Everything you need know about Real Madrid’s Champions League draw.

The Champions League draw took place Thursday, as the teams participating in this year’s tournament learned who they would square off against in the group stage. Real Madrid were placed in Group H, drawing England’s Tottenham Hotspur, Germany’s Borussia Dortmund, and Cyprus’ APOEL FC.

Real Madrid will be fighting to win their third consecutive Champions League trophy. By winning last year, they became the first team in the modern tournament format to win back-to-back Champions League titles. Now, to get out of the group, they’ll have to face at least two very tough teams who will both be looking to prove something to their fans.

Dortmund has historically been a challenging team for Real Madrid. Last year, Madrid made it through their group in second place, with Dortmund pipping them for the first spot. That came after two hard-fought draws between the Spanish and German sides.

In 2013-2014, en route to winning La Decima, Real Madrid faced off against Dortmund in the quarter-finals. After Madrid thrashed Dortmund 3-0 at the Bernabéu, it looked like Madrid had booked their way into the semi-finals. But Dortmund didn’t go down without a fight. Two first-half Marco Reus goals kept Madrid fans on the edge of their seats, but Dortmund was ultimately unable to find an aggregate equalizer, and Madrid went on to win the whole tournament.

Just the year before, Madrid did not get quite so lucky against Dortmund. Then-coach of Dortmund Jurgen Klopp found a formula to beat Mourinho’s Real Madrid, putting up a 4-1 scoreline against Madrid. While Madrid attempted a valiant Remontada (comeback) against Dortmund, they ultimately came up short, with a 2-0 scoreline at the Bernabéu being insufficient to see them through to the next round.

Against Dortmund, Madrid has a record of four wins, five draws, and three losses.

Arguably, Madrid’s tougher opponent hails from London, in the form of the Tottenham Hotspur. Real Madrid don’t have quite the history against Tottenham that they do against Dortmund. Instead, Real Madrid’s primary connection to Tottenham seems to be in the transfer business that they do with the club from North London. Tottenham has gotten a reputation over the years  as something of a training ground for future Real Madrid galacticos, as both Gareth Bale and Luka Modric made the switch from Spurs to Madrid.

Tottenham has never managed to win against Real Madrid in their club’s history. The two teams have faced each other in the group stages of European competition twice before, playing home and away legs in the Champions League in 2010-2011, and in the Europa League in 1984-1985. Madrid managed to advance in both draws. Overall, Madrid’s record against Tottenham is three wins, one draw, and no losses.

You might remember APOEL FC as the team who enjoyed a fairytale run to the Champions League quarter-finals after finishing top of their group and eliminating Olympique Lyon in the first round of the knockout stage. APOEL is, according to their Wikipedia Page, the most popular club on the small island nation of Cyprus, and the only Cypriot club to reach the knockout stages of both the Champions League and the Europa League.

Is Real Madrid in a group of death?

Real Madrid got a relatively tough draw for the Champions League, no doubt. But it’s hard to say that this is the group of death.Unlike Group B, with Bayern and PSG, and Group D, with Barca and Juventus, there is only one super-club in this group, and that is Real Madrid.

But Tottenham Hotspur and Borussia Dortmund are both really challenging teams who can put up a tough fight against Real Madrid. Dortmund may be one player weaker by the time Madrid faces them, if Ousmane Dembele departs the club for Barcelona, but Peter Bosz has many other weapons at his disposal, including the young American wunderkind, Christian Pulisic.

As for the Tottenham Hotspur, well, they have their own troubles to worry about.

While their squad has remained relatively stable over the course of this summer transfer market, they are in the midst of renovating White Hart Lane. In the meantime, Tottenham has been playing at Wembley, a hollowed ground of English Football, but one that has not given the Hotspur much luck in recent years.

Tottenham crashed out of the Champions League last year after having to play their Champions League games there due to stadium renovations. They still don’t seem to have been able to shake that curse, as they just lost at home in Wembley to Chelsea.

Nevertheless, Tottenham are one of the Premier League’s strongest outfits. Mauricio Pocchetino has created a dangerous side with attackers who can really force the issue in Delle Alli, Son, Christian Eriksen, and Harry Kane.

It’s hard to see a way out of the group for APOEL, with these giants of European football standing in their way. Also, with how Real Madrid have been playing as of late, it’s difficult to imagine them NOT getting out of the group. It seems as if the key question is which of the two teams, Dortmund or Tottenham, manage to earn the second ticket out of the group.

So, no, it’s probably not a group of death for Real Madrid. Nevertheless, Group H still definitely going to be a tricky, but entertaining, Champions League group.

Next: Three takeaways from Real Madrid's 2-1 friendly win over Fiorentina

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