Barcelona Among Clubs With Cushy Champions League Draw | OneFootball

This morning marked that time-honored tradition of the Champions League tournament draw. Combining elements of a bloated awards show, church-hall bingo, and Zlatan Ibrahimović (utterly hilarious cameo, FWIW), the draw determines which teams will play one another in the eight game Group Phase. It’s basically a lottery that ordinary folks do not watch and also cannot win. The only money from these rolling balls goes to the clubs themselves (and UEFA).

Of course, for supporters of the thirty-six clubs that qualified for the Champions League, the schedule matters. There are plane tickets to buy, hotel reservations to book, match tickets to secure, etc. Everyone is praying they don’t draw Qarabağ or Bødo/Glimt away, particularly in winter. But savvy travelers have crossed fingers for Pafos away in January, to squeeze in some Cypriot beach time amongst the soccer.

Still, there are objective club winners and losers within the draw. Hooligan Soccer analyzed each team’s opponents, cross referenced that with the UEFA club co-efficient score, calculated an average, and determined the five easiest draws.

Easiest Draws

5. Copenhagen

Source: UEFA.com

Combined co-efficient average: 69.5Club co-efficent: 44.875Thoughts: They play Qarabağ and Kairat? Lucky. The only really stiff competition is Barça away. They should get at least four wins here.

4. Pafos

Combined co-efficient average: 69.3Club co-efficent: 11.125Biggest tests: Look, nothing will be easy for Pafos, but this is a generous seeding (aside from Bayern and Chelsea). The bottom row in particular should be beatable.

Source: UEFA.com

3. Barcelona

Source: UEFA.com

Combined co-efficient average: 68.6Club co-efficent: 103.25Thoughts: Barça have one the largest gaps between team co-efficient and average opposition co-efficient. I won’t lie and say PSG and Chelsea are easy, they’re not. But the other six should be wins.

2. Sporting CP

Combined co-efficient average: 67.6Club co-efficent: 59Biggest tests: The math might say this is easy, and while it’s not as difficult as other draws, I still think this will present Sporting with a challenge.

Source: UEFA.com

1. Atalanta

Source: UEFA.com

Combined co-efficient average: 66.9Club co-efficent: 82Thoughts: The Brugge rematch should be spicy, and PSG & Chelsea will be tough. But the other five all offer chances to pull full points and secure entry into the knockout stage.

Read who got the five toughest draws.