CHAMPIONS LINED UP...
Klopp’s men ready to feast at Europe’s top table again
JORDAN Henderson insists Liverpool will fear no one when they return to European football’s top table.
Jurgen Klopp’s side can have no complaints following last night’s draw for the Champions League group stages in Monaco.
The Reds have return to the competition proper for the first time since 2014 following their 6-3 aggregate win over Hoffenheim in the play-off round.
The draw has been kind to them and they will face Spartak Moscow, Sevilla and Maribor.
But the five-time winners will still have to tread carefully on their return to the competition.
Spartak are reigning Russian champions, while Sevilla won the Europa League three times in succession to establish themselves as a European force.
But both sides have little pedigree in the biggest club tournament of all, while Slovenian minnows Maribor are one of the lowest-ranked teams to make it this far.
Klopp’s men will be expected to get out of the group and reach the knockout stages, where much sterner tests will await.
But skipper Henderson is convinced the Reds deserve to be rubbing shoulders with the biggest and best and will handle whatever is thrown at them.
The England midfielder said: “It was a huge night to get back in the Champions League, where I feel we belong.
“It was a brilliant night for everyone. We are delighted to be back in the Champions League. It’s great for the lads, the fans and ® the club. I think we’ve got to look forward now, playing with pace and intelligence, winning the ball back with energy.
“I think we’ll give as good as we get. We’ve proved that we can play against anyone.
“There are some brilliant sides in the competition, but we’ll be confident going into the group stage. “We’ll put up a good fight against anyone.” Chelsea and Spurs can be forgiven for feeling less bullish following a draw that left them facing a huge challenge to reach the knockout stages.
Antonio Conte’s men will face Spanish specialists Atletico Madrid, who are trying to re-sign Blues rebel Diego Costa, along with Roma and Qarabag from Azerbaijan.
Crashed
Spurs, meanwhile, will host reigning champions Real Madrid along with Borussia Dortmund and Apoel of Cyprus.
The big draw winners were Manchester rivals United and City.
Jose Mourinho, who is looking to land his third European Cup, saw United handed a comfortable group that includes Benfica, Basel and CSKA Moscow.
United are back in the Champions League following their Europa League triumph over Ajax in Stockholm and Mourinho will be confident of leading his side into the last 16 stage at least.
City, meanwhile, who crashed out to Monaco in the last 16 last season, will also be confident. Pep Guardiola’s side have been drawn against Shakhtar Donetsk, Napoli and Feyenoord in Group F. Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic complete the British contingent after they came through the qualifiers, but have landed the toughest of the eight groups – B – where they will face Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain and Anderlecht.
The matches begin in the second week of September and United will be hoping history repeats itself.
The last time six British teams qualified for the group stages was in 2007-08, when United went on to beat Chelsea on penalties in Moscow. Hopefully at least one will reach the final in Kiev on May 26.