UEFA Champions League, group stage draw highlights: Man United to meet Bayern; Haaland wins best player award

Bayern Munich and Manchester United will fight for the top spot in Group A while PSG are drawn with Newcastle United, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan in Group F. Defending champions Manchester City are in Group G and last season's runners-up Inter Milan will meet the likes Benfica and Real Sociedad in Group D. 

Here's a quick look at the 2022/23 award winners at the UEFA ceremony.

Men's Player of the Year: Erling Haaland

Women's Player of the Year: Aitana Bonmatí

Women's Coach of the Year: Sarina Wiegman

President's Award: Miroslav Klose

Men's Player of the Year: Erling Haaland

Women's Player of the Year: Aitana Bonmatí

Women's Coach of the Year: Sarina Wiegman

President's Award: Miroslav Klose

"This was my dream when I was young. The trophy also gives me so much motivation to keep working. It's free motivation and I'm so happy," Haaland said after winning the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award. Haaland scored 12 goals in the UEFA Champions League season 2022-2023. He also became the third player to net five goals in a game last season. Haaland scored 36 goals in the English top flight - a record that was completed by the Man City star with four hat-tricks!

Goal-machine Erling Haaland has been crowned the winner of the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award. The 23-year-old had a goal-fest season with Manchester City. The former Dortmund striker smashed 52 goals in 53 games across all competitions. In his record-breaking season, Haaland secured the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League titles for Man City. The Norwegian has outclassed his teammate Kevin De Bruyne and record-time Balon d'Or winner Lionel Messi to win the famous trophy for the first time. 

Aitana Bonmati has upstaged Olga Carmona and Sam Kerr to win the UEFA Women's Player of the Year for 2022/23. She won the league and UEFA Women's Champions League double with the Catalan giants last season. Aitana also won the FIFA Women's World Cup title with Spain.

Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola has won the UEFA Men's Coach of the Year for 2022/23. Under Guardiola’s watch, Premier League holders Man City won a historic treble last season. Earlier. Sarina Wiegman was named the Women's Coach of the Year while legendary German footballer Miroslav Klose received the UEFA President's Award from Aleksander Ceferin in Monaco. 

Antwerp will make their debut in the UEFA Champions League group stage this season. Antwerp are in Group H and with that the draw for the Champions League round of 32 is completed! 

Group A: Bayern, Man Utd, Copenhagen, Galatasaray

Group B: Sevilla, Arsenal, PSV, Lens

Group C: Napoli, Real Madrid, Braga, Union Berlin

Group D: Benfica, Inter, Salzburg, Real Sociedad

Group E: Feyenoord, Atlético, Lazio, Celtic

Group F: Paris, Dortmund, Milan, Newcastle

Group G: Man City, Leipzig, Crvena zvezda, Young Boys

Group H: Barcelona, Porto, Shakhtar, Antwerp

Young Boys will meet some heavyweights in Group G. Man City, Leipzig and Crvena Zvezda are also paired in the same group.

Union Berlin will play Champions League football with the likes of Napoli, Real Madrid and Braga in Group C. Only three teams to go now!

Real Sociedad is the first club to complete a group in the 2023/24 draw. The La Liga club are in Group D. Premier League side Newcastle, who have returned after two decades are in Group F. The Premier League side last played Champions League football in the 2002/03 season.

AC Milan is the next club drawn in Group F. Salzburg are placed in Group D. Lazio are next, and they will play UCL football with Feyenoord and Atletico this season.

Here's a quick look at the UCL group stage draw so far: 

Group A: Bayern, Man Utd

Group B: Sevilla, Arsenal, PSV

Group C: Napoli, Real Madrid

Group D: Benfica, Inter, Salzburg

Group E: Feyenoord, Atlético, Lazio

Group F: Paris, Dortmund, Milan

Group G: Man City, Leipzig, Crvena zvezda

Group H: Barcelona, Porto, Shakhtar

Chelsea icon Cole had some trouble in revealing 1991 European Cup winners - FK Crvena Zvezda. The club will meet Leipzig in Group G. Man City, Leipzig and Crvena are in Group G. Meanwhile, Shakhtar are named in Group H. This will be their 13th group stage appearance in 14 seasons!

While Barcelona are drawn in Group H, their El Clasico rivals Real Madrid are in Group C. The record-time winners will meet Napoli, who are also drawn in Group C.

