Newcastle United Drawn In ‘Group Of Death’ After Exciting Champions League Draw

Last week saw the draw made for the Group Stages of all three major UEFA competitions this season. The Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

And what a draw it proved to be for the British teams with some mixed fortunes in terms of the strength of the group for Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal, Celtic and especially Newcastle United.

With the action set to start in this competition in the next few weeks, we are going to preview the full draw as well as take a look at the odds for the teams to win the group and also qualify for the knockout phase.

We will be taking odds from bet365 Sport which were correct at the time of writing, but which of course will change as we head towards the first game and once the Group Stages are underway.

Let’s begin with a look at the groups that contain one of the five British teams competing in UEFA’s biggest tournament.

Group A

• Bayern Munich
• Manchester United
• FC Copenhagen
• Galatasaray

Latest Odds To Win Group A

• Bayern Munich – 8/15 fav
• Manchester United – 2/1
• FC Copenhagen – 33/1
• Galatasaray – 10/1

Latest Odds To Qualify from Group A

• Bayern Munich – 1/8
• Manchester United – 1/6
• FC Copenhagen – 11/2
• Galatasaray – 5/2

Group A Fixtures

20^th September

• 5.45pm – Galatasaray v FC Copenhagen
• 8.00pm – Bayern Munich v Manchester United

3^rd October

• 8.00pm – FC Copenhagen v Bayern Munich
• 8.00pm – Manchester United v Galatasaray

24^th October

• 5.45pm – Galatasaray v Bayern Munich
• 8.00pm – Manchester United v FC Copenhagen

8^th November

• 8.00pm – FC Copenhagen v Manchester United
• 8.00pm – Bayern Munich v Galatasaray

29^th November

• 5.45pm – Galatasaray v Manchester United
• 8.00pm – Bayern Munich v FC Copenhagen

12^th December

• 8.00pm – FC Copenhagen v Galatasaray
• 8.00pm – Manchester United v Bayern Munich

Latest Odds To Win Group

• Bayern Munich – 8/15 fav
• Manchester United – 2/1
• FC Copenhagen – 33/1
• Galatasaray – 10/1

Latest Odds To Qualify

• Bayern Munich – 1/8
• Manchester United – 1/6
• FC Copenhagen – 11/2
• Galatasaray – 5/2

The Verdict?

Memories of 1999 will come flooding back for United fans in this group as they will face off against Bayern Munich and these are the two teams that should qualify comfortably from this group.

Galatasaray away will be tough but I’d expect United and Bayern to win home and away against Copenhagen and I think how the two games between Bayern and Man Utd go will decide who wins the group.

Prediction – 1. Bayern Munich, 2. Manchester United, 3. Galatasaray, 4. Copenhagen

Group B

• Sevilla
• Arsenal
• PSV Eindhoven
• Lens

Latest Odds To Win Group B

• Sevilla – 9/2
• Arsenal – 1/2 fav
• PSV Eindhoven – 6/1
• Lens – 7/1

Latest Odds To Qualify from Group B

• Sevilla – 10/11
• Arsenal – 1/6
• PSV Eindhoven – 7/4
• Lens – 7/4

Group B Fixtures

20^th September

• 8.00pm – Arsenal v PSV Eindhoven
• 8.00pm – Sevilla v Lens

3^rd October

• 8.00pm – PSV Eindhoven v Sevilla
• 8.00pm – Lens v Arsenal

24^th October

• 8.00pm – Lens v PSV Eindhoven
• 8.00pm – Sevilla v Arsenal

8^th November

• 8.00pm – Arsenal v Sevilla
• 8.00pm – PSV Eindhoven v Lens

29^th November

• 5.45pm – Sevilla v PSV Eindhoven
• 8.00pm – Arsenal v Lens

12^th December

• 5.45pm – Lens v Sevilla
• 5.45pm – PSV Eindhoven v Arsenal

The Verdict?

Arsenal have not been given the easiest of draws on their return to the Champions League, but it is a group that Mikel Arteta’s team should feel confident of progressing from. The key will be their away legs, assuming they can produce the goods at home.

