Mané, Lewandowski to clash in UEFA Champions League group stage
by Oviri Kelvin, Sports Editor, Abuja
UEFA Champions League draws have been made with clubs selected to face each other for a tight contest in the group stage to pip others for the top qualifying spot.
Rangers, who last featured in the UEFA Champions League 12 years ago and qualified after pipping Dutch topflight PSV Eindhoven to the ticket, will face Liverpool, Ajax, and Napoli in Group A.
Exhilarating is that of Bayern Munich and Barcelona where Robert Lewandowski will return to Allianz Arena after leaving unceremoniously in the summer to face Bayern’s new bride, Sadio Mané in Group C.
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The former Bayern talisman Lewandowski, who forced his move to unite with coach Xavi Hernandez at Barcelona should expectantly be ready for a loathsome reception.
In another vein, Erling Haaland will face his former club Borussia Dortmund in a reunion after Dortmund, Sevilla, FC Copenhagen and Manchester City were drawn together in Group G.
| CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP-STAGE DRAW IN FULL |
| Group A: Ajax, Liverpool, Napoli, Rangers. |
| Group B: Porto, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Club Brugge. |
| Group C: Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Inter Milan, V Plzen. |
| Group D: Frankfurt, Tottenham, Sporting, Marseille. |
| Group E: AC Milan, Chelsea, Salzburg, Dinamo Zagreb. |
| Group F: Real Madrid, Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk, Celtic. |
| Group G: Man City, Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund, Copenhagen. |
| Group H: PSG, Juventus, Benfica, Maccabi Haifa. |
| DATES FOR THE GROUP STAGE GAMES |
| Matchday 1: September 6/7 |
| Matchday 2: September 13/14 |
| Matchday 3: October 4/5 |
| Matchday 4: October 11/12 |
| Matchday 5: October 25/26 |
| Matchday 6: November 1/2 |
DATES FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND-OF-16 DRAW
The round-of-16 draw will take place on November 7 at 12pm CET in Nyon, Switzerland.
ALL KEY CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DATES
The 2022/23 Champions League final will take place on June 10, 2023, at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, which was the venue for Liverpool’s famous comeback victory over AC Milan in 2005.
| Round of 16: February 14/15/21/22 & March 7/8/14/15 2023 |
| Quarter-finals: April 11/12 & 18/19 2023 |
| Semi-finals: May 9/10 & 16/17 2023 |
| Final: June 10 2023 |
| Atatürk’s Olympic Stadium (Istanbul Turkey) |
