 2011 UEFA Champions League Finalists Manchester United have drawn Portuguese runners-up SL Benfica, Swiss champions FC Basel and Romanian winners FC Otelul Galati in Group C of this season's European Cup. The Red Devils have history with Benfica and Basel, but face Galati for the first time... United are bidding to make it to their 4th Champions League Final in the space of 5 years, having beaten Chelsea and lost to FC Barcelona in recent seasons. The road to Germany appears kind in the group stages, with Benfica, Basel and Otelul Galati standing in our way. The Allianz Arena, Munich is the venue for the 2012 European Cup Final, with the Premier League Champions behind the current holders - Barca - as favourites to triumph. Sir Bobby Charlton, assisting UEFA's draw in Monaco on Thursday, ironically drew Benfica in United's group. Sir Bobby was an integral part of the club's 1968 European Cup winning side, who won the trophy on behalf of The Reds to become the first English team to win the prestigious competition. Charlton scored twice in the 4-1 Final victory over Benfica, at London's Wembley Stadium. This coming 10 years after the tragic Munich Air Disaster. Basel were next out of the hat to face United, with the Swiss side beaten in Basel by The Red Army in the 2002/2003 European campaign, but holding the home side to a draw at Old Trafford in the return fixture. United - the first team drawn midweek, and in the same group as last season - then welcomed Champions League newcomers Otelul Galati to Group C. The Romanian league Champions have no history with United, but will be hoping to make some. Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic were named 6th and 7th best players in Europe respectively. 2011/2012 UEFA Champions League Group Stage Draw Group A: Bayern Munich, Villarreal, Manchester City, Napoli. Group B: Inter Milan, CSKA Moscow, Lille, Trabzonspor. Group C: Manchester United, Benfica, Basel, Otelul Galati. Group D: Real Madrid, Lyon, Ajax, Dinamo Zagreb. Group E: Chelsea, Valencia, Bayer Leverkusen, Genk. Group F: Arsenal, Marseille, Olympiacos, Borussia Dortmund. Group G: Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit St. Petersburg, Apoel Nicosia. Group H: Barcelona, AC Milan, BATE Borisov, Viktoria Plizen. Manchester United Group C Fixtures Benfica (A, Estadio Da Luz) - Wednesday, 14th September, 7:45pm Basel (H, Old Trafford) - Tuesday, 27th September, 7:45pm Otelul Galati (N, Stadionul National) - Tuesday, 18th October, 7:45pm Otelul Galati (H, Old Trafford) - Wednesday, 2nd November, 7:45pm Benfica (H, Old Trafford) - Tuesday, 22nd November, 7:45pm Basel (A, St. Jakob-Park) - Wednesday, 7th December, 7:45pm Commentsspinny 25/08/2011 5:51pm
what a nice group...man city should have bn drwan in Group H...uefa scourcers...uefa match fixing smp 25/08/2011 6:01pm
Time to load up FM to check out Otelul Galati..! simpson 25/08/2011 6:06pm
http://www.transfermarkt.de/bilder/stadion/st_4959_s2.jpg ted 25/08/2011 6:09pm
Otelul Galati will play their European games in the Romanian capital Burcharest in the 'Stadionul Național' Let 25/08/2011 6:51pm
Wow! I love this group.good for us.glory! glory!! glory!!! anonymous 26/08/2011 12:58am
david gill says no new signings before the window shuts,i knew all along they would not sign anyone in midfield. Villi 26/08/2011 4:50am
BRING IT ON.... WE HOPE TO FACE BARCA AFTER THESE MATCHES HAVE BEEN PLAYED... WANT TO WHOOP THEIR ASS.... UNTD SHOULD HAVE 5 EUROPEAN CUPS... SHOULD BE EQUAL WITH LIVAPUKE.... Ian 26/08/2011 6:18am
What happened to Sean , he has gone very quiet, I told you how stupid you would look if these signings didn't happen, and to think you were so sure,, poor lad !! andi 26/08/2011 10:35am
I’m from Romania and I’m very excited to see United live on the National Arena in my country. Can’t wait for this game! the red city of manchester 26/08/2011 10:37am
Perfect chance to blood cleverley, welbeck, pogba, jones, young in to the uefa champions league, nice easy group for them to get the experience and grow into better players. Lee john 26/08/2011 11:03am
