Bayern, Man City in tough group

MONACO (AP):

Champions League winners Barcelona will begin their title defence with a match at home to AC Milan, before the traditional powers play two unheralded Eastern European teams in a group drawn by UEFA yesterday.

Four-time winners Barcelona host the seven-time champions - a rematch of the 1994 final which Milan won 4-0 - on September 13, sending forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic back to the Nou Camp where he was harshly judged to be an expensive failure two seasons ago. Group H also includes BATE Borisov of Belarus and Czech newcomers Viktoria Plzen.

Manchester United, last season's runner-up, are top-seeded in an apparently weak group with Benfica, Switzerland's FC Basel and Romanian debutants Otelul Galati.

Bayern Munich, whose stadium will stage the final next May, got a tough draw with Villarreal, big spenders Manchester City and Napoli - all teams from Europe's four highest-ranked leagues.

Real Madrid, the record nine-time European champions, face Lyon, four-time winners Ajax and Dinamo Zagreb.

To get Ibrahimovic in 2009, Barcelona sent US$66 million plus Samuel Eto'o to Inter Milan, but he lasted just one season in coach Pep Guardiola's system.

Barca technical director Andoni Zubizarreta said yesterday that the Sweden international was capable of making his old club pay again.

"We need to think about all the (Milan) team ... but I'm sure we are going to suffer from Ibra," Zubizarreta said.

Man United have fond memories of playing Benfica, having beaten the Portuguese club when they won their first European title in 1968.

"It's a good draw for us, especially having Sir Bobby Charlton talking about them on stage before the draw," chief executive David Gill said. "We've got to be confident."

Otelul Galati director general Marius Stan doubted his club could beat the three-time European champions.

"We want to win but it's impossible. We are a little team. For us, it's a big honour to play Manchester," said Stan, confirming that the home match will be in Bucharest because Galati's stadium does not meet UEFA standards.

Bayern director Karl Hopfner said Group A was "the hardest of all."

"It's four teams from the four best leagues in the world, but we need to qualify," Hopfner said.

Man City director Brian Marwood said all the group had "great experience in Europe (and) have won honours at the highest level."

Competitive squad

Debuting in the world's most prestigious club competition, City aim to build a global reputation after the ruling family of Abu Dhabi funded a spending spree on transfer fees and player wages.

Inter Milan, the 2010 winners, are top-seeded in a group with CSKA Moscow, Lille and Trabzonspor.

"It's a dangerous group. That's the Champions League," Inter coach Gian Piero Gasperini said.

Arsenal were rewarded for a tense passage through the playoff round with a group including Marseille, Olympiakos of Greece and Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund, the No. 4 seed all teams wished to avoid. Arsenal open away to Dortmund on September 13.

Chelsea were drawn to face Valencia after buying the Spanish club's star forward Juan Mata this week for a reported US$43 million. Group E is completed by Bayer Leverkusen and Belgian champion Genk.

Two-time winners FC Porto face long trips to play Group G rivals Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine and Russia's Zenit St. Petersburg. APOEL of Cyprus completes the group.