UEFA Champions League draw and schedule

The draw for the UEFA Champions League in Geneva has pitched reigning European club champions Real Madrid in against Internazionale.

The Group C defence for the champions starts in the Santiago Bernebeu on September 16th with a home game against the Milan giants in the tie of the competition. Their return in the San Siro is on Novenmber 25th.

Group D also starts impressively with manchester United at home to Spanish champions FC Barcelona on Sptember 16th.

English champions Arsenal face tough trips to Kiev and Panathinaikos in Athens without top striker Dennis Bergkamp who is still afraid of flying and will not be able to travel by plane to matches. Bergkamp will simply be left out of the squad for the long trips abroad.

Group winners and the two runners-up teams with the best records progress to the quarter-finals on March 4th and 17th. The semi-finals are on April 7th and 21st while the final takes place on May 25th at a venue yet to be chosen.

The draw and schedule in full:

Group A: Ajax, Olympiakos, Porto, Zagreb

September 16 - Porto v Olympiakos Zagreb v Ajax

September 30 - Olympiakos - Zagreb Ajax v Porto

October 21 - Olympiakos v Ajax Porto v Zagreb

November 4 - Ajax v Olympiakos Zagreb v Porto

November 25 - Olympiakos v Porto Ajax v Zabreb

December 9 - Porto v Ajax Zagreb v Olympiakos

Group B: Atletico Bilbao, Juventus, Galatasary, Rosenborg

September 16 - Bilbao v Rosenborg Juventus v Galatasary

September 30 - Galatasary v Bilbao Rosenborg v Juventus

October 21 - Rosenborg v Galatasary Bilbao Juventus

November 4 - Galatasary v Rosenborg Juventus v Bilbao

November 25 - Rosenborg v Bilbao Galatasary v Juventus

December 9 - Bilbao v Galatasry Juventus v Rosenborg

Group C: Sturm Graz, Real Madrid, Spartak Moscow, Internazionale

September 16 - Real v Inter Sturm Graz v Spartak

September 30 - Spartak v Real Inter v Sturm Graz

October 21 - Inter v Spartak Real v Sturm Graz

November 4 - Spartak v Inter Sturm Graz v Real

November 25 - Inter v Real Spartak v Sturm Graz

December 9 - Real v Spartak Sturm Graz v Inter

Group D: Bronby, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, FC Barcelona

September 16 - Brondby v Bayern Man Utd v Barca

September 30 - Barca v Brondby Bayern v Man Utd

October 21 - Bayern v Barca Brondby v Man Utd

November 4 - Barca v Bayern Man Utd v Brondby

November 25 - Bayern v Brondby Barca v man Utd

December 9 - Brondby v Barca Man Utd v Bayern

Group E: Dynmao Kiev, RC Lens, Arsenal, Panathinaikos

September 16 - Lens v Arsenal Panathinaikos v Kiev

September 30 - Kiev v Lens Arsenal v Panathinaikos

October 21 - Arsenal v Kiev Lens v Panathinaikos

November 4 - Kiev v Arsenal Panathinaikos v Lens

November 25 - Arsenal v Lens Kiev v Panathinaikos

December 9 - Lens v Kiev Panathinaikos v Arsenal

Group F: Benfica, PSV Eindhoven, Helsinki, Kaiserslautern

September 16 - PSV v Helsinki Kaiserslautern v Benfice

September 30 - Benfica v PSV Helsinki v Kaiserslautern

October 21 - Helsinki v Benfica PSV V Kaiserslautern

November 4 - Benfica v Helsinki Kaiserslautern v PSV

November 25 - Helsinki v PSV Benfica v Kaiserslautern

December 9 - PSV V Benfica Kaiserslautern v Helsinki