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Rivals reunited It's Bayern Munich vs. Manchester United... again
Updated: Friday November 02, 2001 1:00 PM
GENEVA (AP) -- It's Manchester United vs. Bayern Munich -- again. Two of the most storied clubs in European soccer were drawn against each other Friday in the same group -- Group A -- for the second phase of the Champions League. Bayern Munich ousted Man United in last year's quarterfinals en route to its fourth Champions Cup title. In the 1999 final, it was Manchester United which came out the winner, beating Munich 2-1 on two dramatic injury-time goals. Group A is the only group of the four that wound up with four reigning league champions: Manchester United, Bayern Munich, France's Nantes and Portugal's Boavista. However, one group appears far and away the most difficult -- Group B -- where Barcelona, Liverpool, Roma and Galatasaray will fight it out for two places in the quarterfinals.
In Group C, eight-time European champion Real Madrid seemed to get the easiest route, placed with FC Porto, Greek side Panathinaikos and Sparta Prague. Group D is tough, featuring Arsenal, Juventus, Leverkusen and Deportivo. Play in the second phase begins Nov. 20-21 and concludes with sixth-rotation matches on March 19-20. The top two from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, where the competition turns into a knockout affair. Bayern Munich's representative at the draw, Karl Hopfner, sat next to Man United club secretary Kenneth Merrett -- and they both seemed to know what was about to happen in the random draw. "I was sitting next to Karl (Hopfner) and said to him: `Yes, we will play you again'. 'Obviously the two managers (Sir Alex Ferguson and Ottmar Hitzfeld) are friends and we've been there many times. We seem to play them as often as we play English teams," Merrett said. "I don't think there's anything that the two sides don't know about each other and they're always great games. ... You can't get any tougher than Bayern. They are always close games. It's special every time we play Bayern. We tend to improve as the competition moves on." "We're back with our old friends," Hopfner added. "After 1999 and 2001, it's a great thrill to play them again." Bayern Munich chairman Franz Beckenbauer knows his side got lucky in the draw. "It's always exciting to play against Manchester. They beat us in a dramatic way two years ago, we beat them twice last season. Manchester is strong, Nantes has been very good in the Champions League and Boavista is the surprise team of the season. Still, the group isn't the strongest." Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson called Bayern Munich the favorite. "I think Bayern are the most powerful side in Europe at the moment. They won the cup last year and they still have great experience in their team. They have good organization, a good coach and are difficult to beat.' Though they'll meet in group play, Man United and Bayern Munich are still the favorites to advance to the quarterfinals and could face each other in semifinals or finals. Bayern vice president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge cautioned about Nantes and Boavista. "It's a group from which we can make the quarterfinals. Nantes and Boavista are not to be underestimated. Especially Nantes, which has played very well in the Champions League although they are last in the league." Reiner Calmund, business manager of Bayern rival Bayer Leverkusen, said the Munich club was "lucky again" in the draw and admitted his team's chances weren't great against Arsenal, Juventus and Deportivo. "I am shocked. It's a heck of a group." Liverpool will also have a feeling of deja vu. The Reds won the last of their four Champions Cup titles in 1984, beating Roma in Rome. Now the two sides will meet again. "We respect the three teams, but we don't fear them. This is no doubt a very tough group," said Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry. This is Liverpool's first year back in the Champions League since the 1985 Heysel tragedy. Thirty-nine Juventus fans were killed in rioting before the game, which the Italian team won 1-0 over Liverpool. Liverpool won the UEFA Cup last season, as well as the English FA Cup and League Cup. Roma is the reigning Serie A champion. "We're only too aware of the weight of expectations," Parry said "But having won five trophies in six months last season, we've put aside a few ghosts. "There are no easy groups, but this is a great group. We're going to take each of the games as it comes. We'll be renewing acquaintance with Barcelona and AS Roma, and Galatasaray are on good form, too." Roma coach Fabio Capello admitted the obvious, calling his "the worst possible group" because "we will play in stadiums where psychological tension is unique." "Barcelona for example has a 115,000-seat stadium, a temple of world soccer, and of course fields very strong players," Capello added. "Roma however is not afraid ... it's a tough group but I'm confident." Following the draw, English bookmakers William Hill installed Real Madrid as 5-2 favorites, followed by Manchester United at 5-1.
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