Chelsea open title defence against Juve

Group A FC Porto (POR) Dynamo Kiev (UKR) Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)

Saturday, September 01, 2012
Chelsea beat Bayern Munich to win the Champions League final. Net photo.

Group AFC Porto (POR)Dynamo Kiev (UKR)Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)Group BArsenal (ENG)Schalke 04 (GER)Olympiacos (GRE)Montpellier (FRA)Group CAC Milan (ITA)Zenit Saint Petersburg (RUS)Anderlecht (BEL)Malaga (ESP)Group DReal Madrid (ESP)Manchester City (ENG)Ajax (NED)Borussia Dortmund (GER)Group EChelsea (ENG)Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)Juventus (ITA)Nordsjaelland (DEN)Group FBayern Munich (GER)Valencia (ESP)Lille (FRA)BATE Borisov (BLR)Group GBarcelona (ESP)Benfica (POR)Spartak Moscow (RUS)Celtic (SCO)Group HManchester United (ENG)SC Braga (POR)Galatasaray (TUR)CFR-Cluj (ROM)ZURICH – European champions Chelsea will face former winners Juventus, Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine and Danish newcomers FC Nordsjaelland at the start of their title defence following The Champions League group stage draw on Thursday.An intriguing series of games is in prospect in Group D with nine-times European champions Real Madrid grouped with English champions Manchester City, Dutch league winners Ajax Amsterdam and German champions Borussia Dortmund.Bayern Munich, who lost to Chelsea in last season’s Champions League final, will face Valencia, Lille and BATE Borisov of Belarus in Group F.Chelsea were placed in a tough group with Juventus, Shakhtar Donetsk and Nordsjaelland."It is not going to be easy. Manchester United thought they had an easy passage last season and went out early. You cannot afford to make that mistake,” Chelsea club secretary Dave Barnard told reporters.Real director Emilio Butragueno told Spanish television His team had not had much luck after being drawn with Manchester City, Ajax and Dortmund.