Manchester United will not be facing Real Madrid’s Ronaldo, not in the group stage at least as the english club got a fairly easy group B with CSKA Moscow, Besiktas and Wolfsburg.
Kaka however will be meeting his former club as Real Madrid is in Group C with AC Milan, Marseille and FC Zurich.
Champions Barcelona will face Inter, along with Dynamo Kiev and Russian newcomers Rubin Kazan.
Chelsea, bidding to win the trophy for the first time under new coach Carlo Ancelotti – a previous winner as player and coach with Milan – will meet Porto, Atletico Madrid and APOEL Nicosia, who are taking part for the first time.
Premier League runners-up Liverpool face Lyon, Fiorentina and Debreceni in Group E and Arsenal tackle AZ Alkmaar, Olympiacos and Standard Liege in Group H.
The Champions League starts in mid-September with the final in Madrid next May 2010 and that will it all the more interesting for Real Madrid this season, after spending that much money it wont be too much to expect them to reach the final and actually win it in front of their fans after a very disappointing few seasons in the Champions League.
Full Groups:
Group A: Bayern Munich, Juventus, Bordeaux, Maccabi Haifa
Group B: Manchester United, CSKA Moscow, Besiktas, Wolfsburg
Group C: Milan, Real Madrid, Marseille, FC Zurich
Group D: Chelsea, Porto, Atletico Madrid, APOEL Nicosi
Group E: Liverpool, Olympique Lyon, Fiorentina, Debrecen
Group F: Barcelona, Inter Milan, Dinamo Kiev, Rubin Kazan
Group G: Sevilla, Rangers, VfB Stuttgart, Unirea Urziceni
Group H: Arsenal, AZ Alkmaar, Olmpiakos Piraeus, Standard Liege