Who can Arsenal draw in the 2023/24 Champions League group stage?

The boys are back in town!

Oh, how these six-and-a-half years have been arduous. It’s been quite a toxic ride since Arturo Vidal was dinking Arsenal’s backside back to Woolwich on our most recent Champions League appearance in March 2017.

Mikel Arteta’s men teased a potential return in 2021/22 before fading down the stretch, but they exceeded expectations (and some) in 2022/23 and secured Champions League football well before our title charge dissipated.

The return to UEFA’s premier competition somewhat softened the blow of a late-season collapse, with the Gunners’ campaign set to get underway in September. First, though, we must discover whom Arteta’s side will be taking on.

Who can Arsenal draw in the 2023/24 Champions League group stage?

If there’s a God, and I know you’re out there, please, please, PLEASE keep the Gunners away from that Bavarian beast. Yes, we’re in a much better place now than we were at the end of the Wenger era, but trauma remains.

Bayern are the team to avoid from a relatively weak Pot 1, although Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, and Napoli are still stiff opposition. The Gunners will fancy their chances against Sevilla, Benfica, and Feyenoord.

While Shakhtar boast the highest coefficient in Pot 3, there appear to be tougher tests for Arsenal. Milan are the side to avoid, for me, while PSV beat us in Eindhoven last season. Lazio are vastly improved under Maurizio Sarri, too. Red Star Belgrade would be a tricky away test.

Pot 4 is laden with interesting stories, none more so than Champions League debutants Union Berlin, whose rise under Urs Fischer has been nothing short of miraculous. Lens are also novices having last featured in the competition in 1997. Galatasaray’s hostile home environment wouldn’t be an away trip to look forward to, while a pair of contests against Celtic would be special occasions.

Real Sociedad, though, are probably the best team in the pot.

2023/24 Champions League group stage pots

Here are the confirmed pots for the group stage draw:

Pot 1

• Man City (ENG)
• Sevilla (ESP)
• Bayern Munich (GER)
• Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
• Barcelona (ESP)
• Napoli (ITA)
• Benfica (POR)
• Feyenoord (NED)

Pot 2

• Arsenal (ENG)
• Man Utd (ENG)
• Real Madrid (ESP)
• RB Leipzig (GER)
• Atletico Madrid (ESP)
• Inter (ITA)
• Borussia Dortmund (GER)
• Porto (POR)

Pot 3

• Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
• Red Bull Salzburg (AUS)
• Milan (ITA)
• Braga (POR)
• PSV (NED)
• Lazio (ITA)
• Red Star Belgrade (SRB)
• Copenhagen (DEN)

Pot 4

• Newcastle (ENG)
• Real Sociedad (ESP)
• Galatasaray (TUR)
• Celtic (SCO)
• Union Berlin (GER)
• Lens (FRA)
• Royal Antwerp (BEL)
• Young Boys (SUI)

When is the Champions League group stage draw?

Arsenal will find out their group-stage opponents on Thursday 31 August. The draw is scheduled to get underway at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland at 18:00 CET (17:00 BST).