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Debuting City land in `Group of Death’

Comment: 0 August 26th, 2011 by: admin

DEFENDING champions Barcelona, last season’s runner Manchester United and Real Madrid are expected to top their respective Champions League groups while debutants Manchester City found themselves in the “Group of Death’’ after last Thursday’s draw for the 2011-2012 season was held in Monaco, France.

Barca start their bid to retain the crown when they face old rivals AC Milan at Nou Camp in the first round on Sept. 13. Barca and Milan, who have 11 European titles between them, met in the 1994 final with the Italians prevailing 4-0. They head Group H which also includes outside shots BATE Borizov of Belarus and Czech champions Viktoria Plzen.

The Red Devils, making a record 17th appearance in the world’s top club competition, were in Group C and will also tangle with familiar foes Benfica who were drawn by no less than United great Bobby Charlton, the man who scored against the Italian side when United won their first European Cup in 1968.
Also in the group are Basel and Romanian newcomers Otelul Galati.

Venue of the United-Benfica tussle on Sept. 14 is Lisbon’s Stadium of Light, with the return to be held at Old Trafford on Nov. 22.

City get their baptism of fire as they were drawn in Group A along with four-time European Cup winners Bayern Munich, Villarreal and Napoli.

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes described the group as the toughest in the draw, while City official Brian Maywood said any of the four can go through.

City’s first game in the elite tournament since their only previous appearance in the 1968-69 season will be at home to Napoli on Sept. 14.

Nine-time champions Real Madrid, meanwhile, head Group D which also has Olympique Lyon, Ajax Amsterdam and Dinamo Zagreb, who are returning after 12 years of absence.

Another top-seeded side, Chelsea, were joined in Group E by Bayer Leverkusen, Valencia and Genk. The Blues start their quest at home on Sept. 13 against Leverkusen, now the team of former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack. New signing Juan Mata gets a chance to meet his former team Valencia when they meet the Blues later that month.

Rounding out the groupings are Internazionale, CSKA Moscow, Lille and Trabzonspor (Group B); Arsenal Marseille, Olympiakos and Borussia Dortmund (Group F) and Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit, St. Petersburg and APOEL (Group G).

The final will be played at the Allianz Arena in Munich on May 19.

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