In the 2022–23 Premier League season, Manchester United secured a third-place finish, ensuring their qualification for the upcoming Champions League campaign....CONTINUE READING
The 2023–24 UCL competition marks the final edition in its current format before UEFA implements their plans to modify and expand it starting from the 2024–25 season.
The Red Devils are among the four English outfits to have qualified for the competition, alongside Manchester City, Arsenal, and Newcastle.
While the complete list of the 32 group-stage teams is yet to be finalized, Spanish publication, AS has revealed the qualifying pot in which Manchester United will be placed for the draw, which is scheduled to take place early in the next season.
According to AS, Manchester United will be in Pot 2 for the Champions League draw, presenting specific implications once the draw is made.
To clarify, Manchester United will not be drawn against the other teams placed in Pot 2, which include Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, RB Leipzig, Porto, and Shakhtar Donetsk (who will drop to Pot 3 if Inter Milan loses the Champions League final).
Notably, the Gunners are also placed in the same pot. The reason Spanish heavyweights, Real Madrid find themselves in Pot 2 is that Pot 1 is exclusively reserved for league winners, as well as the winners of the Champions League and Europa League.
However, Manchester United could potentially be drawn against teams from Pot 1, which features the likes of Barcelona, Napoli, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica, Inter Milan (if they win the Champions League), Feyenoord, and Sevilla. However, Manchester United cannot face Manchester City, as they are also in Pot 1.
As of now, the teams confirmed to be in Pot 3 are Red Bull Salzburg, AC Milan, Lazio, and Red Star Belgrade, while Lens and Union Berlin have been confirmed for Pot 4. The positions of Celtic, Real Sociedad, and Newcastle are uncertain, as they are dependent on the outcome of the qualifying stage.
In terms of favorable scenarios, Manchester United’s best-case scenario would involve drawing Benfica from Pot 1, along with Red Star Belgrade and Lens from Pots 3 and 4, respectively.
However, considering Manchester United’s history, it is likely that they will face tougher opponents, with the exception of Real Madrid. Clubs would generally prefer to avoid being drawn against Manchester United in Pot 2.
