Champions League fans confused as Chelsea avoid Porto in group stage draw

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Thursday’s Champions League draw led to some confusion among Chelsea fans after they were placed into Group E with AC Milan despite Porto’s group also being empty at the time. Chelsea were in Pot Two, along with fellow Premier League clubs Liverpool and Tottenham based on their UEFA club coefficient ranking.

Chelsea fans were waiting to see who they would get with Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid both ones to avoid from Pot One. Both PSG and Real had their groups filled with Juventus and RB Leipzig respectively from Pot Two.

There was only two groups left when Chelsea and Atletico Madrid were still in the pot to be drawn. Group B with Porto or Group E with AC Milan were waiting for Chelsea, but when the Blues were drawn by Yaya Toure, it was announced that Thomas Tuchel’s side couldn’t be drawn in Porto’s group.

They instead had to be put in AC Milan’s group with Atletico being put in Porto’s group. It led to some confusion on social media as most fans are aware that no team from the same country can be drawn in the same pot.

But Chelsea’s inability to be drawn into Porto’s group stems from the fact the Premier League have four clubs in the Champions League. Associations with more than one representative will see their matchdays divided between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Groups A-D typically play their matches separately to groups E-H and Chelsea were left with no other option. Tottenham and Liverpool had already been drawn in Groups A and D respectively, with Manchester City in Group G.

It meant Group E was the only option for Chelsea so the Premier League would have two clubs playing on each matchday.

Chelsea will also face Red Bull Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb in their group along with Milan. If they had been put in Porto’s group, Chelsea would have faced Bayer Leverkusen and Club Brugge.

Liverpool may have a difficult test in Group A as they take on Ajax, Napoli and Rangers while Tottenham should fancy their chances against Frankfurt, Sporting Lisbon and Marseille. Manchester City will also be expected to top their group where they face Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund and Copenhagen.

Arguably the toughest group of them all is Group C with Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Inter Milan all battling for one of two available spots for the Champions League knockout phase.

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