The 2023/24 Champions League group stage draw has thrown up a major challenge for Manchester United on their return to the competition.
Erik ten Hag led United to the Europa League quarterfinals in his first season in charge at Old Trafford before securing a spot back on Europe’s big stage.
United have a proud history in the Champions League, with two title wins, but they will need to perform to reach the knockout stages in 20224.
The Sporting News looks at United’s potential opponents in the group stages of the competition as they aim to avoid being drawn against a European superpower.
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Who is in Man United’s Champions League group?
Manchester United arguably received the second toughest group compared to their Premier League rivals after the Champions League group stage draw on August 31.
Manchester City and Arsenal will fancy their chances of progressing into the knockouts in February, with United up against Bayern Munich, FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray in Group A.
Group A = complete 👊#MUFC || #UCLdraw
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 31, 2023
However, ten Hag’s task is overshadowed by what is on the horizon for Newcastle, as Eddie Howe’s returning Magpies face Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan in Group F.
Bayern Munich
A meeting with Bayern Munich will always evoke memories of 1999 for United fans and that famous night in Barcelona.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s team sealed their first Champions League title under the iconic Scottish boss, as added time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer flipped a 1-0 into a 2-1 win for United.
The scenes of distraught Bayern players at the full time whistle were contrasted with ecstasy for the celebrating United stars, as they won a first trophy treble in the history of English football.
🔴 Manchester United made history #OTD in 1999 🏆🏆🏆#UCL pic.twitter.com/rigKUScuVo
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 26, 2020
Bayern recovered in the years that followed, knocking United out of the 2001 Champions League, and again in 2010 and 2014, and United’s results in these games will have a key impact on their Round of 16 chances.
FC Copenhagen
United beat FC Copenhagen 1-0 in the Covid-19 disrupted 2019/20 Europa League season via Bruno Fernandes’ late penalty.
The Scandinavian side won their third league title in five years in 2022/23, but United will be confident of getting the points they need against Jacob Neestrup’s side.
FC Copenhagen have only reached the Champions League knockout stages once in their history, back in 2010/11.
Galatasaray
A long trip to Istanbul will add to United’s Champions League travels this season as they take on Turkish side Galatasaray.
The two teams traded home wins in the 2012/13 Champions League but their more infamous match ups date back to the early 1990’s.
United faced Galatasaray in successive seasons in 1993 and 1994 with 0-0 draws on both of their sojourns to Turkey with the 1993 showdown taking on legendary status.
Eric Cantona, 1993. Welcome to Hell. pic.twitter.com/C9qD78qQRe
— 90s Football (@90sfootball) February 21, 2023
Former captain Roy Keane infamously told the tale of Eric Cantona being hit by a policeman in the tunnel at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium, as United bowed out of the competition, sparking bedlam in the stadium.
Man United’s Champions League record
Manchester United have qualified for the Champions League more times than any other Premier League side with Ferguson winning the title twice during his time in charge of the Red Devils.
The post-Ferguson era has seen a drop in United’s European performances and Ten Hag will be looking to change that in the coming months.
| Season | UCL stage reached | Knocked out by | Top UCL scorer |
| 1993/94 | Second Round | Galatasaray | Three players with two goals |
| 1994/95 | Group Stage | IFK Gotenburg/Barcelona | Three players with two goals |
| 1996/97 | Semifinals | Borussia Dortmund | Eric Cantona – 3 |
| 1997/98 | Quarterfinals | AS Monaco | Andrew Cole – 5 |
| 1998/99 | Winners | Beat Bayern Munich | Dwight Yorke – 8 |
| 1999/2000 | Quarterfinals | Real Madrid | Roy Keane – 6 |
| 2000/01 | Quarterfinals | Bayern Munich | Paul Scholes – 6 |
| 2001/02 | Semifinal | Bayer Leverkusen | Ruud van Nistelrooy – 10 |
| 2002/03 | Quarterfinals | Real Madrid | Ruud van Nistelrooy – 14 |
| 2003/04 | Round of 16 | Porto | Ruud van Nistelrooy – 4 |
| 2004/05 | Round of 16 | AC Milan | Ruud van Nistelrooy – 8 |
| 2005/06 | Group Stage | Villarreal/Benfica | Ruud van Nistelrooy/Gabriel Heinze – 2 |
| 2006/07 | Semifinal | AC Milan | Wayne Rooney/Louis Saha – 4 |
| 2007/08 | Winners | Beat Chelsea | Cristiano Ronaldo – 8 |
| 2008/09 | Runners Up | Barcelona | Three players with four goals |
| 2009/10 | Quarterfinals | Bayern Munich | Wayne Rooney – 5 |
| 2010/11 | Runners Up | Barcelona | Wayne Rooney/Javier Hernandez – 4 |
| 2011/12 | Group Stage | Benfica/Basel | Wayne Rooney/DAnny Welbeck – 2 |
| 2012/13 | Round of 16 | Real Madrid | Wayne Rooney – 5 |
| 2013/14 | Quarterfinals | Bayern Munich | Robin van Persie – 4 |
| 2015/16 | Group Stage | VfL Wolfsburg/PSV Eindhoven | Anthony Martial – 2 |
| 2017/18 | Round of 16 | Sevilla | Romelu Lukaku – 5 |
| 2018/19 | Quarterfinals | Barcelona | Three players with two goals |
| 2020/21 | Group Stage | PSG/RB Leipzig | Marcus Rashford – 6 |
| 2021/22 | Round of 16 | Atletico Madrid | Cristiano Ronaldo – 6 |
Champions League group stage schedule 2023/24
Below is the schedule for each of the six matchdays in the group stage.
| Matchday | Dates |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sept. 19-20, 2023 |
| 2 | Oct. 3-4, 2023 |
| 3 | Oct. 24-25, 2023 |
| 4 | Nov. 7-8, 2023 |
| 5 | Nov. 28-29, 2023 |
| 6 | Dec. 12-13, 2023 |
Knockout stage schedule
The draw for the 2022/23 Champions League Round of 16 will take place on December 18, 2023.
The draw for the remaining rounds (quarter-finals and semi-finals) of the 2023/24 Champions League knockout stage will take place on March 15, 2024.
| Round | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | Feb. 13-21, 2024 | Mar. 5-13, 2024 |
| Quarterfinals | Apr. 9-10, 2024 | Apr. 16-17, 2024 |
| Semifinals | Apr 30-May 1, 2024 | May 7-8, 2024 |
| Final | June 1, 2024 | |
How to watch Champions League around the world
| TV channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | — | Stan Sport |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| Hong Kong | beIN Sports | beIN Sports Connect |
| India | Sony TEN | JioTV, Sony LIV |
| Malaysia | beIN Sports | beIN Sports Connect, sooka |
| New Zealand | — | Spark Sport |
| Singapore | beIN Sports | beIN Sports Connect, StarHub TV+ |
| UK | TNT Sports | TNT Sports site/app, discovery+ |
| USA | CBS, CBSSN, Univision, TUDN, UniMas |
Fubo, Paramount+, ViX or ViX+ |
UK: Matches are broadcast on TNT Sports and streamed on TNT Sports site and app platforms, including discovery+.
USA: Matches are available to stream on Paramount+ (English) and ViX (Spanish) for subscribers, and when matches are televised on CBS or Univision channels, those are also streamed on Fubo.
Canada: Every Champions League game streams live on DAZN.
Australia: Every match from the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League streams on Stan Sport ad-free, live and on demand.