The UEFA Player of the Season for 2021–2022, as well as the groups for this season’s UEFA Champions League, have both been officially announced.
This season commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Champions Competition as we know it, and some intriguing matches await football fans all around the world when the league begins on September 6th, following the draw at the Halic Congress Center in Istanbul.
Real Madrid, the current champions, was placed in Group F together with Sevilla, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Celtic despite losing the finals in 2021–2022. Ajax Amsterdam, Napoli, and Rangers will be Liverpool’s opponents in Group A.
Meanwhile, Manchester City will play Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund, and FC Copenhagen in their bid to win the title, while Lionel Messi’s PSG will face Juventus, Benfica, and Maccabi Haifa in the group stage.
Bring it on! ?#UCL || #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/z9IBs4zdUA
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 25, 2022
UEFA also recognized and gave its awards for outstanding performances in the 2021/22 season.
The highly coveted Men’s Player of the Season award went to Los Blancos talisman Karim Benzema, while his manager, Carlo Ancelotti was named the best men’s coach, Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas was named the top women’s player of the season, and Sarina Wiegman, the head coach of England, was named the best women’s coach.
?? Karim Benzema: 2021/22 UEFA Men's Player of the Year?#UEFAawards || #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/AOSrnRt522
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 25, 2022
The UEFA President’s Award was also given to renowned Italian manager Arrigo Sacchi.
The eight groupings are as follows:
AFC Ajax, Liverpool, Napoli, and Rangers are in Group A.
FC Porto, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, and Club Brugge make up Group B.
Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Viktoria Plzen are in Group C.
Sporting Lisbon, Olympique Marseille, Tottenham Hotspur, and Eintracht Frankfurt make up Group D.
AC Milan, Chelsea, FC Sazlburg, and Dynamo Zagreb are in Group E.
Real Madrid, RB Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Celtic are in Group F.
Manchester City, Sevilla, Borussia Dortmund, and FC Copenhagen are in Group G.
Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Benfica, and Maccabi Haifa are in Group H.
