UEFA Champions League Draw 2021-22: Potential clash between Ronaldo and Messi set up in Group A and more
The draw for the group stages of the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League was held in Istanbul on Thursday. All the 32 teams involved in the competition have been equally sorted into eight groups - Group A to Group H.
Pot 1 for the draw included current Champions League holders Chelsea and reigning Europa League champions Villarreal. Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter, Lille and Sporting Lisbon were also in Pot 1 after winning their domestic league titles last season.
The remaining 24 teams in the competition were allotted Pot 2, Pot 3 and Pot 4 based on their UEFA club coefficient rankings.
How the UEFA Champions League draw unfolded
Manchester City, who finished as runner-up last season in the Champions League, were the first team out of Pot 1. As such, the Premier League champions were alloted Group A.
Atletico Madrid (Group B), Sporting (Group C), Inter (Group D), Bayern Munich (Group E), Villarreal (Group F), Lille (Group G) and Champions League holders Chelsea (Group H) were next in line.
Pot 2 witnessed Borussia Dortmund draw alongside Sporting Lisbon in Group C, whereas Real Madrid were in Group D with Inter. Liverpool, who are the most successful English club in Champions League history, came out third and were drawn with Atletico Madrid in Group B.
In what worked out as an inspiring draw next, Paris Saint-Germain were drawn alongside Manchester City in Group A of the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League. Juventus, who were next to follow in Pot 2, were pitted alongside Chelsea in Group H.
Notably, Barcelona were assigned Group E alongside Bayern Munich. Sevilla and Manchester United were the last two teams respectively to come out of Pot 2 and they joined Lille (Group G) and Villarreal (Group F).
RB Leipzig and Club Brugge (Group A), Porto and Milan (Group B), Ajax and Besiktas (Group C), Shakhtar Donetsk and Sheriff (Group D) concluded the first four groups. Meanwhile, Benfica and Dynamo Kyiv (Group E), Atalanta and Young Boys (Group F), Salzburg and Wolfsburg (Group G), Zenit and Malmo (Group H) were the last to be allotted their berths.
2021-22 Champions League could witness Ronaldo and Messi face off
If Cristiano Ronaldo does end up joining Manchester City from Juventus, the 2021-22 Champions League group stages will witness him going up against fierce rival Lionel Messi. Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City are in Group A of the competition and are destined to meet each other twice throughout the group stages.
However, it remains to be seen if the Premier League champions do end up signing Cristiano Ronaldo before the transfer window slams shut. If reports are to be believed, the forward is keen to leave Juventus, with Manchester City being his preferred destination.
2021-22 UEFA Champions League Groups
Group A: Manchester City, PSG, RB Leipzig, Club Brugge
Group B: Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Porto, Milan
Group C: Sporting, Dortmund, Ajax, Besiktas
Group D: Inter, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sheriff Tiraspol
Group E: Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Benfica, Dynamo Kyiv
Group F: Villarreal, Manchester United, Atalanta, BSC Young Boys
Group G: Lille, Sevilla, Salzburg, Wolfsburg
Group H: Chelsea, Juventus, Zenit, Malmo