Liverpool face Napoli for second season in a row

Defending champions Liverpool must face Napoli for the second season in a row, while beaten finalists Tottenham were paired with Bayern Munich in the draw for the Champions League group stages in yesterday’s draw in Monaco.

The two other teams drawn in Liverpool’s group, E, were Salzburg and Genk, the champions of Austria and Belgium, respectively.

Although they are tricky opponents, they are not ones who should worry Jurgen Klopp’s men unnecessarily.

Spurs’ group, B, is completed by Greek side Olympiacos, who came through qualifying to reach the last 32, and Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade, who memorably beat Liverpool last season, which should serve as a warning to Mauricio Pochettino’s side, and Klopp’s.

Europa League champions Chelsea will face the darlings of last season’s competition Ajax, although they have lost Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong from that superb side, and Valencia and Lille in Group H.

Premier League champions Manchester City were arguably given the easiest of draws – among the English quartet, at least – by getting Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk, a team they beat 9-0 over two ties last season, Dinamo Zagreb of Croatia and Atalanta, third in Serie A last season.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid will face French giants Paris St-Germain, Club Brugge and Galatasaray in Group A, while Barcelona were drawn in Group F alongside Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Slavia Prague.

Italian champions Juventus take on Atletico Madrid,BayerLeverkusen and Lokomotiv Moscow in Group D and Group G comprises Zenit St Petersburg, Benfica, Lyon and RB Leipzig.

The first round of matches takes place on September 17 and 18 .

Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk was named Uefa Men’s Player of the Year for 2018-19.

The 28-year-old Holland international beat Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus to win the award after playing a starring role for Liverpool in their triumphant Champions League campaign.

The former Celtic and Southampton centrehalf, who succeeded Real Madrid’s Luka Modric as Europe’s top player, was man of the match in the Champions League final win against Tottenham.

He was also named PFA Player’s Player of the Year in April after leading Liverpool to a second-placed finish in the Premier League.

And there was more good news for defenders and England when Lucy Bronze scooped the women’s player of the year award.

The Lyon star was not present to receive her trophy as she is on Lionesses duty.