Who gets into the first basket of Champions League? Baskets of fate

Who can Moscow clubs play in the main European tournament? What path awaits Spartak? What groups are possible? Answers to key questions are on Soccer.ru.

Preliminary composition of the Champions League pots for the 2018/19 season

First basket: Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, ​​Juventus, PSG, Manchester City, Lokomotiv, Real Madrid;

Second basket: Tottenham, Borussia Dortmund, Porto, Manchester United, Shakhtar, Benfica (*), Napoli, Basel (*);

Third basket: Liverpool, Roma, Schalke, Lyon, Monaco, Salzburg (*), Ajax (*), CSKA;

Fourth basket: Valencia, PSV (*), Viktoria Plzen, Celtic (*), Club Brugge, Galatasaray, Inter, Hoffenheim.

But for ease of understanding, clubs that will still qualify are included. They are marked (*) and sorted into buckets according to the UEFA club coefficient.

Can Lokomotiv leave the first basket? No, the Russian champion guaranteed itself this place along with five other champions of the top 5 leagues thanks to the high place of the RFPL in the UEFA association table. Also joining the six “gold” medalists were the leaders of the club ratings and the winners of two European Cups – Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid.

Could CSKA end up in the fourth pot? Can not. If you look at the list above, it seems that such a possibility exists. After all, the “CSKA” team closes in the third basket in terms of odds, which means that the passage of one high-rated club, for example, Dynamo Kyiv, will throw them into the company of outsiders.

But please note that above Basel, Benfica and Ajax are listed as participants in the group stage, which is excluded by the selection rules. All of them are in non-championship qualifications, from where only two teams will qualify for the main draw of the tournament. This is bad news for Spartak, but CSKA will not fall any lower. True, it won’t rise any higher.

Possible "death groups"

It is interesting to imagine what complex quartets can await us in practice, because in this case there is no need to involve theory. Not a single club from the top 4 will advance from qualifying to the main tournament, so the “deadly” fours can be imagined today. But since the tournament currently has 16 participants out of 32 - from the main four leagues - it is actually difficult to create “groups of death” in large numbers. There will always be two or three teams standing out, and an underdog is possible.

1. Barcelona, ​​Manchester United, Roma, Hoffenheim.

2. Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool, Inter.

3. Bayern, Tottenham, Roma, Valencia.

Possible Lokomotiv groups

Since the Railwaymen's place allows you to avoid meeting all the top clubs from the first pot, there are not many terrible options here. But they do exist. However, so are the successful ones. In the most favorable scenarios, even a lack of experience will not prevent Semin’s team from performing well in the group round of the Champions League.

Examples of a terrible lot:

Option 1. Lokomotiv, Manchester United, Roma*, Valencia.

Option 2. Lokomotiv, Napoli, Liverpool*, Hoffenheim.

Option 3. Lokomotiv, Tottenham, Lyon, Inter.

* - these options are possible if Roma and Liverpool do not end up in the second pot.

Examples of a successful draw:

Option 1. Lokomotiv, Benfica*, Ajax, Brugge.

Option 2. Lokomotiv, Porto, Salzburg*, Victoria.

Option 3. Lokomotiv, Manchester United**, Schalke, Brugge.

* - if the clubs make it to the group stage.

** - having a favorite in the quartet sometimes allows you to concentrate on the fight for second place.

Forecast: Lokomotiv, Borussia D, Lyon, Inter.

Likely CSKA groups

The situation for the army team is much worse. It is easy to make pairs of opponents from the first two baskets, in which the name of the last opponent from the fourth will not matter at all. It’s a pity that CSKA has such a modest place in the UEFA club rankings - it’s almost impossible to reach the Champions League playoffs from their starting position.

Examples of a terrible lot:

Option 1. Real Madrid, Liverpool (*), CSKA, Inter.

Option 2. Barcelona, ​​Manchester United, CSKA, Inter.

Option 3. Atlético, Napoli, CSKA, Hoffenheim.

