Arsenal’s Champions League group stage draw fate has already been confirmed

Part of Arsenal’s group stage draw fate has already been sealed ahead of the draw later this month.

The Gunners will return to UEFA’s premier competition this season after their impressive league campaign of last, finishing second in the Premier League. Mikel Arteta’s men have largely found themselves in the Europa Legaue over recent years, but they can now look forward to competing at the very top.

The draw for the Champions League group stage will take place on August 31, and that’s when the Gunners will discover their three group stage opponents.

But what Arsenal already know is which pot they will be in for the seedings. The pots are determined by UEFA coefficient points, which are based on European performance across the last five years. In the absence of European performance, 20% of the coefficient points of the team’s country may be used if that total is greater.

For Arsenal, pot one was always going to be out of reach due to those placed being awared to each of the winners of UEFA’s top seven leagues, as well as the winners of the Europa League - in this case Sevilla. That means the Gunners’ best hope is pot two, and that is where they have fallen.

Interestingly, though, Arsenal have the least amount of coefficient points of all the teams in pot two - not that it will make any difference in the draw. The Gunners have 13,000 more points than the best-placed pot three team - Shakhtar Donetsk - and they will want to increase their total with a good European performance this season.

Manchester United are also in pot two, while Newcastle United are in pot four, which is no surprise given they have no European experience in the last five years. Arsenal will be drawn against one of the teams from each of pot one, pot three and pot four, but they cannot face any English team.

The only teams yet to be seeded are Young Boys and those who come through the qualifiers. One of Rangers or PSV - whoever wins that one - or Braga, who have already won their qualifier, will be in pot three. Rangers have 49,000 points, PSV have 37,000 and Braga 42,000.

Along with Young Boys. one of Antwerp or AEK Athens and Rakow or Copenhagen will also need seeding. Young Boys and Copenhagen are the only teams who could make pot three, with the rest headed for pot four if they secure qualification.