TOUGH DRAW FOR OLE AS UNITED FACE PSG... AND THEIR FANS!

MANCHESTER UNITED were handed a nightmare draw on their return to the Champions League. And they face a further handicap after UEFA confirmed the partial return of supporters to grounds for their club competitions as well as international matches starting next week — but only where local laws permit. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were given the toughest task of the Premier League’s four clubs — in a Group of Death with Paris Saint-Germain, RB Leipzig and Istanbul Basaksehir. United were in the second pot of eight teams and followed French champions PSG, Champions League runners-up last season, into Group B during the draw in Geneva. Solskjaer’s men famously pulled off a dramatic comeback to knock PSG out at the last-16 stage, after losing the first leg 2-0 at home, during their last Champions League campaign in 2018-19, a victory that helped the Norwegian land the permanent job at Old Trafford. But they will face an uphill task to reach the knockout stages after RB Leipzig, semi-finalists last season and led by highly-rated manager Julian Nagelsmann, were added to the group from pot three and then Champions League debutants and Turkish champions Istanbul Basaksehir. Following a trial in the Super Cup between Bayern Munich and Sevilla in Budapest, UEFA are reintroducing more fans to stadiums. Only home fans will be able to attend matches with the number allowed capped at 30 per cent of stadium capacity. However, plans to allow fans back into sporting events in England from October 1 were pushed back by up to six months last week and that will leave United at a disadvantage when they travel to France and Germany, two countries that have allowed supporters back. Italy, Holland, Portugal, Denmark and Russia, who will welcome English clubs in this season’s Champions League group stage, are also gradually letting fans back in. This year’s final is on May 29 in Istanbul at the Ataturk Stadium, where Liverpool produced their unforgettable comeback from 3-0 down to beat AC Milan on penalties in 2005. Liverpool will face Dutch giants Ajax, highscoring Italians Atalanta and Danes Midtjylland in Group D. Manchester City will launch their latest bid to win the Champions League with Group C games against Portuguese champions Porto, Greek league winners Olympiacos and French runners-up Marseille. Chelsea face Europa League winners Sevilla and two Champions League new boys, Russians Krasnodar and French side Rennes in Group E. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will resume their rivalry after Juventus and Barcelona were both placed in Group G.