Option 4. Juventus, Tottenham, CSKA, Valencia.

* - if Liverpool is in the 2nd pot.

Examples of a successful draw:

Option 1. Manchester City (any other top club), Porto, CSKA, Brugge.

Option 2. PSG (any other top club), Borussia D, CSKA, Victoria.

Forecast: Juventus, Porto, CSKA, Hoffenheim.

Spartak's path to the group round

Was Carrera left as head coach with the condition that he advance to the main quartet of the Champions League? If Fedun sets such a task - and he voiced it personally, and Massimo will be dismissed for failure to fulfill it, then it’s time for Spartak to look for a new coach. After all, the path to the Champions League group through the non-championship qualifying round bracket is very difficult.

It is unlikely that UEFA will risk bringing together Spartak and Dynamo Kiev - although it would be interesting to see a historically significant battle in new lineups at this stage of the tournament. So today we can name three or four opponents with whom Spartak can play in the first round of selection.

Benfica will definitely be among the possible opponents. And Basel and Ajax can join them if they pass their preliminary round - PAOK and Sturm there. Fenerbahçe is also among the potential opponents if the Swiss or Dutch are relegated. The chances that Spartak will be seeded are purely theoretical. It turns out that you must first beat Ajax, Basel or Benfica.

And then play with the next opponent from this three, if Dynamo Kyiv is separated from UEFA initially. Such a list of competitors and only two tickets - you need to mentally prepare to get into the Europa League or surprise in qualifying, beating Ajax, as Rostov did, or Fenerbahçe with Basel. For Spartak, the fate depends not on the draw - the opponents are approximately equal, but on the quality of preparation for the season, because last time they failed the training camp and started the season poorly.

But Lokomotiv and CSKA directly depend on the group round draw. As you can see above, they can get both incredibly difficult options with scanty chances of reaching the Champions League playoffs, and options in which at least one Moscow club will be in the list of the top 16.

The qualifications for European club tournaments are entering their final stages. Four of our teams have already decided on the European autumn - Lokomotiv, CSKA, Krasnodar and Spartak, two have to decide and try to qualify for the Europa League group - Zenit, Ufa. With the seeding in the Champions League, everything is already clear for our teams; regardless of the outcome of the playoff round, Lokomotiv will be in the first pot, and CSKA in the third.

The Europa League is a little more confusing. The draw itself will take place on August 31. 48 teams will take part in it, which will be divided into 4 baskets of 12 participants each. Representatives of the same basket, as usual, will not meet each other. The seeding may be affected by all 27 remaining qualifying matches, but some options can already be considered.

Option 1 Critical

This option will happen if all seeded, high-rated opponents will qualify for the UEFA Champions League qualifying matches, and, on the contrary, all unseeded, low-rated opponents will qualify for the Champions League qualifying matches. Sowing in this case will be like this

“Krasnodar” and “Spartak” fall into the third basket, “Zenith” into the first, and “Ufa”, which is the seeded representative of its pair, falls into the fourth.

Option 2 Ideal

This option will happen if all seeded opponents with high ratings are eliminated in the UEFA Champions League qualifying matches (except for ours, of course), and in the Champions League qualifying matches all seeded opponents will advance to the group. Then the sowing will be like this

In such an incredible scenario (well, what is the Europa League without Sevilla), our teams end up in the following baskets - Zenit in the first; "Krasnodar" in the second; “Spartak” and “Ufa” in the third. Personal fans of the red and white also have a super option - the relegation of Zenit and all other seeded players will allow Spartak to jump into the second basket.

Thus, Zenit, when entering the group, has a 100% first basket, Krasnodar and Spartak either 2 or 3, and even Ufa, when entering the group, has a modest chance of winning the 3rd basket.

It makes sense for Krasnodar to sink for Salzburg, PSV, Rapid, Atalanta and Astana.

Option 3 Most likely

If we consider as a criterion for passing not the rating of teams, but the odds of bookmakers, which, you will agree, very clearly reflect the strength of the teams here and now, then you can see the following picture.

