How the Manchester clubs fared in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League draws
The UEFA Champions League and Europa League draws have been revealed and both Manchester City and Manchester United now know who they will be facing next in their respective competitions.
City had the straightforward affair of confirming their next opponent in the round of 16, drawing RB Leipzig who finished second in Group F behind current Champions League holders Real Madrid.
Pep Guardiola‘s men faced the German side last year and lost to them in the final game of the group stages despite having already finished top of their group.
City play their home fixture in the second leg of the tie. Could we be in for a surprise or are the Blues already on their way into the quarter-finals?
Meanwhile, United were left waiting with bated breath to find out who they would be playing in the Europa League knockout round playoff.
Following their results last Thursday when they failed to beat Real Sociedad by the two-goal margin needed to top the group and progress straight into the round of 16, United were placed in the Europa League knockout round playoffs for a more stressful route into the latter stages.
They could have faced any one of the eight teams eliminated from this year’s Champions League — including Ajax, Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Sevilla, Sporting CP, Juventus, RB Salzburg and Shakhtar Donetsk — but ended up with none other than five-time European champions Barcelona.
Spicy.
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United have a long and sordid history against the Catalan giants, namely the 2009 and 2011 Champions League finals where they were dumped out on both occasions.
Will the Red Devils manage to settle old scores or will the Spaniards further add to their season of ups and downs come 23 February 2023 when they meet after Qatar 2022?
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Featured Image — Manchester United/Manchester City (via Twitter)