At the end of August every year, media and fans around the world would invariably turn their attention to Monaco.
Everything that happened at the Grimaldi Forum would attract the eyes of the entire world and determine the state of European Football over the next few months, because the Champions League Group Stage draw would be held there.
Real Madrid's luck in the draw remained fairly average. In the group stage, they were drawn against Bundesliga runners-up Dortmund, Primeira Liga side Sporting Lisbon, and Polish powerhouse Legia Warsaw.
This was a typical Champions League Group Stage setup featuring two strong teams, one mid-level team, and one weak team. Real Madrid and Dortmund were both European powerhouses. Although Dortmund had lost several key players, including Hummels, during the current season, they had also made targeted reinforcements. Their true strength remained unclear for now.
Sporting Lisbon had little hope of fighting for qualification, but their ability to disrupt the group could not be underestimated. The key was what level they could produce in their four matches against Real Madrid and Dortmund.
As for Legia Warsaw, although they had quite a few Polish internationals, the team's overall strength was inferior to that of the other three teams.
It could be said that, judging from Real Madrid's draw, the result was a mixed blessing.
It could be called a favorable draw because there was basically no suspense over qualification. Even with Dortmund in the group, Real Madrid remained the clear powerhouse. But if the team failed to perform well and made the slightest mistake, they could still miss out on top spot.
Top spot in the group was not something to underestimate. The strength of the opponent they met in the Round of 16 knockout stage would have a major impact on Real Madrid's