Possible Groups for Champ League
FROM UEFA.COM
Manchester United FC and RC Deportivo La Coruna will meet for the third time in two seasons and Arsenal FC will come up against AS Roma for the very first time when the draw for the UEFA Champions League second group stage is made in Geneva on Friday morning.
1999 winners
Owing to the way in which the teams have been seeded, United will be joined by three Spanish clubs in the top-seeded pot, and as teams from the same national association cannot be drawn together in the same group the only club from Pot 1 that Deportivo can play are the 1999 winners from England.
Honours even
The teams met twice in last season's competition - once in the first group stage, when the Spanish side did the double over United; and then again in the quarter-finals when United had their revenge, winning both legs.
Arsenal to avoid Madrid
Similarly, as there are three Italian clubs in Pot 2, the only side from this pot that Roma can meet is Arsenal. This in turns means the English champions will avoid the holders and favourites Real Madrid CF, who cannot be drawn in the same group as Roma, their opponents in the first group stage.
Group of death?
Either of these definite pairings could well turn out to be the basis for a so-called “group of death”: United and Deportivo will meet either Juventus FC or Internazionale FC, like United both twice winners, and the fourth team could be four-times winners AFC Ajax.
Ajax factor
Ajax, however, could just as easily end up in a group with Arsenal, Roma and either FC Barcelona, the 1992 winners, or Valencia CF, twice runners-up in the past three years.
German pair
Meanwhile, the two German clubs – BV Borussia Dortmund and Bayer 04 Leverkusen – will find themselves in a group containing one Spanish and one Italian opponent, while the section involving England’s third representative, Newcastle United FC, will contain one Italian club (Inter or Milan), one German and one Spanish team.
UEFA Cup draw
All will be revealed at tomorrow’s draw, which takes place at 11.30CET at the Noga Hilton Hotel in Geneva, and is followed by the draw for the third round of the UEFA Cup.
