Chelsea have been drawn to face Serie A champions AC Milan in the group stages of the Champions League.
Having been placed in Pot Two courtesy of finishing in third place of last season's Premier League, Chelsea faced the prospect of meeting one of the giants of European football.
Although they avoided the likes of champions Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, Thomas Tuchel's side were handed two games with the seven-time champions.
The teams last met all the way back in the 1999 group stages when a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge was followed by a 1-1 draw at San Siro.
Chelsea have also been provided with a first-ever competitive meeting with Red Bull Salzburg, the dominant champions of Austria.
The West Londoners also face a maiden encounter with Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb, who came through the playoff round earlier this week.
The group stages begin on September 6/7 with this stage of the competition lasting until the start of November, a consequence of the World Cup which commences later that month.
Darren Plant
