Champions League draw in full

Liverpool and Manchester United have been cast into relatively difficult groups following the Champions League draw in Monaco today.

Rafa Benitez's side will face Lyon of France, Serie A side Fiorentina and Debreceni of Hungary in a highly competitive Group E, while United must negotiate potentially demanding trips to Russia and Turkey after being drawn to play CSKA Moscow, Besiktas and the German champions Wolfsburg.

Chelsea will also feel that they could have been offered a kinder group stage than the one which has pitted them against Porto, Atletico Madrid and Cyprioy outfit APOEL Nicosia but Arsenal have unquestionably emerged unscathed after drawing Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, Olympiakos of Greece and the Belgians Standard Liege.

All of the Premier League sides will nonetheless be relieved at having avoided the more dangerous sides in Pot 2 that featured Real Madrid, Inter and Juventus. There will be reunions for both Kaka and Samuel Eto'o after Real were drawn to play AC Milan and Inter pitched against Barcelona, the European Champions.

Champions League Group Stage Draw

Group A                           
Bayern Munich                      
Juventus
Bordeaux
Maccabi Haifa

Group B
Manchester United
CSKA Moscow
Besiktas
Wolfsburg

Group C
AC Milan
Real Madrid
Marseille
FC Zurich

Group D
Chelsea
FC Porto
Atletico Madrid
APOEL

Group E
Liverpool
Lyon
Fiorentina
Debrecen

Group F
Barcelona
Inter Milan
Dynamo Kiev
Rubin

Group G
Sevilla
Rangers
Stuttgart
Unirea Urziceni

Group H
Arsenal
AZ Alkmaar
Olympiacos
Standard Liege