Rangers will face Liverpool on their return to the Champions League for the first time in 12 years after being drawn against Jürgen Klopp’s side in Group A, while Erling Haaland is set to face his former club Borussia Dortmund for Manchester City.
The reward for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side after battling through two qualifying rounds is a difficult group that also contains the Dutch champions, Ajax, and Napoli, who are leading the early Serie A standings.
Elsewhere, Tottenham will fancy their chances of progressing in their first Champions League campaign since 2019-20 after being drawn with Eintracht Frankfurt – who beat Rangers in the Europa League final to qualify – Sporting and Marseille in Group D.
Chelsea will face Milan, Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb in a what appears a welcome draw for Thomas Tuchel’s team in Group E, while Haaland will be reunited with his former Dortmund teammates after City were placed with the German side, Sevilla and Copenhagen in Group G.
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Celtic face a difficult challenge against the holders, Real Madrid, RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk, while a mouthwatering group containing previous winners Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Internazionale caught the eye. The Czech side Viktoria Plzen have the unenviable task of trying to find a way past three clubs who have won the competition 25 times between them.
Porto, Atlético Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Club Brugge make up Group B, with Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Benfica and Maccabi Haifa in Group H.
In a ceremony that followed the draw the Uefa award for Women’s Coach of the Year 2021-22 went to Sarina Wiegman, who led England to glory at Euro 2022. “It’s really nice to receive this great award, I am honoured and humbled,” she said. Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti won the men’s award. The player awards went respectively to Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas and Madrid’s Karim Benzema.
- Guardian
Champions League group stage draw
Group A: Ajax, Liverpool, Napoli, Rangers.
Group B: Porto, Atletico, Bayer Leverkusen, Club Brugge.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Internazionale, Viktoria Plzen.
Group D: Eintracht Frankfurt, Tottenham Hotspur, Sporting Lisbon, Marseille.
Group E: AC Milan, Chelsea, Salzburg, Dinamo.
Group F: Real Madrid, RB Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk, Celtic.
Group G: Manchester City, Sevilla, Dortmund, Copenhagen.
Group H: PSG, Juventus, Benfica, Maccabi Haifa.
