Group A: Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Copenhagen, GalatasarayGroup B: Sevilla, Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven, LensGroup C: Napoli, Real Madrid, Braga, Union BerlinGroup D: Benfica, Inter, Salzburg, Real SociedadGroup E: Feyenoord, Atletico Madrid, Lazio, CelticGroup F: PSG, Borussia Dortmund, Milan, NewcastleGroup G: Manchester City, RB Leipzig, Red Star, Young BoysGroup H: Barcelona, Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Royal Antwerp
In a high-octane pairing, Harry Kane and Bayern Munich will face Manchester United in Group A, pitting the England captain against a former domestic rival just weeks after their passage to the perennial Bundesliga champions.
It is the first meeting between the two teams at this stadium since the 2013-14 quarter-finals, when Bayern won 4-2 on aggregate; the match is best known for United’s dramatic victory in the 1999 final. The presence of Kane, whose departure from Tottenham was made with the transparent ambition of a Champions League defeat, adds extra size given that he was the United centre-forward’s main target this summer. Finally, they turned their attention elsewhere, deterred by the monetary package involved. United will also face Galatasaray, which means a meeting with former player Wilfried Zaha and Danish champions FC Copenhagen.
While protecting their title, Manchester City will be far from discouraged with a draw against RB Leipzig, Red Star Belgrade and Young Boys in Group G. They beat Leipzig 8–1 on aggregate, adding a 7–0 victory in the second leg. at the Etihad, as recently as March in last season’s round of 16. While a match against Crvena Zvezda will create a tricky atmosphere, it turns out that few serious obstacles stand between Pep Guardiola and any other knockout stage race.
Similarly, Arsenal believe their return to the elite after a six-year absence may have brought more serious difficulties. Group B pits Europa League winners PSV Eindhoven, Lens and Sevilla, none of whom were champions of their domestic league. last season.
Celtic consisted of Feyenoord, Atletico Madrid and Lazio in Group E, while a hot Group C pitted debutants Union Berlin against Real Madrid, Napoli and Braga. Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk, who will play their home games in Hamburg, will be joined by Barcelona. , Porto and Royal Antwerp in Group H; Group D includes Benfica, Internazionale, Red Bull Salzburg and Real Sociedad.
This draw heralds the end of an era for the Champions League. Every edition since 1992 has had at least one level of organization made up of organizations divided into groups of four, but next season’s format will change dramatically to become a “Swiss system. “in which 36 organizations will play 8 games each and qualify combined in a league. This season’s festival will be the first since 2002-03 without Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or Neymar. They were the biggest names in world football at the time. However, Messi joined Inter Miami and any of his teammates signed for clubs in Saudi Arabia. Karim Benzema, who sits behind Messi, Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski on the all-time list of the Champions League’s most sensible goalscorers, has also joined a Saudi club. There is some pressure on the tournament to generate or magnify new stars, especially given the awkward presence of a cash-rich, celebrity-hungry Saudi Pro League.
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The Monaco gala was a temporary distraction for UEFA after a moot week in which one of its vice-presidents, Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales, was suspended for 90 days by FIFA pending disciplinary proceedings. Calendar since her unsolicited kiss on Jenni Hermoso’s lips after Spain’s victory in the final of the Women’s World Cup.