Champions League draw smiles on Barca, Man Utd



Reigning champions Barcelona and returning giants Manchester United were dealt favourable hands in the Champions League draw in Monaco on Thursday.
Barca’s quest to become the first team to retain the European crown began smoothly as Lionel Messi and company were paired with Bayer Leverkusen, Roma and BATE Borisov in Group E.
United grace the competition after a year’s absence and coach Louis van Gaal, who said he preferred to watch a United reserve side in action than proceedings from the Principality, will be more than happy with the three-time winners’ Group B sparring partners PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow and Wolfsburg.
“Great games coming up against Eindhoven, Moscow and Wolfsburg! #UCLdraw #mufc” tweeted new Old Trafford recruit Bastian Schweinsteiger.
And there will have been groans emanating from north London with Arsenal pitted against five-time titleholders and old foes Bayern Munich — Olympiakos and Dinamo Zagreb completing Group F.
Bayern and Arsenal have met twice in the last-16 in 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 with the German giants winning on both occasions.
“I think we’re favourites along with Arsenal,” ventured Bayern director Matthias Sammer.
Bayern’s World Cup winning defender Jerome Boateng added: “We have to be happy, it could have been worse. I’m pleased that we’ve already had this opponent (Arsenal) many times before.”
Big-spending Paris Saint-Germain and their Qatari backers are desperate to add a European crown to their trophy sideboard.




For the full story, check the Vanguard newspaper.








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