've played Borussia Dortmund in this competition before, and lost. We know they're a very difficult team, especially on their pitch as they've got fantastic fans. I've never played [at Legia], and to be honest I don't know much about their team, so it will be a new experience, a beautiful experience against a team I've never played against. But I hope there won't be any surprises, and that we can win both matches too.
Florentino Pérez, Real Madrid president
We always have the target of winning everything, because that's what Real Madrid have to do. I think we've improved the squad this year and we have a coach [Zinédine Zidane] who suits Real Madrid really well, so for him everything is easy. He knows we have to win the UEFA Champions League, La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
Thomas Tuchel, Dortmund coach
There was a lot of excitement in our camp ahead of the draw. We now have an appealing group. It's difficult but attractive too. Matches against Real Madrid are becoming like derbies for Dortmund. We are looking forward to meeting the holders.
Marcel Schmelzer, Dortmund defender
Madrid is a great draw, even though we've played there many times. We know them well. Sporting are new to us. So are Legia, but they haven't reached the group stage as the first Polish team in 20 years by chance. We have been warned.