Noussair Mazraoui: Why United players are relishing hectic UCL schedule | OneFootball

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Manchester United have learned their group-stage opponents in this season’s Champions League. The Red Devils qualified for the prestigious tournament after finishing third in the Premier League last season.

The English giants will face Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid, among others, as they battle to reach the knockout stages this season. Michael Carrick’s team will be featuring in the new format of the Champions League for the first time this season, which has further added to the excitement around Old Trafford.

One player who was involved in United’s last game in the tournament is Noussair Mazraoui, who was part of the Bayern Munich team that secured a 1-0 win at the Theatre of Dreams in December 2023. That defeat ultimately eliminated the Red Devils from the group stages, and they are back this season after a two-year hiatus.

The Moroccan has now reflected on the club’s highly anticipated return to the Champions League this campaign.

Champions League will be special for Mazraoui

Speaking to the club’s website ahead of the Champions League draw, Mazraoui recalled playing at Old Trafford with Bayern Munich and revealed that he is eager to experience the midweek European nights as a United player. He said: “I haven’t played in it since I arrived here, and I think it’s going to be something really special.”

“I’ve experienced it with the opponent, but it’s always a magical evening. Especially after two years not being in the Champions League, it’s going to be electric in the stadium.”

Mazraoui also explained how the premier European club competition is entirely different from any other game. He continued: “I’ve played many games in the Champions League. I’ve had some great runs, unfortunately not all the way to the end, but they are different games. You can’t say they are like a Premier League game, a Bundesliga game or any other game.”

“It’s a competition apart, and you feel that the moment the Champions League song starts, something changes – something happens. After experiencing that many times, you know how to deal with those feelings.”

Mazraoui famously reached the semi-final of the tournament with Ajax in 2019, when former United manager Erik ten Hag was in charge of the Eredivisie side. The Moroccan was also a step away from the final in the 2023/24 campaign, when Bayern were eliminated by Real Madrid.

United looking forward to a hectic schedule

United are looking ahead to a fixture-congested campaign, which will be a stark contrast to last season, when they did not take part in European competitions and only played one game a week. Mazraoui, though, insists that he is relishing the hectic schedule and would have it no other way.

He continued: “I think we should never have to repeat what we did last season with just one game in a week. I’ve never done that in my whole career, and a lot of players are the same. I just want to keep it as that one time.”

“So, yeah, I’m looking forward to playing games. That’s what you do it for. Training is nice, but the games are what you do it for.”

Noussair Mazraoui Stats: 2025/26 Season

Final Thoughts

Mazraoui’s Champions League experience could come in handy for United this season. The Moroccan remains linked with an exit from Old Trafford this summer, but a move is unlikely to materialise.