Champions League Group D
Manchester City automatically qualified for the Champions League group stages after finishing runners-up to Chelsea last term. They will face a tough task after being drawn with Juventus, Sevilla and Borussia Monchengladbach.
Juventus – The Old Lady were last year’s runners-up in this competition after losing 3-1 to Barcelona in the final.
Their manager Massimiliano Allegri has strengthened significantly this summer with the acquisitions of Sami Khedira, Mario Mandzukic, Paulo Dybala and Juan Cuadrado showing the calibre of their squad.
They qualified after winning Serie A for the fourth year in a row and have also won the European Cup/Champions League twice in 1984/85 and 1995/96.
Sevilla – Unai Emery‘s team finished fifth in La Liga last season but qualified directly for the group stages after retaining the Europa League title.
The Spaniards have made some top class signings, bringing in strikers Fernando Llorente and Ciro Immobile, as well as adding the Ukrainian winger Yehven Konoplyanka to their ranks.
These new players, mixed with the already talented squad they have, could prove to be vital if Sevilla are to have some success in this group.
They are another team to have never won this particular competition.
Borussia Monchengladbach – Lucien Favre‘s team qualified for this years Champions League by finishing third in the Bundesliga.
They have a strong squad that includes talent such as Switzerland striker Josep Drmic and ex-Chelsea playmaker Thorgan Hazard, brother of Eden.
They have the ability and potential to be a surprise package in this competition. They almost lifted the famous old trophy in 1976-77 but finished as runners-up to Liverpool.
