UCL group stage: PSG to face Man City as Chelsea get Juventus

Manchester City, English Premier League champions, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), French league giants, have been drawn together in group A of this season’s UEFA Champions League (UCL) group stage.

The fixture will see Pep Guardiola, City manager, square up with Lionel Messi, his favourite player who recently joined the Paris-based club on a free transfer.

The French giants have been touted as one of the favourites for this season’s competition following the acquisition of Messi, Sergio Ramos and Georgino Wijnadum, all UCL winners.

Both clubs would vie for the top spot in the group alongside RB Leipzig of Germany and Club Brugge of Belgium.

Chelsea, UCL defending champions, were drawn in group H and will face Juventus, who are seeking a first UCL title in 25 years.

The Turin giants face the possibility of continuing the quest without Cristiano Ronaldo, the five-time Balon D’Or winner who might join Man City in the coming days.

Other interesting matchups will see Manchester United face off against Villarreal in a repeat of last season’s Europa League final the Spanish club won on penalties.

Barcelona, debt-ridden Spanish La Liga giants, will face Bayern Munich, their German nemesis that recently embarrassed the Catalans with an 8-2 thrashing.

The group stage commences with the first set of games to be played on September 14 and 15. The 2022 UCL final will take place on May 28 at the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

See full draw below:

Group A: Man City, PSG, RB Leipzig, Club Brugge

Group B: Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Porto, AC Milan

Group C: Sporting Lisbon, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax, Besiktas

Group D: Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sherrif Tiraspol

Group E: Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Benfica, Dynamo Kyiv

Group F: Villarreal, Man Utd, Atalanta, Young Boys

Group G: Lille, Sevilla, RB Salzburg, Wolfsburg

Group H: Chelsea, Juventus, Zenit St. Petersburg, Malmo