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Tottenham's Champions League group-stage draw could be easier

Real Madrid's 3-1 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League final means Tottenham Hotspur could now be handed a more favourable draw in next season's group stage.

Spurs were handed an incredibly tough draw from Pot 3 this season but still emerged as group winners ahead of Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Apoel Nicosia.

Madrid's success means that they will take the place in Pot 1 for the holders, thus freeing up their natural place in Pot 2 which will be taken by Spurs as the highest-ranked team in Pot 3.

Liverpool, however, will face a tough draw as the lowest-ranked English team and will be in Pot 3. Had they won the final, they would have been in Pot 1 and Spurs in Pot 3.

However, Liverpool have a chance of moving up to Pot 2 if both Benfica and FC Basel fail to qualify for the group stage.

In a change to the previous system, Atletico Madrid are seeded as Europa League holders, which forces FC Porto into Pot 2.

Manchester City are in Pot 1 as Premier League champions with Manchester United in Pot 2.

Provisional draw pots (*denotes must come through qualifying)

Pot 1: Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Lokomotiv Moscow

Pot 2: Borussia Dortmund, FC Porto, Manchester United, Shakhtar Donetsk, Benfica*, Napoli, FC Basel*, Tottenham Hotspur

Pot 3: Roma, Liverpool, Schalke, Lyon, Monaco, FC Salzburg*, CSKA Moscow, Ludogorets Razgrad*

Pot 4: All other qualifying teams (includes Inter Milan, Valencia, Hoffenheim, Celtic*)