Champions League draw: Messi v Ronaldo showdown, United to face PSG

Lionel Messi (L) and Cristiano Ronaldo. /Designed by CGTN's Li Yueyun via CFP photos

The Union of European Football Association (UEFA) group stage draw took place on Thursday in Geneva, Switzerland.

The group stage will run from October 20 to December 9 and the final will be held on May 29, next year.

Draw result

Group A: Bayern, Atlético Madrid, Salzburg, Lokomotiv Moskva

Group B: Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Internazionale, Mönchengladbach

Group C: Porto, Manchester City, Olympiacos, Marseille

Group D: Liverpool, Ajax, Atalanta, Midtjylland

Group E: Sevilla, Chelsea, Krasnodar, Rennes

Group F: Zenit, Dortmund, Lazio, Club Brugge

Group G: Juventus, Barcelona, Dynamo Kyiv, Ferencváros

Group H: Paris, Manchester United, Leipzig, İstanbul Başakşehir

Highlights:

Cristiano Ronaldo (L) and Lionel Messi meet during the UEFA Champions League semifinal between Real Madrid and Barcelona in Madrid, Spain on April 27, 2020. /CFP

Messi v Ronaldo showdown

It has been one of the greatest rivalries in world football for the past decade - and now Messi and Ronaldo will go head-to-head once more in the Champions League, BBC Sport commented.

Messi and Ronaldo will resume the rivalry they developed when the Portuguese superstar was at Real Madrid. Between them they have won 11 of the last 12 Ballons d'Or.

The two heavyweights were drawn in Group G along with Dynamo Kiev of Ukraine and Ferencvaros, the Hungarian club returning to the group stage for the first time in quarter of a century.

Players of the Manchester United line up ahead of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second Leg match. United had a 3-1 victory over PSG in Paris, France on March 6, 2019. /CFP

Man United face tough group, Liverpool face Ajax

After edging the French club in the last 16 two seasons ago, Manchester United will face Paris St-Germain (PSG) in the group stage this season along with RB Leipzig and Istanbul Basaksehir.

BBC Sport statistics show United have progressed from the group stages in 82 percent of their previous Champions League campaigns (18/22), last failing to do so back in 2015-16 under Louis van Gaal.

Premier League champions Liverpool, who won the Champions League in 2019, will face Ajax as well as Atalanta and Midtjylland of Denmark in Group D.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has progressed past the group stages in six of his seven seasons managing in the competition, going on to reach the final three times.

A member of ground staff disinfects the goal posts amidst the COVID-19 pandemic during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Southampton at Selhurst Park in London, UK on September 12, 2020. /CFP

UEFA to allow partial return of fans where local authorities allow

Spectators are to be allowed at European club and national team competition matches, at up to 30 percent of stadium capacity, where local authorities allow, the UEFA said on Thursday.

The European football governing body said the decision followed what it described as a successful pilot match on September 24 where Bayern Munich faced Sevilla in the Super Cup in Budapest.

Apart from that game, UEFA has staged all matches behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic since the restart of football in June.

UEFA said the admission of fans and the capacity limit would be subject to the decision of local authorities.

It said that matches cannot be played with spectators where local authorities do not allow it and that the limit of 30 percent may be reached if the limit set by local authorities is not lower.

It added that away fans would not be allowed, that social distancing will be mandatory for spectators and additional precautionary measures such as the wearing of masks must be implemented according to local rules.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said that 27 countries in Europe already allowed fans in stadiums to some degree.

(With input from agencies)