Borussia Dortmund will play Barcelona (H) and Real Madrid (A) in the new Champions League format. In the league phase, last season’s finalists will also play Shakhtar Donetsk (H), Club Brugge (A), Celtic Glasgow (H), Dinamo Zagreb (A), Sturm Graz (H) and Bologna (A).
To qualify for the last 16, Dortmund must finish in the top eight. Should they finish between 9th and 24th, they will go into a playoff system.
Drawn in Pot 1, Borussia Dortmund Managing Director Hans-Joachim Watzke believes the new format has given Die Schwarzgelben a favourable draw.
“I’m really looking forward to the new format,” Watzke told Sky Germany. “I’m really excited. These are the games that I’m really looking forward to. It’s gone quite well for us. The ideal goal would be to be among the top eight teams.”
As reported by Ruhr Nachrichten, clubs are to receive a total of €2.47bn in its new format. And then from the Round of 16, the Champions League will run as normal. The path to the final will be determined during the draw for the last 16.
GGFN | Daniel Pinder