Ufa is not considered by the bookmakers to be the leader of its pair and is not included in this virtual draw, but if it passes, it will end up in pot 4. “Zenit” in the first, “Krasnodar” in the second, “Spartak” in the third. I think this is the most realistic option and I sincerely wish our clubs to make such a unique “square” in the baskets at the draw.

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The European club season in football is almost over. Only a few countries will still host the finals of cup competitions, the last rounds of national championships and repechage tournaments in which tickets to European competitions are awarded. Almost all participants in the Champions League and Europa League have already been determined, as well as their club coefficients, which will be taken into account when drawing the qualifying and main rounds.

Therefore, we can already imagine what awaits six Russian clubs in the upcoming European Cup season and which opponents they will definitely avoid at various stages of the tournament, and with whom there will be a theoretical opportunity to measure their strength.

Lokomotiv is among the best in the Champions League

Lokomotiv Moscow was honored to be included in the first basket of the draw for the group stage of the Champions League. The Russian champions have a recently adopted rule to thank for this, according to which the best seeding goes to the current winners of both European cups, as well as the strongest teams from the first six leagues in the UEFA coefficient table. Russia is in sixth place, slightly ahead of Portugal.

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Lokomotiv will definitely not play in the group stage with Atlético Madrid, Bayern, Barcelona, ​​Juventus, PSG and Manchester City. The eighth team in the first pot will be known on May 26th - it will be either Real Madrid or Liverpool. Whoever loses in the Champions League final may become a rival for Yuri Semin's team.

If reservations for the Russian champions did not exist, then Lokomotiv would only be in the fourth pot - this is due to the small and unsuccessful experience of playing in European competitions in recent years, which resulted in a rather low coefficient (22,500). The Russian champions could then be sure that they would not play with Inter and Hoffenheim.

It is worth noting that if UEFA continues to separate Russian and Ukrainian clubs, then Lokomotiv will not play with Shakhtar Donetsk, which received a ticket to the second basket.

CSKA - third Champions League pot

CSKA has improved its performance compared to last season - if a year ago the army team ended up in the fourth pot during the Champions League draw, now they still deserve the more prestigious third thanks to the coefficient (45,000). However, two years ago the Muscovites were also in the first place, when they became the champion of Russia.

The army team will definitely not play against Schalke, Lyon, Monaco and, probably, Shakhtar. Liverpool could also get into the third pot if they lose to Real Madrid in the Champions League final, and Benfica or Basel reach the group stage.

If Liverpool wins and gets into the first pot, then Roma and Tottenham can drop into the third (depending on whether one of the Benfica-Basel pair or both teams overcomes the qualifications). In certain situations, Brugge and Galatasaray, who already have tickets to the group stage, can still get into the third basket.

Spartak is unseeded in the Champions League

Moscow “Spartak” will begin its performance in European competition with the Champions League and will follow the path of the league representatives. Seven more teams will play here together with Massimo Carrera’s team, that is, there will be four pairs of opponents in total.

Although among those teams that have already reached this stage, Spartak ranks fourth in terms of personal odds (13,500), the Russian club will not be able to become a seeded team. It is behind Benfica, Dynamo Kiev and Fenerbahce, and will definitely lose to Basel, Ajax and PAOK - one or two of these clubs will be in the third qualifying round from the second. “Spartak” will be able to bypass only “Standard”, the vice-champion of the Czech Republic, which has not yet been determined, and “Sturm”, if it reaches this round.

Considering that Russian clubs are unlikely to be able to play with Ukrainian ones, Spartak's potential opponents will be Benfica or Fenerbahce, as well as either Basel, Ajax, or PAOK.

In the playoff round, Spartak has a chance to earn seeding and get an easier opponent. But then all the favorites who beat the Muscovites at an earlier stage must finish their performance and fly into the Europa League. It would be inadvisable to rely on this. Most likely, there, too, Spartak will have to compete with a nominally stronger team.