Giggs can do as good a job as wes sneider that's if he can get in the side !!! Doubt fergie u must b joking!!! Gavlar 26/08/2011 12:20pm
Your all idiots utd will win nowt these kids werent good enough last year for utd after two games against shite your going over board we will see when play someone decent that the midfield is shite we got lucky last year our away record was shocking we nearly fucked it up at WBA everyone needs a reality check O 26/08/2011 2:43pm
Ooops redmick442 26/08/2011 4:06pm
To gaval u say that we where lucky last season I agree with that but not anything else how can u say they was not good enough last season they wasnt there cleverly was at Wigan wellbeck was at sunderlad jones young& de gea wasnt even our players u probably said the same about Hernandez & smalling and look at the season they had last year so believe lv utd True Red 26/08/2011 4:09pm
@Ian - Yeah . Agree With Ya Mate ! redmick442 26/08/2011 4:11pm
o ps cavlar u sound like Alan Hanson once did how wrong was he !!!!! lv utd Gavlar 26/08/2011 11:08pm
All I'm saying is after two games everyone thinks were going to walk the league the one place we needed to strengthen in the last two years was in midfield again we havent done it we got away with it last year cos of other teams falling away ie Chelsea and they nearly came back at us the three signings we've made are spot on love everyone of them but in midfield fletcher had an ilness that could comeback at anytime Anderson has been inconsistent and injury prone and giggs can't play week in week out Gibson obviously not good enough or we wouldn't be selling him would like to see pogba given a chance but didn't even take him to USA took obertan instead ? Didn't understand that which means he's probably only going to play in mcky mouse cup love united but we are weak in midfield even for the premier league just feeling a bit frustrated at them shitty bastards signing everyone and thinking there a massive club redmick442 27/08/2011 7:07am
Again I agree with a lot u say saf would have got cmf playmaker if he could and don't b surprised if he still pulls one out of the bag still ten days till window shuts as for city we have the history they want we have the players at youth and res level to keep putting city in there place in our shadow yea they will win things but so will we the right way the UTD way believe cos I do. Lv utd Redphix 27/08/2011 10:38am
I've Gota admit it is a disappointment not signing sumone of say... Wesley S. class and ability! It's been a couple of seasons without a world beater in the middle of the park? Carrick - a great passer of the ball but far to pedestrian and pretty much shits it when put under pressure! Bill McNeal 27/08/2011 6:27pm
Why would we sign Wesley Sneijder if we already have Wayne Rooney? Redphix 28/08/2011 1:53am
Why... I believe he could play in the same team as Roo specially in Europe would have given us an extra edge, him or Nasri even.... Just a proper creator like scholes, even some players came out and said Wes fitted the bill! So god no's why it didn't happen? Would have been a massive boost for the younger players to play and learn with a world class talent like him. I think SAF is putting alot of faith in Anderson this season and good because I think he's a cracking player on his day he is a creator and a spoiler but at the mo can be inconsistent,(this also applies to a few players in the team) hope he gets a full season so he can mature into an even better player! And the others like cleverly and jones let's hope they can handle the pressure of the big games if called upon. I don't no why but it just feels more risky this season? But I agree it's not about buying success or for the sake of it, and your bang on the youngsters look great and the future bright!! United have spent and spent wisely, but the teams around United are much stronger also this season apart from Arsenal so I still think it's going to be a big challenge for the younger players,and I feel Wes or Nasri would have undoubtedly enhanced our squad in a positive way..... Comments are closed. |  
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