Real Madrid Champions League group draw 2022/23: Teams, fixtures, schedule, history and odds to advance

Defending champions Real Madrid will face a familiar foe and some newer challenges, as they attempt to win a record-extending 15th UEFA Champions League title this season.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side will contest Group F along with RB Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk and Celtic in the 2022/23 group stage.

As the most successful club in European football by a wide margin, Los Blancos are Champions League royalty. Their 14 titles are double the haul of any other club, with AC Milan in second with seven.

Real Madrid have also never been eliminated in the group stage, holding a perfect 26-of-26 record since the group stage’s introduction in 1995.

With last year’s competition top scorer Karim Benzema leading the way, Madrid look a strong prospect to add yet another European cup to their bulging silverware cabinet this season.

MORE: Away goals no longer used to break ties, scrapped last year across all UEFA competitions

Real Madrid Champions League group and opponents in 2022/23

Real Madrid were drawn in Group F at the draw ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey. The top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout rounds.

Group F

• Real Madrid
• RB Leipzig
• Shakhtar Donetsk
• Celtic

RB Leipzig

German side Leipzig came third behind Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in a tough Group A last season. They reached the semifinals of the Europa League before suffering a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Rangers.

Shakhtar Donetsk

Madrid and Shakhtar met in Group D last season. Los Blancos won 5-0 in the away fixture before a 2-1 victory in Spain, in which Karim Benzema scored his side’s 1,000th goal in European club football’s top competition. The sides also met in 2020/21, when Shakhtar stunned Real 3-2 on matchday one.

Celtic

Madrid and Celtic have not played each other in the modern Champions League. They last met in the quarterfinals of the 1979-80 European Cup, when the Spanish side recovered from a 2-0 first-leg defeat to progress 3-2 on aggregate, thanks to a late second-leg goal from Juanito.

MORE: Group stage draw time, date and procedures

Real Madrid Champions League fixtures

Now Los Blancos have found out their three group-stage opponents, European governing body UEFA will create a group schedule in which Real Madrid will face the other three clubs home and away on the following dates:

Should Madrid finish as one of the top two teams in their group at the conclusion of the six group-stage matches, they would advance to the knockout stages, beginning with the round of 16.

Here’s the road to the final at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. 

Real Madrid Champions League odds

Real Madrid are currently 12/1 with Sky Bet, +1000 with Draft Kings and +621 with Sports Interaction to win the UEFA Champions League.

The Sporting News will update this post with odds to win Group F and qualify for the knockout stages once they become available.

Real Madrid history in the Champions League

Real Madrid are the most successful side in the history of European club football, having been crowned champions of the continent 14 times, double the number of any other side.

Los Blancos won the first five European competitions through the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Their fortunes took a downturn in European football after that, but they experienced a revival in the late 1990s and have been a dominant force in Europe ever since.

Over the last 10 seasons, Real Madrid have emerged victorious in half the Champions League competitions. They have exited the group stage in all 10, reaching at least the semifinals in all but two tournaments (2018/19 and 2019/20).

Real Madrid have never been eliminated in the group stage of the Champions League, since the tournament moved to its current format in 1995.

All of Real Madrid’s European Cup/Champions League titles

* Won via penalty shootout

Real Madrid’s previous 10 Champions League appearances