Manchester United draw Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid in Champions League group stage | OneFootball

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Manchester United have discovered the eight teams they will face during the 2025/26 Champions League league phase following today’s draw.

The Red Devils have been paired with two clubs from each of the competition’s four pots, facing one team from every pot at home and the other away.

United’s complete set of opponents is as follows:

United and Bayern Munich have a rich European history, although the German giants hold the upper hand overall. The clubs have met 13 times competitively, all in the Champions League, with United winning twice, Bayern six times and five matches ending in draws. (⁠UEFA.com) Their most famous encounter is unquestionably the 1999 Champions League final at the Camp Nou, when late goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær turned a 1-0 deficit into a dramatic 2-1 victory and completed United’s historic Treble. Bayern have generally enjoyed the better of subsequent meetings, eliminating United in the quarter-finals in 2001, 2010 and 2014, before winning both group-stage encounters in 2023/24.

The Red Devils have a surprisingly poor record against Atlético Madrid, having never beaten the Spanish side in four competitive meetings. Their first encounter came in the 1991/92 European Cup Winners’ Cup, when Atlético won 3-0 in Madrid before a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford eliminated Sir Alex Ferguson’s defending champions. More than 30 years later, the clubs met again in the 2021/22 Champions League last 16: Anthony Elanga earned United a 1-1 draw in Madrid, but Atlético won the return leg 1-0 at Old Trafford to knock United out once again. Overall, United’s record stands at two draws and two defeats, with just two goals scored and six conceded.

United have enjoyed considerable success against Roma, winning five of their eight competitive meetings, with one draw and two defeats. Their most famous encounter came in the 2006/07 Champions League quarter-finals, when United overturned a 2-1 first-leg defeat with an extraordinary 7-1 victory at Old Trafford. The sides met four more times the following season before renewing acquaintances in the 2020/21 Europa League semi-finals, when United won a spectacular first leg 6-2 and progressed 8-5 on aggregate despite losing 3-2 in Rome. Overall, United have scored 21 goals to Roma’s nine in their eight meetings.

Sporting CP have crossed United’s path four times competitively, with the Red Devils winning three and losing once. Their first meetings came in the 1963/64 European Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-finals, when United won 4-1 at Old Trafford but suffered a remarkable 5-0 defeat in Lisbon to go out 6-4 on aggregate. The clubs met again in the 2007/08 Champions League group stage, with United winning both matches: Cristiano Ronaldo scored the only goal on his return to Sporting before striking a dramatic late free-kick in a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford. United went on to win the Champions League that season.

United and RB Leipzig have met only twice competitively, both during the 2020/21 Champions League group stage, with one victory apiece. United produced an emphatic 5-0 win at Old Trafford, with Marcus Rashford scoring a second-half hat-trick, but Leipzig gained revenge in the decisive return fixture in Germany. United fell 2-0 behind inside 13 minutes and eventually lost 3-2, a result which eliminated them from the Champions League and sent them into the Europa League. Overall, United have outscored Leipzig 7-3 despite the perfectly balanced head-to-head record.

Villarreal are a familiar foe. The two sides have met seven times competitively,with United registering two wins, four draws and one defeat. Their first four meetings, in the 2005/06 and 2008/09 Champions League group stages, all finished 0-0. The most painful encounter came in the 2021 Europa League final, when Villarreal won an extraordinary penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw. United gained some revenge in the following season’s Champions League, winning both meetings — 2-1 at Old Trafford through Cristiano Ronaldo’s stoppage-time winner and 2-0 in Spain.

Manchester United have never previously faced Sabah competitively, making this a completely new fixture in the club’s European history. The Azerbaijani side therefore represent unfamiliar opposition for United.

Carrick’s men have also never faced Como in a competitive match, so this will also be a first in the club’s history.

How the Champions League league phase works

The traditional group stage has been replaced by a 36-team league table under UEFA’s Swiss-style format. United will therefore play eight different opponents rather than meeting three clubs twice.

Four of those games will be staged at Old Trafford, while the remaining four will take the Red Devils on the road. The draw balances the schedule by assigning one home fixture and one away fixture from each pot.

All 36 clubs will be ranked in a single table after the eight matchdays. Results against every opponent contribute towards the same overall standings, despite teams being given different schedules.

The sides finishing in the top eight will qualify directly for the round of 16. That makes a strong start particularly valuable, as it removes the need to negotiate an additional knockout tie.

Teams placed between ninth and 24th will enter a two-legged play-off for the remaining round-of-16 positions. Clubs finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated from Europe.

United must consequently find consistency across a varied programme rather than relying on home and away meetings with the same opponents. Goal difference could also prove important if several clubs finish level on points.

Champions League match dates

The league phase will be spread across eight matchdays, beginning in September 2025 and concluding with all 18 final-round fixtures in January 2026.

The scheduled match windows are:

The draw determines United’s opponents and whether each tie is at home or away, but it does not immediately establish the order in which all eight matches will be played.

Supporters must therefore wait for the full fixture schedule before making travel plans. That release will assign each opponent to a matchday and confirm the relevant kick-off details.

The January conclusion is another major feature of the format. United will have two European fixtures after Christmas before learning whether they have secured direct qualification, entered the play-offs or been eliminated.

With opponents coming from every seeding pot, there is little room for a prolonged dip in form. Four matches at Old Trafford should provide an opportunity to build a strong points total, but results away from home are likely to shape United’s final position.

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