By Samuel A. September 1,2023
UEFA Champions League 2023/24 season has been all set as the top officials of the board and all the participating clubs gathered to select the usual 32 teams into eight different four team groups on Thursday afternoon in Monaco.
The group draw for the final season of the competition in it’s current format – as the UEFA board announced that the format would be changed starting from the 2024/25 season, saw Manchester United drawn against Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich in group A as well as Turkish champions Galatasaray, and Copenhagen – Rasmus Højlund’s old side.
Arsenal will play Europa League champions Sevilla as well as PSV Eindhoven and Lens, in a group where they’ve been deemed favourites to qualify, and fourth favourites to win the competition, according to bookies.
Fourteen time champions, Real Madrid, go head to head against Scudetto winning side, Napoli, first timers, Union Berlin, and Portuguese side, SC Braga. Portuguese counterparts, Benfica, will face Inter Milan, Salzburg and Real Sociedad in a tricky group D.
Diego Simeone’s side whom have started their season brightly will face Lazio, Feyenoord and Celtic, while Newcastle United were handed a brutally tough draw on their return to the Champions League after being dropped in ‘group of death’ with European heavyweights Paris Saint Germain, Borussia Dortmund and last season’s semifinalists, AC Milan.
Manchester City and Barcelona headline group G and H, with both teams getting easier draws than the other teams – Man City getting Leipzig, Crevna Zvezda and Young Boys, while Barca face Porto, Shaktar Donetsk and first timers, Royal Antwerp.
Here is the Champions League group stage draw in full:
Group A: Bayern Munich, Manchester United, FC Copenhagen, Galatasaray
Group B: Sevilla, Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven, RC Lens
Group C: Napoli, Real Madrid, Braga, Union Berlin
Group D: Benfica, Inter Milan, FC Salzburg, Real Sociedad
Group E: Feyenoord, Atletico Madrid, Lazio, Celtic
Group F: Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Newcastle United
Group G: Manchester City, RB Leipzig, Red Star Belgrade, Young Boys
Group H: Barcelona, Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Royal Antwerp
Then came the awards, with Manchester City duo, Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola winning the best Men’s player and coach respectively. The Man City striker said he’s “living the dream” after he won the treble at 22, adding that the award gives him motivation to go again.
Also, Barça and Spain’s young midfield maestro, Aitana Bonmati won a well deserved women’s player of the year, alongside England’s Sarina Weigman winning the Women’s manager of the year award. Delivering her heartfelt speech, Sarina Weigman dedicated her Women’s coach of the year award to Spanish team who won the World Cup and have had their achievements overshadowed by the Luis Rubiales controversy. She said: “I’m very proud of the team and the staff it is very special what we have done and the FA who really supports us to perform. I am not into the statistics I am just trying to get better with the team and we have great staff and facilities, it is an environment where everyone can grow. I played in the 1988 World Cup, but as a player I did not play in any more the growth of the game is just incredible and I enjoy being part of it. It really hurts me as a coach [the Luis Rubiales controversy] and a mother of two daughters, the game has grown so much but there is a long way to go in society. I would like to dedicate this award to the Spanish team, this team deserves to be celebrated and to be listened to.”