I can see the other teams taking points off each other which means three home wins and an away win and a draw should be more than enough for Arsenal

Prediction – 1. Arsenal, 2. PSV Eindhoven, 3. Sevilla, 4. Lens

Group E

• Feyenoord
• Atletico Madrid
• Lazio
• Celtic

Latest Odds To Win Group E

• Feyenoord – 6/1
• Atletico Madrid – 8/13 fav
• Lazio – 3/1
• Celtic – 9/1

Latest Odds To Qualify from Group E

• Feyenoord – 13/8
• Atletico Madrid – 1/5
• Lazio – 8/11
• Celtic – 13/5

Group E Fixtures

19^th September

• 8.00pm – Feyenoord v Celtic
• 8.00pm – Lazio v Atletico Madrid

4^th October

• 5.45pm – Atletico Madrid v Feyenoord
• 8.00pm – Celtic v Lazio

25^th October

• 5.45pm – Feyenoord v Lazio
• 8.00pm – Celtic v Atletico Madrid

7^th November

• 8.00pm – Atletico Madrid v Celtic
• 8.00pm – Lazio v Feyenoord

28^th November

• 5.45pm – Lazio v Celtic
• 8.00pm – Feyenoord v Atletico Madrid

13^th December

• 8.00pm – Atletico Madrid v Lazio
• 8.00pm – Celtic v Feyenoord

The Verdict?

Aside from Group F, this is arguably the most evenly contested group. For me, Atletico Madrid should be the team to beat here and given their good start in La Liga, I think they will likely finish top of the group.

Lazio are the bookies favourites to finish second but they have started the season slowly and I think it will be a real battle between the other three teams to finish second behind the Spanish side.

Prediction – 1. Atletico Madrid, 2. Feyenoord, 3. Lazio, 4. Celtic

Group F

• Paris St Germain
• Borussia Dortmund
• AC Milan
• Newcastle United

Latest Odds To Win Group F

• Paris St Germain – 11/10
• Borussia Dortmund – 11/2
• AC Milan – 5/1
• Newcastle United – 9/4

Latest Odds To Qualify from Group F

• Paris St Germain – 4/11
• Borussia Dortmund – 6/4
• AC Milan – 6/5
• Newcastle United – 4/5

Group F Fixtures

19^th September

• 5.45pm – AC Milan v Newcastle United
• 8.00pm – Paris St Germain v Borussia Dortmund

4^th October

• 8.00pm – Borussia Dortmund v AC Milan
• 8.00pm – Newcastle United v Paris St Germain

25^th October

• 8.00pm – Newcastle United v Borussia Dortmund
• 8.00pm – Paris St Germain v AC Milan

7^th November

• 5.45pm – Borussia Dortmund v Newcastle United
• 8.00pm – AC Milan v Paris St Germain

28^th November

• 8.00pm – AC Milan v Borussia Dortmund
• 8.00pm – Paris St Germain v Newcastle United

13^th December

• 8.00pm – Borussia Dortmund v Paris St Germain
• 8.00pm – Newcastle United v AC Milan

The Verdict?

Newcastle were delighted to get Champions League football this season, but the football gods have not been kind, drawing them into a tough group against two previous winners and a current European Super Power.

You can’t look past PSG to win this group I feel, but I think second spot is up for grabs and if Newcastle can pick up one good result on the road at Dortmund or Milan, or even in Paris, then I think they could possibly take second spot in what should be a tight group.

Prediction – 1. Paris St Germain, 2. Newcastle United, 3. Borussia Dortmund, 4. AC Milan

Group G

• Manchester City
• Red Bull Leipzig
• Red Star Belgrade
• Young Boys

Latest Odds To Win Group G

• Manchester City – 1/10
• Red Bull Leipzig – 13/2
• Red Star Belgrade – 66/1
• Young Boys – 66/1

Latest Odds To Qualify from Group G

• Manchester City – 1/100
• Red Bull Leipzig – 1/6
• Red Star Belgrade – 7/1
• Young Boys – 7/1

Group G Fixtures

19^th September

• 5.45pm – Young Boys v Red Bull Leipzig
• 8.00pm – Manchester City v Red Star Belgrade

4^th October

• 8.00pm – Red Star Belgrade v Young Boys
• 8.00pm – Red Bull Leipzig v Manchester City

25^th October

• 8.00pm – Red Bull Leipzig v Red Star Belgrade
• 8.00pm – Young Boys v Manchester City

7^th November

• 8.00pm – Manchester City v Young Boys
• 8.00pm – Red Star Belgrade v Red Bull Leipzig

28^th November

• 8.00pm – Manchester City v Red Bull Leipzig
• 8.00pm – Young Boys v Red Star Belgrade

13^th December

• 5.45pm – Red Bull Leipzig v Young Boys
• 5.45pm – Red Star Belgrade v Manchester City

The Verdict?

As you can tell by the odds available on Manchester City in this group, the current Champions League holders should qualify easily from one of the weaker groups in the competition. Their main rivals will be Leipzig, a team they beat 7-0 in the knockout phase last season.

I’d be surprised if City don’t win all six games in this group and qualify with a couple of games to spare with Leipzig likely to be the team to qualify a distant second to them in the group.

