Barca lead draw for Champions League groups

The Champions League season takes shape on Thursday when UEFA draws 32 elite teams into groups in Monaco.

The most coveted prize in club football promises the world’s best players performing at arguably their highest level.

Barcelona and Lionel Messi start as favorites to become the first team to retain the title since the old European Cup was rebranded as the Champions League in 1992.

Real Madrid hope Cristiano Ronaldo can help the club to a record-extending 11th title.

Manchester United can end its one-year absence by advancing past Bruges in the playoff round later Wednesday. ARSENAL VISIT SPURS IN LEAGUE CUP DRAW

LONDON: Arsenal must travel to last season’s League Cup runners-up Tottenham Hotspur after the draw for the third round made on Tuesday threw up several mouth-watering local derbies.

The London rivals have met three times in the competition in the last 10 years.

Another enticing derby sees five-time champions Aston Villa facing second-tier Birmingham City in a second city derby.

Holders and premier League champions Chelsea, who beat four-times winners Spurs 2-0 at Wembley in last season’s final, start the defence of their trophy with a trip to third-tier Walsall.

As well as the north London derby, other all Premier-League ties see Sunderland hosting leaders Manchester City, Norwich City welcoming West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City entertaining West Ham United.

Record eight-times winners Liverpool will play basement divi sion side Carlisle United at Anfield, while Manchester United take on second-tier Ipswich Town at Old Trafford.