Juventus, Olympiacos and Sporting Lisbon, Barça’s opponents in the 2017/18 Champions League group stage

Juventus, Olympiacos and Sporting Lisbon will be FC Barcelona's opponents in the 2017/18 Champions League group stage. The draw on Thursday in the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco saw Ernesto Valverde’s team placed in group D.

The Catalans will begin their campaign on the 12/13 September as they look to reach the final in Kiev on 26 May

So, thery are facing the side that knocked them out at the quarter-final stage in last season’s competition, Juventus. New FC Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde will take on his former team Olympiacos, who he coached for two separate spells, 2008/9 and 2010-2012. And another familiar face will return to Camp Nou as Portuguese team Sporting now boast former blaugrana Jérémy Mathieu. 

Barça’s sports manager for football, Pep Segura, will also be returning to Olympiacos, where he was the predecessor to Valverde, leading the red-and-whites to a league and cup double in 2007/08.

"Valverde and I coached Olympiacos at different times and know how competitive they are” he told Barça TV after observing the draw. “They won’t make it easy for us, especially in their stadium. Juventus are a top level team and Sporting Lisbon are also very worthy of our utmost respect.”