5 things to know about the Champions League

There are a few hours left until the 2019/20 Champion League group stage draw. It will be held in Monaco on Thursday, August 28 from 6.00pm CEST, and the 32 teams are already confirmed. To make the wait more enjoyable, we've found some curious facts and key statistics ahead of the draw.

1. Possible new rivals for Barça

Of the teams that Barça can face in this group stage, Napoli, Salzburg, Leipzig, Lille, Atalanta, Genk and Slavia de Praga have never played in an official match against the Catalans.

2. Barça's 24th participation in the group stage

Since 1992/93, there has been a group stage in this competition, and Barça are the team, along with Real Madrid, that have made the most appearances. In this season's Champions League, Barça will play in their 24th group stage, of which they've failed to progress from only four. 

3. The group stage, a Barça domain

FC Barcelona have qualified from the group stage the most times: a total of 20. In fact, since the 2007/08 season, they've always finished top of the group. Real Madrid have qualified from the group stages 16 times, the second most of all of the European teams.

4. Barça, the rival to beat at the Camp Nou

FC Barcelona have gone 32 European games without losing at the Camp Nou, the longest run in the Champions League. It's a record that began on September 18, 2013 against Ajax (4-0).

5. The Atatürk Olympic Stadium, home of the final

Istanbul will be the city that will host the final. It would be the longest trip in Barça's history to play a final in this continental tournament, as more than 2,000 km separates Barcelona from Istanbul. To this point, the UEFA Super Cup in 2015 between Barça and Sevilla (5-4), played in Tbilisi, is the longest distance that Barça have traveled to play a final of a European competition.