
JJK Drawn In To 'Group Of Death'

JJK Were Drawn In To Group B Alongside Arsenal, Valencia And VfB Stuttgart
26/08/2027
JJK Jyväskylä were seeded in the fourth pot of the draw for the UEFA Champions League group stage, and they were given a very tough group as they were placed in to Group B. Alongside JJK, Group B contained VfB Stuttgart, Valencia and Arsenal. It was a very tough draw for the Finnish side, as they faced the proposition of competing against three teams who were all more than capable of competing in Europe's elite club competition.
London club Chelsea were drawn in to Group A, and were favourites to progress top of the group. The Blues won the competition three times previously (2012, 2017, 2021), but faced stern opposition from SL Benfica and Olympique de Marseille, who had won the competition three times between, for passage to the next round. Sparta Praha were also in Group A, but they were not expected to challenge for the top two positions.
The reigning champions of the competition, Arsenal, were expected to finish in top spot. Having won the competition twice (2018, 2027), they were fully expected to progress. Valencia were favourites to come second, but expected VfB Stuttgart to push them all the way. JJK Jyväskylä were drawn in to this group, but the Finnish side were considered to be no threat to the European giants.
Pep Guardiola's Paris Saint-Germain side were certain to have been delighted with their draw, and they fancied their chances of progressing top of the group. Lazio were also expected to progress from the group, with Celtic and RSC Anderlecht considered as minnows in comparison.
Spanish giants Real Madrid were looking for their fourteenth Champions League title. They last won the competition in 2024, during Christian Schäfer's reign, and have been unable to repeat their success since. They were given a reasonably competitive group as one-time winner Borussia Dortmund (1997) and Shakhtar Donetsk were drawn alongside Los Meringues. Slovan Bratislava were also in the group, but they did not expect to earn a single point.
Group E's draw brought plenty of excitement as Bayern München were drawn against Premier League champions Manchester City. Bayern coach Marco Silva would be competing against City coach Diego Simeone for top spot in the group, while Europa League champions Zenit Saint-Petersburg were also desperate to have their say. Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel were looking to battle for third place, but the odds were against them.
Mauricio Pochettino's AC Milan were hopeful of their chances of adding to their seven Champions League titles, but FC Porto and Fenerbahçe were both determined to reach the next round. Holland's AZ Alkmaar rounded off a very competitive group, and much excitement was expected.
Hamza Hamzaoğlu's FC Barcelona side were confident of their chances in the competition, and were hungry to win their first Champions League title since 2020. The six time winners were drawn alongside Marc Wilmots' AS Monaco, and CSKA Moskva of Russia and Standard Liège of Belgium.
Italy's champions Juventus were drawn in to the final group alongside Frank de Boer's Manchester United team. The Red Devils won the competition as recently as 2025, and were looking to win it for a fifth time. Sevilla of Spain and Red Bull Salzburg of Austria were also drawn in to Group H.
UEFA Champions League Group A

Three-Times Winners Chelsea Were Placed In Group A Alongside Benfica
London club Chelsea were drawn in to Group A, and were favourites to progress top of the group. The Blues won the competition three times previously (2012, 2017, 2021), but faced stern opposition from SL Benfica and Olympique de Marseille, who had won the competition three times between, for passage to the next round. Sparta Praha were also in Group A, but they were not expected to challenge for the top two positions.
UEFA Champions League Group B

Reigning Champions Arsenal Were Looking To Retain Their Title
The reigning champions of the competition, Arsenal, were expected to finish in top spot. Having won the competition twice (2018, 2027), they were fully expected to progress. Valencia were favourites to come second, but expected VfB Stuttgart to push them all the way. JJK Jyväskylä were drawn in to this group, but the Finnish side were considered to be no threat to the European giants.
UEFA Champions League Group C

Paris Saint-Germain & Pep Guardiola Were Given A Group To Be Happy With
Pep Guardiola's Paris Saint-Germain side were certain to have been delighted with their draw, and they fancied their chances of progressing top of the group. Lazio were also expected to progress from the group, with Celtic and RSC Anderlecht considered as minnows in comparison.
UEFA Champions League Group D

Real Madrid Were Looking For Their Fourteenth Champions League Title
Spanish giants Real Madrid were looking for their fourteenth Champions League title. They last won the competition in 2024, during Christian Schäfer's reign, and have been unable to repeat their success since. They were given a reasonably competitive group as one-time winner Borussia Dortmund (1997) and Shakhtar Donetsk were drawn alongside Los Meringues. Slovan Bratislava were also in the group, but they did not expect to earn a single point.
UEFA Champions League Group E

Bayern München And Manchester City Would Battle It Out In Group E
Group E's draw brought plenty of excitement as Bayern München were drawn against Premier League champions Manchester City. Bayern coach Marco Silva would be competing against City coach Diego Simeone for top spot in the group, while Europa League champions Zenit Saint-Petersburg were also desperate to have their say. Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel were looking to battle for third place, but the odds were against them.
UEFA Champions League Group F

AC Milan And FC Porto Were Drawn In To A Competitive Group
Mauricio Pochettino's AC Milan were hopeful of their chances of adding to their seven Champions League titles, but FC Porto and Fenerbahçe were both determined to reach the next round. Holland's AZ Alkmaar rounded off a very competitive group, and much excitement was expected.
UEFA Champions League Group G

FC Barcelona Would Share A Group With AS Monaco
Hamza Hamzaoğlu's FC Barcelona side were confident of their chances in the competition, and were hungry to win their first Champions League title since 2020. The six time winners were drawn alongside Marc Wilmots' AS Monaco, and CSKA Moskva of Russia and Standard Liège of Belgium.
UEFA Champions League Group H

Serie A Champions Juventus Faced Manchester United In Group H
Italy's champions Juventus were drawn in to the final group alongside Frank de Boer's Manchester United team. The Red Devils won the competition as recently as 2025, and were looking to win it for a fifth time. Sevilla of Spain and Red Bull Salzburg of Austria were also drawn in to Group H.
Christian Schäfer:
"I am very excited about the group which we will be playing in. We have been drawn against the reigning champions, Arsenal, and we look forward to welcoming them to Finland. Along with Arsenal, we play against two other very significant clubs in the form of Valencia and VfB Stuttgart. They are two clubs of terrific standing,
Our home games will be played at the Veritas Stadion in Turku. We cannot use the Harjun Stadion due to the limited number of seats, which is disappointing, but I am sure the fans will be welcome to the idea of competing in Turku. We can expect some terrific nights of football against Europe's best clubs, and I am very excited about welcoming the best players in the world to Finland.
The squad of JJK is very excited about what we face ahead of us. Each and every player will play some time throughout the group stage, and they will be able to tell their children and grandchildren that they once played in the group stage of the Champions League. We hope to have many fond memories of this campaign, and we will work hard in each of our six fixtures."
Previous Update: #132 - Away Goal Secures Group Stage Place
Next Update: Coming Soon....