Liverpool Face PSG In Champions League Group Stage, Juventus Draw Manchester United

Last year's beaten finalists Liverpool were paired with Neymar's Paris Saint-Germain in Thursday's draw for the group stage of the Champions League. The Premier League leaders also face last year's Serie A runners-up Napoli and former European champions Red Star Belgrade. English champions Manchester City were placed in Group F with Shakhtar Donetsk, Lyon and Hoffenheim. Tottenham, who last year topped a group containing reigning and eventual champions Real Madrid, will face three former European champions- Barcelona, PSV Eindhoven and Inter Milan.

Thursday's Champions League group draw in Monaco turned up a plum when Cristiano Ronaldo's new team Juventus were drawn to face Manchester United, the team he first tasted glory with, in 2008 final. Ronaldo joined Juve this summer from holders Real Madrid, whom he helped to beat Liverpool to win the competition for the third year in a row in May. Real were drawn against AS Roma, CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen while Liverpool must take on Paris Saint Germain in their group as well as Napoli and Red Star Belgrade. Valencia and Young Boss of Switzerland complete the Manchester United and Juventus pool.

The complete draw

Group A 

Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Monaco, Club Bruges 

Group B 

Barcelona, Tottenham, PSV Eindhoven, Inter

Group C 

Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli, Liverpool, Red Star Belgrade

Group D 

Lokomotiv Moscow, Porto, Schalke, Galatasaray

Group E 

Bayern Munich, Benfica, Ajax, AEK Athens

Group F 

Manchester City,  Shakhtar Donetsk, Lyon, Hoffenheim

Group G 

Real Madrid, Roma, CSKA Moscow, Viktoria Plzen

Group H 

Juventus, Manchester United, Valencia, Young Boys

The first round of group stage matches will start on Tuesday, September 18. The final will be played on June 1 at Atletico Madrid's home, the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid.

(With AFP Inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

Liverpool Manchester City Real Madrid Football