INTERNATIONAL
Three draws in five days: Champions League, Europa League and Club World Cup
Here's all the information you need to know about the upcoming draws, as seven LaLiga clubs await their fate over Thursday, Friday and Monday.
Seven LaLiga clubs will have their fate decided as draws for three tournaments take place over five days: tomorrow (Thursday) is the Champions League draw; on Friday, it’s the Europa League; and on Monday, the draw for the Fifa Club World Cup. As always AS English will be bringing you live coverage of them all.
The Uefa Champions League draw kicks off on Thursday at 18.00 (CEST) with Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia waiting to see who their opponents will be in the Group Stages of Europe’s premier club competition. The first three will be in pot one as top seeds, while Valencia will be placed in either pot three or pot four, depending on how results go in the three qualifying matches being played on Thursday night.
During the ceremony, Uefa will also present the award for Men’s Player of the Year, which is between Luka Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah, as well as the awards in the other six categories.
Europa League draw
On 13.00 (CEST) on Friday the Europa League groups will be determined. Villarreal and Betis are already through to the group stages, while Sevilla will have to overcome Sigma Olomouc in the second leg of their qualifier to book their place in the competition. After beating the Czech Republic club 1-0 away and with home advantage tomorrow night, Sevilla will be hotly tipped to go through.
If Sevilla go through, they will be placed in pot one, along with Villarreal and other high-ranked clubs such as Arsenal and Chelsea. Betis will be put in either pot two or pot three. If Quique Setién’s side are drawn from the third pot, they could end up in a ‘group of death’ with one of the London clubs and the likes of AC Milan or Marseille, who will most likely be in pot two.
Both Uefa draws will take place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.
(You can follow the teams as they come out of the pots for both draws with AS' live coverage right here on our website, which will also cover the player of the year awards).
Fifa Club World Cup draw
With just eight competing teams, the draw will take place for the quarter finals of the Fifa World Club Cup on Monday, September 4 at 10.00 (CEST). The winner of one of those quarter final fixtures will face Real Madrid, who go directly to the semi-finals.
The tournament takes place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from December 12 to 22, and the eight qualifying teams are as follows: Al Ain FC (UAE, hosts); CD Guadalajara (Mexico, CONCACAF Champions League winners); Wellington FC (New Zealand, OFC Champions League winners); Real Madrid; the winner of the South America’s Copa Liberators; the winner of the AFC Champions League (Asia); and the winner of the CAF Champions League (Africa).
Real Madrid’s semi-final fixture will be played in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, 19 of December at 17.30 (CEST), with the final also taking place in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, December 22 at 14.20 (CEST). Real Madrid will be firm favorites to win the tournament, which would give the coach Julen Lopetegui his first taste of silverware with his new club.
*Fecha en la que se disputa la final de la competición continental.
