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Last night (August 26), the Champions League group stage draw took place, resulting in a number of intriguing pairings. How did the teams react to the results of the draw?

Results of the Champions League 2021/22 group draw.

PSG and Man City will meet again in Group A. Man City defeated PSG in the Champions League semi-finals last season, making the French team fearful of the runner-up team. Mauricio Pochettino, the coach of PSG, said that it is critical to obtain the ticket as soon as possible. The biggest challenge for them is to win all of the games.

Mauricio also regards Man City as a special opponent because they are one of Europe's best teams. They also know Leipzig and Club Brugge will give it their best shots, and it will be very tricky.

PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino.

Former champions Liverpool, AC Milan, Porto, and Atletico Madrid formed Group B, which was the toughest group in the Champions League group stage. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp reacted to the draw results by saying he immediately laughed out loud because it was a tough group. Everything can happen in the Champions League. Playing against the best teams in Europe is unavoidable, and their group contains some of the best.

Former AC Milan player Franco Baresi said it's been a long time since AC Milan last played in the Champions League. They've returned after a seven-year absence, and they're eager to be there. It is necessary to enjoy the tournament until the very end. The group is very difficult, but he believes Milan can play with confidence, as for the past two years, they have made a great deal of progress during this time.

Sporting, Dortmund, Ajax, and Besiktas make up Group C, which is a balanced group with no heavyweights. Dortmund captain Marco Reus expressed his delight at the result, claiming that they'll be up against some interesting opponents they haven't seen in a long time. They have no issues with the outcome of the draw. Dortmund Will be well-prepared for the upcoming visits.

FC Sheriff celebrates qualifying for the Champions League group stage after winning the play-offs.

Group D includes Inter, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Sheriff (the first Moldovan team to compete in the Champions League group stage). Iurii Vernydub, the Sheriff's head coach, stated that with top teams from Italy, Spain, and Ukraine, Group D is an intriguing group. They'll do everything they can to compete. He has faith in the players. He added they're writing a fairy tale and want to keep going in this direction for as long as they can.

In the meantime, Shakhtar will face Inter and Real Madrid, both of whom were in the same group as the Ukrainian team last season. Shakhtar coach Roberto De Zerbi said that he has faced Inter many times. They are a strong team with high-quality players. They have a new coach, but tactically he is almost like a senior. Inter lost Lukaku and Hakimi but signed Dzeko, Calhanoglu, and Correa, so he believed they have a really strong team.

Inter vice-president Javier Zanetti also praised the team that lost both matches against Inter last season, saying they are familiar with Shakhtar coach De Zerbi because of his excellent work. Sassuolo is a town in the province of Sassuolo, Italy. He is well-acquainted with Inter, and they are aware of his teams' superior football abilities. Javier also stressed that it will be a formidable foe.

When Benfica and Dynamo Kiev are in the same group as Bayern Munich and Barcelona in Group E, they are undervalued, but not to the point where these teams lose confidence. Ilya Zabarnyi, the defender for Dynamo Kyiv, reveals they have a good group, but it is full of challenges. It's a fantastic opportunity for them to show the world what they're capable of by proving themselves and competing at the top-tier European professional football.

Luisao, Benfica's technical director, expressed optimism about the upcoming challenges. He stated that this is a group with a lot of talented individuals. They had a fantastic night in Eindhoven, where they were one of the top teams. In the group stage, they will face Bayern Munich. He understands that they want to be as prepared as possible for the challenge ahead of them.

Joshua Kimmich, a midfielder for Bayern Munich, also praised the two opponents. He considered this to be definitely an ambitious group. He also spoke highly of the "underdogs" of the table. Benfica has a strong team and employs a variety of tactics. He added that it's a dynamic and challenging game to play. Dynamo Kiev is Ukraine's champion and a significant challenge, requiring Bayern to focus as much as possible.

Villarreal will face Manchester United once more in Group F, which also includes Atalanta and Young Boys. Marcos Senna, the Villarreal ambassador, said that an intriguing statistic about Man United is that Villarreal has played against the Red Devils five times this season and has drawn all of them, with the exception of their last game, which Villarreal won on penalties. He stressed that they were in the same group twice, and both of them advanced to the semi-finals in 2006. It'll be a new story, with new faces and a new setting. Everyone wishes to play at Old Trafford.

 

Meanwhile, Unai Emery, the coach of Villarreal, was pleased with the result. He stated that the outcome of the draw is fantastic. The opponents are formidable. It's fantastic to see Villarreal in a position where they can compete with the best teams in the world. With humility and hard work, they earned a place in the Champions League.

Lille, Sevilla, Salzburg, and Wolfsburg are all evaluated equally in Group G. Jocelyn Gourvennec, Lille's coach, said that the Champions League is a prestigious football tournament. Since they're not used to playing in it every year, it's an honor to be invited. He realized there are some excellent games for them to play, and he believes everyone there will enjoy the table.

Wolfsburg does not qualify for the Champions League on a regular basis. The fact that Germany's representative is in this group doesn't help them feel too confident about winning tickets to the next round.

Koen Casteels, the goalkeeper for Wolfsburg, said their chances of progressing from the group stage are likely to be better than those of the other teams, but they must prepare for tough games against Lille, Sevilla, and Salzburg. Only the new high-level performances can assist them in defeating these clubs.

Malmo is a “pawn” in Group H, which also includes Chelsea, Juventus, and Zenit. The Swedish team, on the other hand, is not afraid to take risks. Jon Dahl Tomasson, Malmo's coach, revealed that his team will be up against Chelsea, the defending champions, and Zenit, the Russian champions. It will be a significant challenge, but one that he is looking forward to.