PARIS: Real Madrid open the defense of their Champions League title with an opening group match at Scottish champions Celtic after the fixtures were announced on Saturday.
The 14-time victors travel to Glasgow for their Group F clash on September 6, the same night that French champions Paris Saint Germain entertain Italian giants Juventus in Group H.
Real Madrid’s bitter rivals Barcelona are in the toughest looking group along with German champions Bayern Munich and Italian side Inter Milan.
Barca, though, open their Group C campaign against Czech outfit Viktoria Plzen whilst Bayern are away at Inter Milan on September 7.
Those games serve as the appetizer before Barcelona host Bayern on September 13.
Liverpool, beaten by Real in last season’s final, travel to Napoli for their first Group A match on September 7.
Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester City are also both away.
Chelsea — who beat City in the 2021 final — travel to Dinamo Zagreb in Group E and Manchester City are at Spanish side Sevilla in Group G on September 6.
Two other British clubs enter the fray on September 7 — Tottenham Hotspur host Marseille in Group D whilst Rangers, who are in the same section as Liverpool, play Ajax in Amsterdam.
The group stage has been compressed this season due to the World Cup kicking off in Qatar on November 20.
Real Madrid open Champions League defense at Celtic
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Real Madrid open Champions League defense at Celtic
- The 14-time victors travel to Glasgow for their Group F clash on September 6
- Liverpool, beaten by Real in last season’s final, travel to Napoli for their first Group A match on September 7
Salah unaffected by Liverpool turmoil ahead of AFCON opener — Egypt coach
AGADIR: Mohamed Salah has shown no signs of being distracted by the uncertainty surrounding his future at Liverpool as he prepares to lead Egypt into the Africa Cup of Nations, Pharaohs coach Hossam Hassan said on Sunday.
“Salah’s morale in training is very high, as if he were just starting out with the national team, and I believe he will have a great tournament with his country,” Hassan told reporters ahead of Egypt’s opening AFCON game against Zimbabwe in Agadir on Monday.
“I feel his motivation is very, very strong. Salah is an icon and will remain so. He is one of the best players in the world, and I support him in everything he does,” Hassan added.
Salah did not start any of Liverpool’s last five games before departing for the Cup of Nations in Morocco and things came to a head following the recent Premier League draw at Leeds United when he claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by his coach at Anfield, Arne Slot.
That suggested a move away from the troubled Premier League champions during the January transfer window was a real possibility.
“I don’t consider what happened to him to be a crisis. These things often happen between players and coaches,” Hassan added.
“We’ve been in contact with him by phone from the beginning, and I met with him when he joined the national team camp. His focus is entirely on the tournament.”
Salah, 33, is aiming to lead Egypt to a record-extending eighth AFCON title in Morocco. He has never won the continental title, but ended up on the losing side in final defeats by Cameroon in 2017 and Senegal in 2022.
His goals this year have already helped Egypt qualify for the World Cup.
“Whenever Salah’s performances dip with his club, he regains his strength with the national team and becomes even better, whether by contributing to goals or scoring himself. Then he returns to his club even stronger,” Hassan added.
“He needs to win the cup by helping us and by helping himself.”
Egypt will also face South Africa and Angola in Group B at the Cup of Nations, with all three of their games in the first round being played in Agadir.
