UEFA Champions League draw | Bayern, Inter, Barcelona in group of death; Benzema is UEFA player of the year

Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Inter Milan will play each other in the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League group stage, while holders Real Madrid have it fairly easy, grouped with Celtic, RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk.

On the night of the new season’s draw, the awards for 2021-22 season were also announced. French striker Karim Benzema won his first UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award for his role in Real Madrid’s victory over Liverpool, while the Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was adjudged Coach of the Year.

Real captured a record-extending 14th European crown when they beat Liverpool in last season’s final and, on paper, Carlo Ancelotti’s side should have few problems in making the last 16 from Group F.

Lewandowski vs Bayern, Haaland vs Dortmund

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski will take on his former side in the group stage after the five-times champions were drawn with Bayern in Group C along with Inter and Viktoria Plzen.

Manchester City forward Erling Haaland will also face his former employers as the English champions were drawn in Group G with Borussia Dortmund. Sevilla and FC Copenhagen completed the group.

Qatari-owned Paris St Germain begin their quest for a maiden trophy in Europe’s elite club competition in a tricky Group H with Juventus, Benfica and Maccabi Haifa.

Last season’s runners-up Liverpool meet Ajax Amsterdam, Napoli and Rangers in Group A.

Group stage begins on Sept 6

The Champions League group stage will begin earlier than usual on September 6 and conclude ahead of this year’s World Cup finals which take place in Qatar from Nov. 20.

The Champions League knockout stages begin in February, with the final taking place in Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium in June.

(With inputs from Reuters)