That means the Werkself are in Group B along with the Portuguese champions, the team that finished third in La Liga and the Belgian champions from the Jupiler Pro League.
Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO, was at the draw in Istanbul: "An exciting group with familiar faces. We now have to do everything we can to achieve stability as soon as possible in the league to be able to enjoy these great football nights and be in a position to win."
Simon Rolfes, Bayer 04 sporting managing director, also spoke after the draw: "It's an interesting and balanced group. Atlético Madrid – there's always a special atmosphere. I played my last Champions League game in the old stadium in Madrid. All the teams have different ways of playing. I'm looking forward to the matches and I believe we can do something. We'll have to see that we get back on track in the league. The Champions League is a competition that also unleashes energy. We hope to find our rhythm in the coming weeks and rediscover our form in the next games."
The first matchday is on 6/7 September. The group stage finishes on 1/2 November. The match dates will be announced by Saturday 27 August at the latest.
Bayer 04 Women have their second straight home game as they close out Matchday 5 in the Google Pixel Bundesliga against Carl Zeiss Jena on Monday. Kick-off at the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion is at 6pm CEST, with head coach Roberto Pätzold expecting a defensive-minded opponent while his team look to continue their good form.
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Bayer 04 host Bundesliga newcomers at the BayArena for Matchday 6 on Saturday (kick-off: 3.30pm CEST) in a game where the club will mark its 120th anniversary with a special-edition kit. Speaking at his press conference ahead of the game, Xabi Alonso talked about how his team will approach the fixture with the right mentality and required respect for the opposition.
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The German double winners’ special-edition jersey to mark the club’s 120th anniversary is reminiscent of the first kit worn by players back in the 1907/08 season. The jersey, which the Werkself will wear for the Bundesliga home game against Holstein Kiel on Saturday, 5 October and which has been met with enthusiasm by the players, has numerous special features relating to the club's history, including an NFC chip that leads to exclusive content when scanned with a smartphone.
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Bundesliga debutants Holstein Kiel come to the BayArena on Saturday, 5 October (kick-off: 3.30pm CEST) looking to improve on their defensive record up against the Werkself after a tough start to the season. No team has conceded more goals so far than the promoted side. Learn more about our next opponents here…
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