Ronaldo back at Old Trafford
Portuguese superstar ensured an emotional welcome at club that launched a phenomenon
CRISTIANO RONALDO is on his way back to Manchester United after a Champions League draw of mixed fortunes for English clubs.
United must overcome tough Italian and Spanish opponents, having been matched with Ronaldo’s new club Juventus and the reviving Valencia.
Swiss side Young Boys complete the group, but it is Ronaldo’s return to United that will catch the imagination.
Portugal’s superstar has dominated the competition in recent history. He is seeking a fourth consecutive European Cup.
Ronaldo won the Champions League in 2008 with United, where he spent six years before his move to Real Madrid for a then world record €94 million in 2009. He went on to win another four European Cup winner’s medals and is sure of an emotional welcome back to Old Trafford.
DEMANDING
Jose Mourinho must also overcome a strong La Liga side as Valencia make their Champions League return under coach Marcelino.
Like United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are facing demanding fixtures to progress into the knockout stage.
For Spurs, Barcelona and Inter Milan are the most eye-catching opponents.
PSV Eindhoven were also drawn in Group B, but the visit of Lionel Messi to North London will surely present the greatest challenge to Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
Rather see that as a nightmare, Harry Kane sees a chance for Spurs to underline their progress.
“It’s a brilliant draw – games at famous stadiums like the Nou Camp, the San Siro. It’s a really good draw, one to relish,” he said.
“We showed people last season that we can compete at this level, particularly when you look at the games against Real Madrid, who went on to win the tournament.
“Barca will be a different test but to play in the Nou Camp against some of the best players in the world.
“It’s fantastic to play in these types of games. You want to play in big games against the best players and this draw gives us a chance as a club to once again test ourselves against the best.”
Tottenham have agreed with UEFA that their first home Champions League group match will be held at Wembley, but it is unclear what happens after that.
Giorgio Marchetti, UEFA’s deputy secretary general, said of the stadium issue: “In principle the regulations state that you have to play in a single stadium, but we will have to see.”
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will face Paris St Germain, the French side armed with Kylian Mbappe and Neymar in their star-studded line-up.
New PSG coach Thomas Tuchel was last at Anfield as Borussia Dortmund’s manager, losing to Klopp in the Europa League in dramatic circumstances in April 2016.
Ex-Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti – overlooked for the Liverpool job when Klopp was appointed in 2015 – will take Napoli to Merseyside.
last at Anfield as Borussia Dortmund’s manager, losing to Klopp in the Europa League in dramatic circumstances in April 2016.
Ex-Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti – overlooked for the Liverpool job when Klopp was appointed in 2015 – will take Napoli to Merseyside.
Another volatile welcome awaits Klopp’s side in Serbia as Red Star Belgrade complete the group.
“To be 100 per cent honest, it was not that I had a group I wished for or whatever,” Klopp acknowledged.
“I expected a difficult group. We have a difficult group and that’s what the Champions League is all about,” the German added.
“PSG are one of the most exciting teams in the world and I think their target is to win the Champions League, so that will be two interesting matches.
“Napoli, we beat them in pre-season but it goes without saying these two games will be completely a different challenge.
Liverpool’s trip to Naples will revive a bad memory for Klopp. He was sent off and banned for one game after a match there in 2013.
“I’ve been to Napoli with Dortmund, so I know what the atmosphere is like there,” he said.
SEEDED
Liverpool anticipated a tough draw having been seeded in Pot Three, but Klopp believes the higher seeds will not look forward to coming to Anfield.
“When you have already a group with Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli – two absolutely top teams – then you don’t want to have Liverpool as the third team,” he said.
Manchester City will feel most comfortable of the English representatives with the outcome of the draw, having been handed the least demanding opponents of all the top seeds.
City begin at home to Lyon then travel to Hoffenheim and also meet Shakhtar Donetsk in a group which should hold few fears for Pep Guardiola.
“Tottenham and Liverpool have had a much more difficult draw,” admitted City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain.
“But we have to respect Shakhtar and Hoffenheim. I’ve been speaking with some people from Bayern, who told me that they are a strong team with young players and a very good manager. There should be a few good games.”
Elsewhere, holders Real Madrid, for whom Luka Modric was named both midfielder of the year and the best player overall by UEFA for his exploits in last season’s competition, were drawn in a group with one of last year’s beaten semi-finalists, Roma. (© Daily Telegraph, London.)