Prediction – 1. Man City, 2. RB Leipzig, 3. Young Boys, 4. Red Star Belgrade

Other Groups Without British Teams

Group C

• Napoli
• Real Madrid
• Braga
• Union Berlin

Latest Odds To Win Group C

• Napoli – 9/4
• Real Madrid – 8/15
• Braga – 12/1
• Union Berlin – 12/1

Latest Odds To Qualify from Group C

• Napoli – 2/7
• Real Madrid – 1/9
• Braga – 10/3
• Union Berlin – 10/3

Group C Fixtures

20^th September

• 5.45pm – Real Madrid v Union Berlin
• 8.00pm – Braga v Napoli

3^rd October

• 5.45pm – Union Berlin v Braga
• 8.00pm – Napoli v Real Madrid

24^th October

• 8.00pm – Braga v Real Madrid
• 8.00pm – Union Berlin v Napoli

8^th November

• 5.45pm – Napoli v Union Berlin
• 8.00pm – Real Madrid v Braga

29^th November

• 5.45pm – Real Madrid v Napoli
• 8.00pm – Braga v Union Berlin

13^th December

• 8.00pm – Napoli v Braga
• 8.00pm – Union Berlin v Real Madrid

Verdict?

This should be a pretty straightforward group in my view as I think Napoli and Real Madrid will be much too strong for the other two teams and it will be a battle for third between Braga and Union Berlin.

Prediction – 1. Real Madrid, 2. Napoli, 3. Union Berlin, 4. Braga

Group D

• Benfica
• Inter Milan
• Red Bull Salzburg
• Real Sociedad

Latest Odds To Win Group D

• Benfica – 5/2
• Inter Milan – 4/5 fav
• Red Bull Salzburg – 8/1
• Real Sociedad – 11/2

Latest Odds To Qualify from Group D

• Benfica
• Inter Milan
• Red Bull Salzburg
• Real Sociedad

Group D Fixtures

20^th September

• 8.00pm – Benfica v Red Bull Salzburg
• 8.00pm – Real Sociedad v Inter Milan

3^rd October

• 5.45pm – Red Bull Salzburg v Real Sociedad
• 8.00pm – Inter Milan v Benfica

24^th October

• 5.45pm – Inter Milan v Red Bull Salzburg
• 8.00pm – Benfica v Real Sociedad

8^th November

• 5.45pm – Real Sociedad v Benfica
• 8.00pm – Red Bull Salzburg v Inter Milan

29^th November

• 5.45pm – Real Sociedad v Red Bull Salzburg
• 8.00pm – Benfica v Inter Milan

12^th December

• 8.00pm – Red Bull Salzburg v Benfica
• 8.00pm – Inter Milan v Real Sociedad

The Verdict?

Inter and Benfica are the bookmakers’ favourites in this group but if they slip up then Sociedad and Salzburg are capable of capitalising on it. I think this group may well be a lot closer than many expect, but even so I’d expect the top teams to progress.

Prediction – 1. Inter, 2. Benfica, 3. Real Sociedad, 4. Red Bull Salzburg

Group H

• Barcelona
• FC Porto
• Shakhtar Donetsk
• Royal Antwerp

Latest Odds To Win Group H

• Barcelona – 4/11
• FC Porto – 11/4
• Shakhtar Donetsk – 20/1
• Royal Antwerp – 22/1

Latest Odds To Qualify from Group H

• Barcelona – 1/16
• FC Porto – 1/3
• Shakhtar Donetsk – 7/2
• Royal Antwerp – 4/1

Group H Fixtures

19^th September

• 8.00pm – Barcelona v Royal Antwerp
• 8.00pm – Shakhtar Donetsk v FC Porto

4^th October

• 5.45pm – Royal Antwerp v Shakhtar Donetsk
• 8.00pm – FC Porto v Barcelona

25^th October

• 5.45pm – Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk
• 8.00pm – Royal Antwerp v FC Porto

7^th November

• 5.45pm – Shakhtar Donetsk v Barcelona
• 8.00pm – FC Porto v Royal Antwerp

28^th November

• 5.45pm – Shakhtar Donetsk v Royal Antwerp
• 8.00pm – Barcelona v FC Porto

13^th December

• 8.00pm – FC Porto v Shakhtar Donetsk
• 8.00pm – Royal Antwerp v Barcelona

The Verdict?

The big two should qualify from this group with an exciting young Barcelona team likely to take first ahead of FC Porto, but don’t rule out Antwerp if the Portuguese side slip up.

Prediction – 1. Barcelona, 2. FC Porto, 3. Royal Antwerp, 4. Shakhtar Donetsk.