Union Berlin’s Champions League adventure begins on matchday 1 at Real Madrid. The fixtures for FC Bayern, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig have also been fixed.
The new Champions League season, the last before the upcoming mode reform, starts with a cracker: seven-time winners AC Milan host newly-rich and not to be underestimated Newcastle United in Borussia Dortmund’s “Group of Death” F on Tuesday, 19 September (18:45).
BVB start a good two hours later with possibly the most difficult encounter of their group stage: away at Paris St. Germain with Kylian Mbappé or newcomers Ousmane Dembelé and ex-Frankfurter Randal Kolo Muani. Borussia’s first home match is against Milan on 4 October (Wednesday, 9 pm). This is followed by an away game (Wednesday, 25 October, 9pm) and home game (Tuesday, 7 November, 6.45pm) against Newcastle, Milan away (Tuesday, 28 November, 9pm) – and finally PSG again at Signal Iduna Park (Wednesday, 13 December, 9pm).
For FC Bayern, things also get off to an exciting start on Wednesday, 20 September (9pm): England’s record champions Manchester United take on the Allianz Arena. After two away games in Copenhagen (Tuesday, 3 October, 9pm) and Istanbul (Tuesday, 24 October, 6.45pm), the Turks (Wednesday, 8 November, 9pm) and Danes (Wednesday, 29 November, 9pm) come to Munich. Finally, on the last matchday, the FCB has to play at Old Trafford (Tuesday, 12 December, 9 pm).
RB Leipzig open the top flight in Switzerland, with Young Boys Bern hosting them away on Tuesday 19 September at 6.45 pm. At home, the Saxons subsequently welcome defending champions Manchester City (Wednesday, 4 October, 9 pm) and Red Star Belgrade (Wednesday, 25 October, 9 pm), travelling to Serbia on 7 November (Tuesday, 9 pm) and England on 28 November (Tuesday, 9 pm). Once again at an early hour against Bern, RB will conclude the group stage on 13 December (Wednesday).
On matchday 2, Union must probably win
For Champions League debutants Union Berlin, their foray onto Europe’s big football stage couldn’t get off to a more spectacular start: On matchday 1, the away game against Real Madrid at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu (Wednesday, 20 September, 18.45 hrs) awaits. At home against Braga (Tuesday, 3 October, 6.45 p.m.) the Eisernen would probably have to win, and three weeks later Napoli also come to Berlin (Tuesday, 24 October, 9 p.m.). Then it’s on to Napoli (Wednesday, 8 November, 6.45 p.m.), Braga (Wednesday, 29 November, 9 p.m.) – and last but not least at the Olympiastadion against record champions Real (Tuesday, 12 December, 9 p.m.).
