Source: Eurosport
Barca v Inter, United tackle Wolfsburg, Real face Milan
MONACO (AFP) - Thursday's European Champions League group stage draw threw up a host of appetising contests as holders Barcelona drew Inter Milan, while moneybags Real Madrid pulled AC Milan and Manchester United get a crack at German surprise package Wolfsburg.[LNB]This season will see nine former champions and eight Champions League debutants go into action in the 32-team format split into eight groups of four while the quartets of teams from England and Spain will battle for an historical 13th triumph, both countries having polished off a round dozen to date.[LNB]Group A pits four-time champions Bayern Munich against two-time holders Juventus, French champions Bordeaux and Maccabi Haifa of Israel.[LNB]In Group B, Manchester United, European champions in 1968, 1999 and 2007 and beaten finalists last year, will go up against German champions Wolfsburg, Turkey's Besiktas and CSKA Moscow.[LNB]Cristiano Ronaldo's nine-times winners and summer megaspenders Real Madrid will have to joust with seven-time champions AC Milan in Group C, meaning an early return to San Siro for Brazilian Kaka.[LNB]Marseille - the only French side ever to lift the trophy, and outsiders FC Zurich of Switzerland complete the group.[LNB]Chelsea, the 2007 finalists and bidding for a first crown under former AC Milan handler Carlo Ancelotti, veteran of 91 Champions League matches, are seeded in Group D where they meet two-time champions Porto, Atletico Madrid and Cypriots APOEL Nicosia.[LNB]Liverpool, who humiliated Real last season, will play in Group E along with French side Lyon, who have never been past the quarters, Fiorentina of Italy and Debrecen of Hungary.[LNB]Holders Barcelona will play in Group F along with Italian champions Inter Milan, who won the last of their two European crowns in 1965 and are coached by former Barca assistant and ex-Chelsea handler Jose Mourinho.[LNB]Those encounters also mean a swift return to the Nou Camp for Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o, who twice lifted the Cup with the Catalan club.[LNB]Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who went the other way, will likewise get to renew old acquaintances back at the San Siro.[LNB]Dynamo Kiev and Russian champions Kazan complete the group, where both look like makeweights.[LNB]Seville of Spain will compete in Group G alongside Glasgow Rangers, Germany's VfB Stuttgart, and Romanian champions Unirea Urziceni.[LNB]Arsenal were drawn in Group H alongside AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands, Greek side Olympiakos and Belgium's Standard Liege, whom the Gunners thrashed 7-0 away 16 years ago in the old Cup Winners Cup.
