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Champions League draw sees champions Real face fairly easy group

KUWAIT, Aug 28 (KUNA) -- The draw for the UEFA Champions League saw champions Real Madrid arguably facing only one difficult hurdle in the form of English runners-up Liverpool, while runners-up Atletico Madrid will face the daunting task of Juventus, Olympiacos, along with newcomers Malmo.
The draw ceremony held in Monaco on Thursday also saw three-time champions, Spain's Barcelona FC pitted in one of the most difficult groups against French big-spenders Paris Saint-Germain, Ajax and Apoel Nicosia.
Four-time champions, Bundesliga outfit Bayern Munich will also face a tough group, including English champions Manchester City, CSKA Moscow and Italy's AS Roma.
In the more easier groups, Porto were slotted against Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk, Athletic Bilbao and BATE Borisov, while 2012-13 champions Chelsea face Germany's Schalke, Sporting Lisbon and NK Maribor of Slovenia.
The UEFA Champions League draw is as follows:

Group A: Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Olympiacos, Malmo.
Group B: Real Madrid, Basel, Liverpool, Ludogorets.
Group C: Benfica, Zenit, Bayer Leverkusen, Monaco.
Group D: Arsenal, Dortmund, Galatasaray, Anderlecht.
Group E: Bayern Munich, Manchester City, CSKA, Roma.
Group F: Barcelona, PSG, Ajax, Apoel.
Group G: Chelsea, Schalke, Sporting, Maribor.
Group H: Porto, Shakhtar, Athletic Bilbao, BATE Borisov.
UEFA also announced that the final would be held at Berlin's Olympiastadion with the first match of the group stages to commence on September 16. (end) sd