Atlético hoping for pot luck in Champions League

Posted Monday, June 03, 2013 by Marca.com

Atletico de Madrid won't know what pot it will be in for the Champions League group phase draw in late August until roughly 24 hours before the event. A place in pot 1 would allow the Madrid outfit to steer clear of the strongest teams in the competition, while ending up in pot 2 means possibly facing the likes of Bayern Munich, Chelsea or Manchester United.

Arsenal holds the key to Atlético's fate in Europe's blue-riband competition. The Gunners are the only team that can prevent the 'Colchoneros' from being the eighth ball in pot 1, since neither of the other two sides that could have proven an obstacle, can now do so. Borussia Dortmund would have been in pot 1 had it beaten Bayern in the final in London on 25th May, and Valencia, who like Arsenal, would have played a qualifying round in August, won't be doing so now after finishing fifth in the Spanish league.

If in the end, Arsenal gets into in the group stages of the Champions League and the 'Mattress Makers' are in pot 2, they will avoid Barcelona and Real Madrid - teams from the same country can't be placed in the same group - but could be paired with Arsenal, Bayern, Chelsea, United, Benfica or Porto. The latter prospect will conjure up particularly bad memories at the Vicente Calderón, as this year's Portuguese champions have put an end to Atlético's last two Champions League adventures.