Titleholders Barcelona were pitted against seven-time winners AC Milan in the draw for the 2011/2012 Champions League group stages held here on Thursday. Aside from Milan, knocked out in the last 16 last term, Pep Guardiola’s Spanish giants will also face FC Bate Borisov of Belarus and Viktoria Plzen in Group H.
Milan and Barca clashed in the 1994 final, with the Italians then managed by Fabio Capello dishing out a 4-0 drubbing to their Spanish rivals in Athens. Manchester United, making a record 17th appearance in the world’s top club competition, were the first of the 32 teams to be drawn out of UEFA’s ‘hat’ by Portuguese legend Luis Figo.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s three-time winners face Benfica, the Portuguese double winners from the early 1960s, FC Basel and Romanian outfit FC Otelul Galati in Group C.
United and Benfica met in the 1968 final, with the English footballing superpower prevailing for the first of their titles 4-1 on home turf at Wembley. United chief executive David Gill commented: “We have had great matches against them (Benfica) and he (Sir Bobby Charlton) was reminiscing before the draw about that great match back in 1968. “We had some great games against them in 2000 so we are looking forward to going back to Portugal.
“I’m sure he’s (Ferguson’s) happy with that. We have a new Romanian team, congratulations to them for getting in the competition. We are looking forward to going there. Figo’s former club, nine-time kings of Europe Real Madrid, come up against old foes Lyon of France, Dutch heavyweights Ajax (drawn in Real’s group last term), and Dinamo Zagreb. Friday’s 32-team draw featured 11 previous winners and five newcomers, with among the debutants Ferguson’s ‘noisy neighbours’, Manchester City.
Roberto Mancini’s expensively assembled side were handed a tricky assignment with four-time winners Bayern Munich, who had to come through the play-offs, keeping them company in Group A. Also on City’s radar are Italian group stage first timers Napoli and Villarreal. City football administrator Brian Marwood reflected: “We really believe we can go into this competition and do well with the spirit that we have.” Bayern Munich’s director of sport Christian Nerlinger said: “This is a demanding group, but Bayern are the favourites,” said Nerlinger, with the Champions League final on May 19 next year set to be hosted at Bayern’s Allianz Arena in Munich. “I would have prefered to have faced other teams, but we are pleased to accept the challenge. The team is up for it.” Arsenal’s tricky start to the season with star players Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri leaving the Emirates Stadium for pastures new was eased by their defeat of Udinese in the play-offs.
