UEFA.com presents the eight teams from Pot 2 ahead of the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League group stage draw in Istanbul on 25 August.
Four UEFA Champions League winners are among the teams in Pot 2, while the remaining quartet have an impressive recent record in Europe.
Live: group stage draw
Liverpool (ENG, second place)
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UEFA ranking coefficient (final 2021/22): 2
how it was classified: England second
Last season: runner-up (D 0-1 v Real Madrid)
Best performance in the Champions Cup: champion (1976/77, 1977/78, 1980/81, 1983/84, 2004/05, 2018/19)
2021/22: Six wins in six Group B games gave the first indication that Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool were serious once again last season. So much so that at one point he was able to win poker after winning the League Cup and the FA Cup. The rest of the season did not go as planned, however, as the Reds finished second behind Manchester City in the Premier League title race by just one point and narrowly missed out on the Champions League final against Manchester. City and Real Madrid.
Chelsea (ITA)
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UEFA ranking coefficient: 5
how it was classified: third in England
Last season: quarter-finals (P4-5 aggregate v Real Madrid)
Best performance in the Champions Cup: champion (2011/12, 2020/21)
2021/22: The 2020/21 season winners advanced to the Champions League round of 16 with four wins and one draw in Group H, beating LOSC Lille 4-1 overall in the round of 16 in a bid to defend their crown. Thomas Tuchel’s side lost the quarter-final first leg at home to Real Madrid, but had a chance to advance into the second leg until a comeback from future champions overturned the tie. Nationally, the Blues finished 19 points behind the leader, but qualified again for European competition in third place.
Barcelona (ESP)
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UEFA ranking coefficient: 6
how it was classified: runner-up of Spain
Last season: group stage, quarter-finals of the Europa League
Best performance in the Champions Cup: champion (1991/92, 2005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2014/15)
2021/22: Last season was undoubtedly frustrating for the Catalans, considering their success in recent years. The consecutive defeats to Bayern and Benfica on their Champions League debut did not bode well and, although the team had recovered, Barcelona were unable to make it through for the first time since the 2000/01 season. Under the leadership of former midfield star Xavi Hernández, the team reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League but were eliminated by future champions Eintracht Frankfurt. Second place in La Liga, albeit 13 points behind rivals Real Madrid, ensured Champions League qualification once again in 2022/23.
Juventus (ITA)
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UEFA ranking coefficient: 8
how it was classified: fourth in Italy
Last season: round of 16 (P 1-4 aggregate v Villarreal)
Best performance in the Champions Cup: champion (1984/85, 1995/96)
2021/22: After leading Juventus to five consecutive league titles between 2014 and 2019, Massimiliano Allegri is back on the Juventus bench in view of the 2021/22 season. The team seemed to have a better chance of success when they reached the Champions League round of 16 with ease thanks to five wins in Group H, but a shocking loss in the round of 16 to sublime Villarreal ended their journey. Even at home, the situation was not as expected, with a defeat against Inter in the Coppa Italia final and a fourth place in Serie A, 16 points behind the Milan champion.
Atletico Madrid (ESP)
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UEFA ranking coefficient: 9
how it was classified: third in Spain
Last season: quarter-finals (D 0-1 aggregate v Man. City)
Best performance in the Champions Cup: runner-up (1973/74, 2013/14, 2015/16)
2021/22: Los Colchoneros have had a resurgence season as their mid-season form threatened to derail their aspirations both domestically and Europe after the winter break. The reigning La Liga champions overcame the December crisis by finishing third and a dramatic win on matchday six at Porto took them from the last part of the group to the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League as runners-up in Group B. The famous overall win the knockout stage against Manchester United could not be repeated in the next round against the “Red Devils” neighbors, as Man City prevailed with a total of 1-0 in a dramatic quarter-final.
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UEFA ranking coefficient: 12
how it was classified: fourth in Spain
Last season: group stage (Europa League round of 16)
Best performance in the Champions Cup: quarter-finals (1957/58, 2017/18)
2021/22: Despite securing a top four finish for the third straight season – something they last achieved in the late 1950s – you can get the feeling that Sevilla’s campaign held more promise. They only lost four league games, had the best defense in the league and were the only contender for first place before falling. The inability to repeat their performances at home was also their undoing in Europe. After finishing third in their Champions League group, they lost an advantage in the first leg and were eliminated in the round of 16 of the Europa League at the hands of West Ham.
Leipzig (GER)
