Group D analysis: Juventus, Barcelona, Olympiacos, Sporting CP
Thursday, August 24, 2017
Article summary
Olympiacos and Sporting CP are no strangers to this stage but all eyes will be on Juventus and Barcelona, who met in the 2015 final and the quarters last term.
Article top media content
Article body
Who's in Group D?
Juventus (ITA)
• UEFA coefficient ranking: 5
• How they qualified: first in Serie A
• Previous group stage campaigns: 17 (last appearance: 2016/17)
• Last season: UEFA Champions League runners-up
• Best European Cup performance: winners x 2 (1984/85, 1995/96)
Barcelona (ESP)
• UEFA coefficient ranking: 3
• How they qualified: second in Spanish Liga
• Previous group stage campaigns: 21 (last appearance: 2016/17)
• Last season: UEFA Champions League quarter-finals
• Best European Cup performance: winners x 5 (1991/92, 2005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2014/15)
Olympiacos (GRE)
• UEFA coefficient ranking: 28
• How they qualified: first in Greek Super League, play-offs
• Previous group stage campaigns: 17 (last appearance: 2015/16)
• Last season: UEFA Champions League third qualifying round/UEFA Europa League round of 16
• Best European Cup performance: quarter-finals (1998/99)
Sporting CP (POR)
• UEFA coefficient ranking: 57
• How they qualified: third in Portuguese Liga, play-off winners
• Previous group stage campaigns: 7 (last appearance: 2016/17)
• Last season: UEFA Champions League group stage
• Best European Cup performance: quarter-finals (1983/84)
Matchday one fixtures (Tuesday 12 September)
Barcelona v Juventus
Olympiacos v Sporting CP
Key facts
• Juventus beat Barcelona in the 2016/17 quarter-finals, Paulo Dybala scoring twice in a 3-0 first-leg win in Turin before a goalless second match at the Camp Nou.
• That provided the Bianconeri with a measure of revenge after their 2015 final loss to Barça in Berlin. Ivan Rakitić and Luis Suárez both found the net in Barcelona's 3-1 win that gave them a fifth European title.
• Juve also beat Barcelona in the 2002/03 quarter-finals, but lost to the Spanish side in the 1985/86 quarter-finals and the European Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals in 1990/91.
• Barcelona put eight goals past Sporting CP in the 2008/09 group stage, winning 3-1 at home and 5-2 away.
• Barcelona and Olympiacos have never played; nor have Juve and Sporting CP nor Sporting CP and Olympiacos.
• Juve equalled their record home with a 7-0 home defeat of Olympiacos in the 2003/04 group stage. The teams were also paired together in the 2014/15 group stage, Juve winning 3-2 at home having lost 1-0 in Greece.