Man Utd's dream and nightmare Champions League draws
Manchester United will learn their three Champions League group stage opponents on Thursday when the draw for the 2023/24 com Pet ition is made. United have alternated between the Champions League and Europa League in recent seasons, failing to qualify for the continent's elite com Pet ition two years in a row since 2017/18 and 2018/19. Their most recent Champions League campaign ended at the hands of Atletico Madrid in the last 16 in 2022. That being said, on account of reaching a Europa League final within the current five-year cycle of the UEFA ranking system, United retain a high club coefficient. Given that pot one of the Champions League draw is specifically reserved for the holders, Europa League winners and the national champions of the top-ranked European leagues, United will go into pot two. Of all the teams in that pot, only Real Madrid hold more ranking points. The draw will see United matched with one team from each of the other three pots. That means all of those in...