The lineup for the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League group stage is complete and will feature an impressive 12 previous winners of Europe's premier club competition as well as three teams making their debut in this phase.
Eleven of the past champions were among the 22 automatic entrants, a number which was subsequently swelled by the progress of Celtic FC through one of this week's ten play-offs. For the draw, which takes place from 17.45CET on Thursday at Monaco's Grimaldi Forum, the 32 entrants have been split into four seeding pots (based on club coefficients), with each of the groups to contain one team from each tier. http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague
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Pot 1
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Chelsea,
Barcelona, United, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Porto, AC Milan
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Pot 2
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Valencia,
Benfica, Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit St Petersburg, Schalke, Manchester City,
Braga, Dynamo Kyiv
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Pot 3
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Ajax,
Anderlecht, Juventus, PSG, Olympiacos, Lille, Galatasaray, Spartak Moscow
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Pot 4
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Borussia
Dortmund, Celtic, BATE Borisov, Dinamo Zagreb, Malaga, Montpellier,
Nordsjælland, CFR Cluj
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Looking at the pots Man United already avoided the big guns as all in the same Pot 1. In the second Pot there is Manchester City but UEFA
rules stipulate teams from the same association can’t be drawn against each
other in the group stages. So Man United will not be the same group with Manchester City. But Man United always been drawn with Valencia and Benfica. Both very good teams especially Benfica who outclassed Man United last season.
In Pot 3 there are two former champions in Ajax and Juventus. Both very experience in the campaign. There is also big-money
spenders Paris Saint Germain. They had slow start in domestic league but still a very good team. Pot 3 the team that Man United had to avoid is only the German Champion, Borussia Dortmund. Other team should be easy although do not mean a mere pushover.
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