Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus have been provisionally named top seeds for Friday's draw for the second group stage of the Champions League. The second seeding level will group Liverpool, Deportivo la Coruna, Nantes and Panathinaikos. Arsenal, Manchester United, Porto and Galatasaray will be in the third pot, while the fourth pot will have Roma, Bayer Leverkusen, Sparta Prague and Boavista.
One club from each pot is placed in each of the second stage groups. Clubs from the same national league and clubs which played each other in the first group stage will be kept apart.
The first round of second-stage matches is scheduled to take place on 20 and 21 November, with the second games on 4 and 5 December before a break until February. The four group winners and four runners-up will go through to the quarter finals. The competition will then revert to two-legged knockout ties. The Champions League final is due to take place on 15 May next year at Hampden Park in Glasgow.
Filed by Greg McKevitt
