Bayern Munich drew Manchester United in their Champions League group on Thursday as the 1999 finalists meet off in another classic encounter.
Joining Bayern and Manchester United in Group A will be FC Copenhagen and Galatasary.
Bayern Munich’s clash with Manchester United will arguably be the most anticipated of the entire group stage, with the two clubs winning nine European Cups between them.
Their most memorable match saw the English club winning the trophy with two goals in the final two minutes of the final 24 years ago.
It will also mean a swift return to English soil for Harry Kane, who recently joined the Bavarians from Tottenham Hotspur for a fee in excess of €100 million ($108 million).
Dortmund in ‘Group of Death’
Elsewhere, Real Madrid will face off against Italian champions Napoli in Group C as the Spanish outfit seek a record-extending 15th title in Europe’s premier competition. Joining the two clubs will be Sporting Braga and Union Berlin, making their first appearance in the Champions League.
The UEFA event took place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco and saw Borussia Dortmund get a nightmare draw, as they will face off against Paris St. German, 7-times winners AC Milan, and Newcastle United, making their first appearance in the tournament in 20 years.
RB Leipzig get Manchester City
Last year’s Champions League winners Manchester City were drawn in a group that contained RB Leipzig, Young Boys of Bern and Red Star Belgrade, who won the European Cup in 1991.
Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven, Sevilla and RC Lens were drawn together in Group B while FC Barcelona will have to pit their wits against FC Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk and Royal Antwerp of Belgium.
The remaining two groups saw last year’s finalists Inter Milan placed in a group alongside Benfica, RB Salzburg and Real Sociedad, while Feyenoord, Atletico Madrid, Celtic and Lazio were drawn together.
Haaland and Bonmati win player awards
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and Spain’s World Cup-winning star Aitana Bonmati won the UEFA Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year awards respectively.
Haaland scored 52 goals in 53 games as City won the treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.
“To be able to do this with my teammates it’s really special and it gives me motivation to keep working,” Haaland said upon winning the award.
Spanish recognition overshadowed by Rubiales kiss
Bonmati was a part of Barcelona’s Women’s Champions League winning team before inspiring Spain to World Cup glory earlier this month.
“It’s a season I will never forget and I want to share this award with all my teammates. I wouldn’t be here without them,” she said.
Bonmati and Spain won their first World Cup title in Australia and New Zealand. The celebrations, however, have been overshadowed after Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales forcibly kissed midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the victory ceremony.
“We’re not talking about the title because things that should not happened have taken place,” Bonmati said. “As a society, we should not allow abuse of power in the work environment.”
“I would like to tell my team-mate Jenni and all women who have been through the same thing: We’re with you. We’re working to make this a better society.”
Coach Sarina Wiegman was named women’s coach of the year after England finished runners-up to Spain Down Under.
“I would like to dedicate this award to the Spanish team. This team deserves to be celebrated and deserves to be listened to, and I’m going to give them again a big applause and I hope you will join,” she told the audience.
Klose honored
After the draw took place, there was a prize ceremony, where Miroslav Klose was given the UEFA President’s Award to recognize the fair play he demonstrated throughout his career, including the then Lazio striker admitting to handling the ball as it went past Napoli goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis, before the striker informed the referee and the initial decision to award a goal was reversed.
The career of the former Germany forward was hailed by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin as “not only a testament to determination and skill but also sportsmanship that transcends the borders of professionalism and the sport itself.”
Edited by: Jenipher Camino Gonzalez
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