August 26 – If there wasn’t quite a group of death as such, there were certainly some mouth-watering heavyweight clashes when this season’s Champions League group stage draw was made Thursday.
Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Inter Milan were all placed in the same group, with the added spice of ace striker Robert Lewandowski returning to Bayern just weeks after joining Barca.
Only two years ago the Catalan giants took an epic 8-2 trouncing from Bayern in the quarterfinals. Then, last season, Barca suffered two 3-0 defeats at the hands of the Germans in the group stage.
Xavi Hernández’s Barca will be desperate to avoid a second straight group-stage elimination but seem certain to have to finish above Bayern or Inter to do that in a group that boasts a combined 14 European Cup or Champions League titles. Viktoria Plzeň of the Czech Republic is the rank group outsider.
“What a terrific story that we’re going to meet Barcelona with Robert Lewandowski,” said Bayern forward Thomas Müller, who played alongside the Poland international for eight years.
Also making an immediate return to his old club is Manchester City’s Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland whose team have been paired with Borussia Dortmund. ” We’re looking forward to it just as much as we are to the reunion with Erling Haaland,” said Dortmund midfielder Marco Reus.
The Premier League champions are still seeking their first Champions League crown but City chief executive Ferran Soriano played down any sign of desperation.
“The priority is always the Premier League, this is our bread and butter,” he said. “The Champions League is an aspiration, not an obsession. We will win it, I’m sure.”
Qatari-owned Paris St Germain, like City still seeking their maiden Champions league trophy, are paired in Group H with Juventus while Group A looks singularly tasty with last season’s runners-up Liverpool confronting Ajax, Napoli and Rangers in the latest battle of Britain fixture.
“The first thing to say is this is a proper challenge,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp told the club’s website. “All of the clubs have quality, they all have pedigree and I would say they all have a chance.”
Defending champions Real Madrid are in one of the most manageable groups with Leipzig, Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk – who will have to play their games in Poland – and Celtic.
With the 32 teams sharing about €2 billion in prize money, the group stage begins earlier than usual on September 6 and concludes ahead of this year’s World Cup finals in Qatar. The knockout phase then begins in February, with the final taking place in Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium on June 10.
Group stage draw in full
Group A: Ajax, Liverpool, Napoli, Rangers
Group B: Porto, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Club Bruges
Group C: Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Viktoria Plzen
Group D: Eintracht Frankfurt, Tottenham, Sporting Lisbon, Marseille
Group E: AC Milan, Chelsea, RB Salzburg, Dinamo Zagreb
Group F: Real Madrid, RB Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk, Celtic
Group G: Manchester City, Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund, FC Copenhagen
Group H: Paris St-Germain, Juventus, Benfica, Maccabi Haifa
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