The draw is set for the upcoming Champions League group stages, so let’s take a look at the groups in which the Italian clubs will be playing.
GROUP A:
Bayern Munich (Germany)
Villarreal (Spain)
Manchester City (England)
Napoli (Italy)
GROUP B:
Inter Milan (Italy)
CSKA Moscow (Russia)
Lille (France)
Trabzonspor (Turkey)
GROUP H:
Barcelona (Spain)
AC Milan (Italy)
Bate (Belarus)
Plzen (Czech Republic)
It was always going to be difficult for Napoli in their first ever trip to the Champions League, but they certainly didn’t get any favors with this draw. They are capable of winning or losing every single game in this group and will have to scratch and claw for each point they earn. This draw does not bode well for their Serie A campaign either.
Inter has a slightly better draw, as their group includes Lille, CSKA Moscow and Turkey’s Trabzonspor who only managed to qualify for the competition when champions Fenerbahce were removed as a result of an ongoing match-fixing scandal. Inter appear the best team in the group, and should qualify, but the French and Russian clubs will at least make it interesting.
Milan have the misfortune of drawing Barcelona, but they may have the easiest draw nonetheless, as it is hard to see them losing to Bate or Plzen.
