Two giant footballers; Lionel Messi and Christian Ronaldo clashed in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League draw on Thursday evening as Juventus and Barcelona teams both drawn in group G.
Defending champions Bayern Munich and 31 other teams also know their opponents in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
Defending champions, Bayern Munich drawn in group A with Atlético Madrid, Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moskva.
Europa League champions, Sevilla drawn in group E with King of London; Chelsea, Krasnodar and Rennes.
Manchester City who made it as far the quarter-final last season paired with Porto, Olympiacos Marseille in group C.
Real Madrid, 13-time champions, drawn in Group B with Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan and Mönchengladbach.
Manchester United drawn in group H with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), RB Leipzig and Istanbul Basaksehir.
Interestingly, Nigerian players have a presence across all the group stages likes of Dynamo Kyiv, Red Bull Salzburg, RB Leipzig and Inter Milan.
Zaidu Sanusi with FC Porto in group C while Odion Ighalo with Manchester United in group H
Istanbul Basaksehir and Midtjylland in both have Nigerian players in their books.
The draw ceremony officially underway in Geneva
The UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin speaks on how the organisation was able to surmount the challenges to complete last season’s Champions League
Also on Thursday evening starts with the President’s Award which will be going to African soccer legend Didier Drogba
Drogba is been celebrated for his on an off-the-pitch contribution. The Ivorian is the first African and indeed the first non-European to win this prestigious award
Drogba to assist with the draw alongside former Chelsea teammate Florent Malouda
Malouda speaks on the historic Chelsea 2012 UEFA Champions League triumph
Drogba opens up on how he told Mourinho to sign Malouda. Great Memories
More awards are to be given this evening for men and women…
Best Goalkeeper Award Men – Manuel Neuer
Best Goalkeeper Award Women- Sarah Bouhaddi
The next award for the evening is for the Best Defender
Best Defender Men: Joshua Kimmich
Best Defender Women: Wendie Renard
Kimmich speaks on his journey to being a Champions League winner with Bayern
See the full draw:
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Bayern
Atlético Madrid
Salzburg
Lokomotiv Moskva
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Real Madrid
Shakhtar Donetsk
Inter Milan
Mönchengladbach
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Porto
Manchester City
Olympiacos
Marseille
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Liverpool
Ajax
Atalanta
Midtjylland
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Sevilla
Chelsea
Krasnodar
Rennes
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Zenit
Dortmund
Lazio
Club Brugge
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Juventus
Barcelona
Dynamo Kyiv
Ferencváros
Group H
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
Manchester United
RB Leipzig
Istanbul Basaksehir
