Holders Liverpool draw Napoli again in Champions League group stages

Champions League holders Liverpool have been drawn alongside Italian side Napoli for the second year running following the group stage draw in Monte Carlo on Thursday.

The Reds have been handed one of the softer draws alongside the Serie A runners-up, Austrian champions RB Salzburg and Belgian league winners Genk.

Last season’s beaten finalists Tottenham Hotspur have been paired with German giants Bayern Muenchen, Greek champions Olympiacos and Crvena Zvezda of Serbia.

13-times-champions Real Madrid have been pair alongside French heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain as well as Club Brugge of Belgium and Turkish titleholders Galatasaray.

If there is to be a group dubbed the ‘group of death,’ it would likely be Group F, which contains Spanish champions Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Internazionale and Slavia Praha.

Europa League champions Chelsea have been drawn alongside last season’s beaten semi-finalists Ajax, who overcame APOEL to make the groups, Valencia and LOSC Lille.

2018/19 Champions League draw:

Group A: Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Club Brugge, Galatsaray

Group B: Bayern Muenchen, Tottenham Hotspur, Olympiacos, Crvena Zvezda

Group C: Manchester City, Shakthar, Dinamo, Atalanta

Group D: Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lokomotiv Moscow

Group E: Liverpool, Napoli, Salzburg, Genk

Group F: FC Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Slavia Praha

Group G: Zenit, Benfica, Lyon, RB Leipzig

Group H: Chelsea, Ajax Amsterdam, Valencia, LOSC Lille