If Spartak makes it to the group stage of the Champions League, then due to its extremely low coefficient it will only end up in the fourth basket. It will be possible to avoid meetings with Inter, Hoffenheim and Shakhtar, and the remaining teams may well end up in the group with the 10-time Russian champions.

If the red and whites fail in the Champions League qualification, they will be destined for a place in the Europa League group stage. It’s too early to talk about which basket awaits Muscovites there - only 15 participants out of 48 have been identified. Theoretically, Spartak could even end up in the first basket, which will allow them to avoid meetings with Chelsea, Arsenal and other top European clubs . But such a probability is extremely low. Judging by how the list of participants was formed in past years, Spartak will end up either in the third basket or in the fourth.

Krasnodar - unknown Europa League pot

Krasnodar has already reached the group stage of the Europa League. The southern club has some experience of playing in European cups, so its coefficient is not the smallest (23,500). It is not yet possible to say exactly who Krasnodar will play with and who they won’t: as was said earlier, there are too many unplayed tickets left.

Nevertheless, Sergei Galitsky's club has a real chance of getting into the second or third basket. You will only have to fall into fourth place if you are extremely unlucky, if clubs worthy of the Champions League suddenly begin to suffer massive defeats in the qualifying round. At the same time, getting into the first basket will be possible with incredible luck - if the group stage is flooded with teams with tiny odds.

Zenit is the favorite to qualify for the Europa League

Zenit will begin the European Cup season with the third qualifying round of the Europa League and will follow the main, non-championship path. St. Petersburg has the highest coefficient among Russian clubs (78,000), which is quite impressive even by Champions League standards. So Zenit shouldn’t have any problems with the draw.

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The club from St. Petersburg will definitely be seeded in both the third qualifying round and the playoff round. He will not have to face such famous teams as Sevilla, Basel, Besiktas, Ajax, Olympiacos, Sporting, Braga if they end up at the same stage as Zenit "

At the same time, the Russian club will ensure that it gets into the first pot of the group stage, if it manages to reach this stage. This means that meetings with Arsenal, Chelsea and Bayer will be avoided. If we assume that Benfica, Sevilla, Basel, Dynamo Kiev, Ajax, Red Bull Salzburg, Olympiacos or Besiktas will be in the group stage of the Europa League, then they will not come either to St. Petersburg at least until the playoffs.

“Ufa” is a modest newcomer to the European Cup

So its coefficient will be quite low (10.676). However, for the second qualifying round of the Europa League, where the club from Bashkortostan starts, this is a completely normal result.

The Ufa team will definitely be a seeded team at the first stage, which will allow them to avoid meeting with Sevilla, Besiktas, Braga, Steaua (if the Romanians do not immediately get into the third qualifying round), AZ Alkmaar, Leipzig “, “Burnley”, “Rijeka” (if they also don’t jump straight to the next round), “Atalanta”, “Bordeaux” and a strong representative of Belgium, where the last ticket to the Europa League has not yet been played out.

But then Ufa will face serious tests. In the third qualifying round, higher odds will be needed to have priority in the draw. There is a high probability that in the future the Bashkir team will only face opponents who are more titled and stronger on paper.

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Of the 32 participants in the group stage, 26 are known. Two of them, very happily, represent Russia.

Who will definitely play in the group stage?

Spain: Barcelona, ​​Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid, Valencia
Germany: Bayern, Schalke 04, Hoffenheim, Borussia Dortmund
England: Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, Liverpool
Italy: Juventus, Napoli, Roma, Internazionale
France: Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco, Lyon
Russia: Lokomotiv, CSKA
Portugal:"Porto"
Ukraine:"Miner"
Belgium:"Bruges"
Türkiye:"Galatasaray"
Czech Republic:"Victoria"

What is known about sowing?

The first pot includes the champions of the top six associations and the winners of the Champions League and Europa League - Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. The remaining baskets are formed according to the odds table at the end of the 2017/18 season.

