Manchester United draw Bayern as Newcastle face tough Champions League task

Football Mad -

Manchester United face Champions League group stage clashes with Harry Kane’s new club Bayern Munich, while Newcastle were handed an exceedingly tough task on their return to Europe’s top club competition.

The Red Devils came back late on to beat Bayern in the 1999 final and complete the treble, but the German champions came out on top in the sides’ last Champions League encounter in the 2014 quarter-finals.

Erik ten Hag’s United side will also be up against Rasmus Hojlund’s first professional club FC Copenhagen of Denmark and Turkish side Galatasaray in Group A.

Newcastle face a hugely difficult task as they prepare to return to the competition for the first time since 2002-03.

Eddie Howe’s side finished fourth in the Premier League last season and they have been paired with three European heavyweights – seven-time Champions League winners AC Milan, 1997 winners Borussia Dortmund and 2020 finalists Paris St Germain in Group F.

Holders Manchester City face German side RB Leipzig for the third successive season in the Champions League after being pitted against Josko Gvardiol’s former club in Thursday’s group stage draw in Monaco.

City hammered Leipzig 7-0 in the second leg of their last-16 tie last season, having also beaten them 6-3 in the group stage the season before last.

Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol will make a quick return to RB Leipzig in the Champions League (Nick Potts/PA)

Also in City’s group are Serbian champions Red Star Belgrade, winners of the European Cup in 1991, and Swiss side Young Boys, with Pep Guardiola’s side seeking to build on their success in Istanbul last season by retaining the title at Wembley next June.

Arsenal, back in the Champions League for the first time since 2016-17, face seven-time Europa League winners Sevilla in Group B.

The Gunners, who were runners-up behind City in last season’s Premier League, are also up against Dutch side PSV Eindhoven and French team Lens.

Scottish champions Celtic were placed in Group E alongside Eredivisie champions Feyenoord, Atletico Madrid of Spain and Italian side Lazio.

The first round of group games will be played on September 19 and 20.