Ferguson warns of tough test for United
United were drawn in Group B – not so much the Group of Death as the Group of Jetlag – with the prospect of long-distance trips to Besiktas in Turkey and CSKA Moscow as well as strong opponents in German champions Wolfsburg.
“CSKA have developed strongly in the last few years and games in Turkey are always difficult.
“We also know the quality that we’re up against with Wolfsburg, with what they achieved in the Bundesliga last season.”
Avoiding such tiring trips was top of Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez’s wishlist, and he was grateful that at least was granted.
“The important thing as always is that the travelling isn’t too bad, we don’t have too far to go for any of the games,” said the Liverpool manager.
“Lyon might not have won the league last season but before that they won it many years in a row, so we know they have lots of good players who can play good football,” he said.
Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis insisted the Gunners would not be complacent but that – having been written off by many people this summer – they were targeting the final in Madrid in May.
Gazidis said: “A lot of people might say we are the favourites to win this group but we have not played any of these teams before and they are all champions of their respective leagues.
“Our ambition is to become the first London club to win the Champions League.
“We have believed in ourselves through this close season even though we have been written off and a lot of pressure has been placed on us.”
Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon was happy to have avoided the continental big guns.
He said: “As a group there’s not much travel and generally we have to be happy with the draw.
Holders Barcelona must face Inter Milan. Inter, bossed by Jose Mourinho who was a member of the Barcelona coaching staff early on in his career, Barcelona will also play Dynamo Kiev and Rubin Kazan in Group F.
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