Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka has admitted that it will be tough for his team to make it out of their Champions League group this season.

The German outfit have been drawn into Group D alongside Juventus, Sevilla and Manchester City and will begin their campaign with a trip to Sevilla on Tuesday.

Xhaka is suspended for the group match at the Estadio Ramon, but has paid tribute to the Spanish side's fans, branding them "some of the most passionate in Spain".

"From our point of view, it's a very difficult group. Juventus reached the final last season, while Sevilla won the Europa League. Manchester City are the favourites, for me," Xhaka told Estadio Deportivo.

"We are the underdogs but hopefully we can do well in a difficult group. I'm confident we can do well. I knew already the Sevilla fans were some of the most passionate in Spain. That was shown [in the Europa League fixture] even though the ground wasn't full."

Sevilla knocked Gladbach out in the last-32 stage of the Europa League last season, before going on to lift the trophy.