Group A: Bayern, Man Utd

Group B: Sevilla, Arsenal

Group C: Napoli, Real Madrid

Group D: Benfica, Inter

Group E: Feyenoord, Atlético

Group F: Paris, Dortmund

Group G: Man City, Leipzig

Group H: Barcelona, Porto

Wow! Another blockbuster is sanctioned for the group stage of this season’s Champions League. Manchester United will meet Bayern Munich in the round of 32 phase as the Red Devils are drawn in Group A. La Liga giants Atletico Madrid are in Group E with Feyenoord. 

Borussia Dortmund is the next team drawn by former Barcelona captain Eric Abidal. The Bundesliga giants will play UCL in Group F which means Dortmund are set to visit Paris for a heavyweight match against PSG. Chelsea icon Joe Cole has drawn Arsenal as the next club in the draw. Completing the draw for the Gunners, Abidal has revealed that the Premier League giants will play in Group B with Sevilla.

Holders Manchester City are drawn in Group G for this season's UEFA Champions League. La Liga giants Barcelona are in Group H. Group F will feature PSG while Group E has Feyenoord. Benfica are drawin in Group D.

Bayern Munich are the first team drawn by Chelsea legend Joe Cole. "One team is allocated, six-time winners," UEFA's Giorgio Marchetti confirmed Bayern's arrival in Group A. UEFA Europa League holders Sevilla are in Group B while Napoli are in Group C.

The draw features 32 teams out of which 26 are automatic qualifiers while six teams have entered the phase through qualifying from play-off ties. All teams have been split into four seeding pots. Manchester City (ENG), Sevilla FC (ESP), FC Barcelona (ESP), SSC Napoli (ITA), FC Bayern München (GER), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), SL Benfica (POR) and Feyenoord are in Pot 1 of Champions League Group Stage draw.

As many as 14 winners of the Champions League or the old European Cup will battle for the Champions League title this season. PSV Eindhoven was the 32nd club that made it to the group stage of this season's Champions League. European champion in 1988, PSV outclassed Rangers 5-1 in their playoff second leg. 

We are moments away from the UEFA Champions League draw for season 2023-2024 in Monaco. Who can stop holders Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League this season? Which teams will feature the group of death in the 2023-2024 edition? Teams are about to learn their fate in Europe's biggest competition at club level - the UEFA Champions League. 

Former Germany striker Miroslav Klose will be awarded the UEFA President's Award. Every year, the UEFA president hails the outstanding achievements that transcend the sport by presenting the UEFA’s annual President’s Award before the start of the group stage of the Champions League. 

A look at previous winners of the UEFA President's Award: 

1998: Jacques Delors (European Commission, France)

1999: No award

2000: Guy Roux (France)

2001: Juan Santisteban (Spain)

2002: Sir Bobby Robson (England)

2003: Paolo Maldini (Italy)

2004: Ernie Walker (Scotland)

2005: Frank Rijkaard (Netherlands)

2006: Wilfried Straub (Germany)

2007: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Spain)

2008: Sir Bobby Charlton (England)

2009: Eusébio (Portugal)

2010: Raymond Kopa (France)

2011: Gianni Rivera (Italy)

2012: Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)

2013: Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)

2014: Josef Masopust (Czech Republic)

2015: No award

2016: No award

2017: Francesco Totti (Italy)

2018: David Beckham (England)

2019: Eric Cantona (France)

2020: Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)

2021: Simon Kjær and the Copenhagen EURO 2020 medical team (Denmark)

2022: Arrigo Sacchi (Italy)

2023: Miroslav Klose (Germany)

Aitana Bonmati, Olga Carmona and Sam Kerr were named as the three nominees for the 2022/23 UEFA Women's Player of the Year award. UEFA will reveal the winners of UEFA Women's Coach of the Year, UEFA Men's Player of the Year and UEFA Men's Coach of the Year in the group stage draw ceremony in Monaco. 

UEFA had earlier picked the top three nominees for the 2022/23 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award. The award will be presented by UEFA at the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League group stage draw ceremony. Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and former PSG superstar Lionel Messi received the most points for the famous trophy in the men's category.

UEFA will also reveal the winners of 2022/23 UEFA Men's Player of the Year, UEFA Women's Player of the Year, UEFA Men's Coach of the Year and UEFA Women's Coach of the Year awards in the group stage draw ceremony. Did you know? German legend Miroslav Klose will receive a special award from UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin Monaco.

After the group stage draw, UEFA will confirm the fixtures for this season's Champions League. The top two teams from each group will enter the round of 16 phase. The third-placed sides from each group will go into the knockout round play-offs of the UEFA Europa League. The teams who finish third in the group stage of the Champions League will meet UEFA Europa League group runners-up for a place in the last 16 of the second-tier tournament.