Cart 1: Real Madrid (Champions League winner), Atlético Madrid (Europa League winner), Barcelona, ​​Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, "Locomotive"
Cart 2: Borussia Dortmund, Porto, Manchester United, Shakhtar, Napoli, Tottenham, 2 more clubs
Basket 3: Schalke, Lyon, Monaco, CSKA, 4 more clubs
Basket 4: Inter, Hoffenheim, 6 more clubs

Depending on their qualifying results, Roma and Liverpool will be in pot two or three, while Valencia, Victoria, Club Brugge and Galatasaray will be in pot three or four.

What about qualifications?

Six tickets to the group round will be played in qualifications. There are two qualification paths: the Champions Path (domestic title holders only) and the League Representative Path.

Representing Russia "Spartacus"(club rating 13,500) will follow the League Representative Path.

8 teams take part in the third qualifying round: 3 winners of the second qualifying round, Spartak, as well as vice-champions of Portugal, Ukraine, Belgium and the third team of France.

If Spartak loses in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, it will play in the group stage of the Europa League. If luck smiles on us, we will have the opportunity to see three Russian clubs at the group stage.

When will the draw take place?

12/06/18: Preliminary round, Nyon
06/19/18: First and second qualifying rounds, Nyon
23/07/18: Third qualifying round, Nyon
06/08/18: Play-off round, Nyon
30/08/18: Group stage, Monaco
17/12/18: 1/8 finals, Nyon
15/03/19: 1/4 and 1/2 finals, Nyon

Europa League

17 teams automatically qualified for the group stage of the 2018/19 Europa League. Another 31 clubs will make it into the main draw through qualification.

Who will definitely play in the group stage?

Spain: Villarreal, Betis
Germany: Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt
England: Chelsea, Arsenal
Italy: Lazio, Atalanta
France: Olympic, Rennes
Russia:"Krasnodar"
Portugal:"Sporting"
Ukraine:"Vorskla"
Belgium:"Anderlecht"
Türkiye:"Akhisar Belediyespor"
Czech Republic:"Jablonec"
Switzerland:"Zurich"

What is known about sowing?

The 48 participants in the group stage will be divided into four pots based on club odds. All 12 groups will have one representative from each basket. Thus, it is simply impossible to calculate the composition of these baskets before the end of the playoff round.

For now, all we can say is that teams from the same association are split into different groups.

What about qualifications?

Of the 48 participants in the group stage, 17 are currently known. In August, they will be joined by 10 teams eliminated from Champions League qualification. Another 21 tickets will be awarded in the playoff round.

Like the Champions League, there are two qualifying routes for the UEFA Champions League: the Champions Path (teams eliminated from the Champions League between the preliminary round and the third qualifying round of the Champions Path will play here) and the Main Path (the remaining Europa League participants from all 55 national associations will play here plus teams that leave the Champions League after losing in the second qualifying round of the League Representative Path).

"Zenith" will begin the fight from the third qualifying round (matches on August 9 and 16), while the high club rating (78,000) guarantees the St. Petersburg team a place among the seeds in all qualifying rounds.

European Cup debutant "Ufa" To reach the group stage, you will need to win three two-legged matches: in the second and third qualifying rounds, as well as the playoff round. The low rating (10,676) of the Ufa team complicates the task for the "citizens", but at least at the start the Russians should not have any problems - "Ufa" will play with the winner of the pair "Široki Brijeg" (Bosnia and Herzegovina) - "Domzale" (Slovenia). The matches will take place on July 26 and August 2.

When will the draw take place?

12/06/18: Preliminary round (Main Path), Nyon
19/06/18: Second qualifying round draw (Champions Path), Nyon
20/06/18: Draw for first and second qualifying rounds (Main Path), Nyon
23/07/18: Third qualifying round draw, Nyon
06/08/18: Play-off round draw, Nyon
31/08/18: Group stage, Monaco
17/12/18: 1/16 finals, Nyon
22/02/19: 1/8 finals, Nyon
15/03/19: 1/4 and 1/2 finals, Nyon