Champions League Draw: Group E

Chelsea’s three opponents in the Champions League group stages have been decided!

Chelsea are in Group E with:
Valencia
Bayer Leverkusen
KRC Genk

So Mata gets to go back to Valencia for a visit only a short time after departing. Valencia finished 3rd in La Liga last season and qualified for the Round of 16 in the CL last season.

Bayer Leverkusen brings Michael Ballack (barring any injuries, knockonwood) back to the Bridge, hopefully for a proper farewell. They were impressive last season, finishing runners-up to leaders Borussia Dortmund, but with a few departures and injuries, their start to the season has not been particularly spectacular. There’s a reason why they’re called “Neverkusen”.

And finally, Lukaku will have a chance to perhaps give his new teammates a tour of his home country as we will travel to Belgium to take on Genk. The Belgian club beat Maccabi Haifa in the play-off round on penalties to make it to the group stages. This will be their fourth appearance in the Champions League.

Overall, I’m pretty excited about these match-ups. We also don’t have to travel too far – no Russia trips this season! I’m ready – bring on the Champions League!

Some Related Chelsea Posts:

• Rant Box: Champions League Draw

Category: Champions League, Chelsea Team News