When the cameras were focused on Hans-Joachim Watzke during the Champions League group stage draw, one saw: a poker face. There were still a lot of balls in the pots. Unfortunately, unfortunately, unfortunately, the directors did not return to Watzke when the draw was over. Because one would have wanted to verify again whether Watzke had gotten a hiccup.
Because the Losfeen, in this case the former English international Joe Cole and the Frenchman Eric Abidal, had done a great job. The runners-up from last Bundesliga season were paired with French champions Paris Saint-Germain, seven-time Champions League winners AC Milan and Saudi club Newcastle United. “It’s a hammer group, we don’t have to fool ourselves,” said BVB managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke. “But we accept that too. In order to progress, we have to achieve extraordinary things. We had a similar situation in 2012 with City, Real and Ajax Amsterdam. We did it back then too.
In any case, it sounds like a bigger challenge, if only because of PSG, who are doing everything they can to bring together the European Championship storm of the Équipe de France. Former Dortmund player Ousmane Dembélé (previously FC Barcelona) and Kylian Mbappé will now be joined by former Frankfurt player Randal Kolo Muani. And it sounds like a terrific loss of luck. Especially in comparison to the German champions FC Bayern Munich, whose representatives could feel some satisfaction.
Okay, in Group A there will be a repeat of the Champions League final from 1999, Munich will have to compete with Manchester United. Which means, among other things, that you meet an old friend. Dutchman Erik ten Hag reigns supreme at United, and he was coach at FC Bayern II from 2013 to 2015. But until proven otherwise, he’s in charge of a team in transition. The remaining opponents of Munich sound like extremely solvable tasks, like veritable stupidity: the Danish champions FC Copenhagen with their coach Jacob Nestrup, who is only 35 years old, and Galatasaray Istanbul. Turkey have brought in some interesting newcomers – Mauro Icardi (PSG), Hakim Zyech (Chelsea) and Angelino (Hoffenheim). But it is doubtful whether they are really up to the level of Bayern. “In the Champions League, every opponent is a challenge that we accept with great enthusiasm and dedication,” said coach Thomas Tuchel.
Open detailed view
Soon to be a guest in Berlin – although unfortunately not in Köpenick: Toni Kroos travels to 1. FC Union Berlin in the group phase with record winners Real Madrid at the Olympic Stadium.
(Photo: Oscar del Pozo/AFP)
The group of Champions League debutants Union Berlin seems far heavier. He meets SC Braga, who have just struggled through the qualifying rounds, and, predictably, the nobility of football. SSC Napoli, who just became champions of the Italian Serie A, and Real Madrid, an opponent that many Unioners had longed for. Incidentally, Real Madrid professional Toni Kroos is also playing at Union – to his regret, not in the Alte Försterei, where his brother Felix played a few years ago, but in the Olympic Stadium, which he already knows from other contexts.
Will Union Berlin get the tour guide Leonardo Bonucci for the first trip through the Champions League?
As is well known, Union wants to secure a tourist guide for the first trip through the largest temples in Europe. The Italian European champion Leonardo Bonucci, 36, was on his way to the German capital on Thursday to complete the medical check on Friday and then be confirmed as Unioner access. The previous Juventus professional will be in the Berlin squad with the most premier class games, 84 in number. The next highest level of experience are other additions to the Köpenickers: Robin Gosens (28), Lucas Tousart (18) and Kevin Volland (12).
Leipzig, on the other hand, were happy about “exciting and interesting opponents who we can beat,” as manager Max Eberl said in relation to Red Star Belgrade and Young Boys Bern. He was a bit more cautious with the third opponent: Leipzig had to play against this year’s defending champions Manchester City for the third time. On the one hand, this aroused joy, because you can say goodbye to former player Josko Gvardiol “in a dignified setting”, but on the other hand, it also brought back memories of the previous season. And that’s when Leipzig got under the wheels with 0:7 in Manchester. At 0: 7, Erling Haaland, now named Europe’s Footballer of the Year by Uefa, scored five goals – and was then replaced by Coach of the Year Pep Guardiola.
Second division location Hamburg can also look forward to Champions League games. The Hanseatic city was chosen as an alternative venue for the Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk. The Ukrainians were drawn against opponents who probably guarantee well-attended games: Royal Antwerp from Belgium, the Portuguese championship runners-up FC Porto – and the Spanish champions FC Barcelona, who have Marc-André ter Stegen, İlkay Gündoğan and Robert Lewandowski in their ranks.
