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      Champions League group stage draw LIVE REACTION: Man Utd face Bayern, Arsenal take on Sevilla while Newcastle draw PSG

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      THE Champions League draw has been concluded – and Manchester United have been thrown into a tough group.Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich will be going up against the Red Devils, while Arsenal are set to take on European giants Sevilla.
      Newcastle find themselves with a tough trip to Paris Saint-Germain.
      And it is a repeat of last season as Manchester City face RB Leipzig.

      Group A: Bayern Munich, Man Utd, Copenhagen, Galatasaray
      Group B: Sevilla, Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven, Lens
      Group C: Napoli, Real Madrid, Braga, Union Berlin
      Group D: Benfica, Inter Milan, Salzburg, Real Sociedad
      Group E: Feynoord, Atletico Madrid, Lazio, Celtic
      Group F: PSG, Borussia Dortmund, Milan, Newcastle
      Group G: Man City, RB Leipzig, Crvena zvezda, Young Boys
      Group H: Barcelona, Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Antwerp

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      Stay up to date with all the latest from the Champions League group stage draw…
      Arsenal fans react to draw
      Many Arsenal fans were left thrilled after the Gunners were drawn in Group B of the Champions League alongside Sevilla, RC Lens and PSV Eindhoven.
      One person tweeted: “Easy max points.”
      Another added: “Thank You Lord for this Great Challenge! What a Group!”
      While a third said: “Should walk through it.”
      Man City Champions League group in full
      The holding Champions have been drawn in Group H.

      Manchester City
      RB Leipzig
      Crvena Zvezda
      Young Boys

      Newcastle Champions League group in full
      The Magpies have been drawn in Group F.

      PSG
      Borussia Dortmund
      AC Milan
      Newcastle

      Arsenal Champions League group in full
      The Gunners were drawn in Group B yesterday.

      Sevilla
      Arsenal
      PSV Eindhoven
      RC Lens

      Who will Arsenal face in the Champions League group stages?
      Arsenal are back in the Champions League for the first time since the 2016/17 season.
      And they face a fairly straightforward test in the group stage after being drawn against Sevilla, PSV Eindhoven and Lens.
      Mikel Arteta saw his Arsenal players work wonders last season, leading them to an impressive second-place Premier League finish behind Treble winners Manchester City.
      And the Spaniard is unlikely to have his work cut out in the group stage after a favourable draw on Thursday.
      Arsenal’s toughest group test is sure to come against Sevilla, winner of last season’s Europa League.
      The next team Arsenal have to get past is PSV Eindhoven, who finished second in last term’s Eredivisie.
      Finally, the Gunners go up against Lens, who have just splashed £30million on former Chelsea target Elye Wahi.
      Edu gives Arsenal transfer update
      Arsenal chief Edu provided fans with an update on the club’s transfer business after the Champions League draw today.
      He also hinted that the club are unlikely to sign any more players before today’s deadline.
      Edu said: “As everyone saw, we made a strong strategy to be very proactive at the beginning of the transfer window & I think we did it. Now we are talking about trying to balance the squad a little bit better.”
      “We keep talking to a few clubs, but so far, we are really happy with the transfer window and we have to say thank you very much to all the people that work at the club to make that happen – good, exciting season ahead for us!”
      Haaland spotted with model girlfriend
      Isabel Johansen stole the show from boyfriend Erling Haaland during the Champions League draw after she was spotted by the cameras.
      Isabel was in the crowd in Monaco as she watched Haaland get crowned Uefa Men’s Player of the Year.
      Haaland, 23, was given the award after the Champions League draw was made by former West Ham and Chelsea star Joe Cole and ex-Barcelona defender Eric Abidal.
      Credit: YouTube @TNT Sports
      Joe Cole has ‘look of terror’ while picking the draw
      Fans have been left in hysterics after Joe Cole had a “look of terror” on his face during the Champions League draw.
      Cole, 41, was doing a professional job as he read out the team names however had a panic as he got to one in particular.
      As he removed Crvena zvezda, he decided to call the team Red Star Belgrade.
      To which presenter Pedro Pinto joked that the former England international was “playing it safe” with his choice of phrasing.
      The Serbian is referred to as Red Star Belgrade in English-speaking countries whereas in its homeland is called Crvena zvezda.
      Fans could not help but have a joke at Cole’s panic as they took to social media, with one person tweeting: “Joe Cole didn’t even attempt to pronounce Crvena zvezda.”
      A second commented: “The utter terror on Joe Cole’s face when he got Red Star Belgrade.”
      Credit: AP
      Arsenal fans relieved at Champions League draw
      Many Arsenal fans were left thrilled after the Gunners were drawn in Group B of the Champions League alongside Sevilla, RC Lens and PSV Eindhoven.
      One person tweeted: “Easy max points.”
      Another added: “Thank You Lord for this Great Challenge! What a Group!”
      While a third said: “Should walk through it.”
      Man Utd fans claim they are ‘cursed’
      Man Utd fans are convinced they are cursed after being handed a horror Champions League draw.
      The Red Devils will face Galatasaray, Copenhagen and Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich, who are the second favourites to win the tournament.
      While Arsenal and Manchester City have both been handed favourable draws by comparison.
      It is a blow for United who also faced a tricky group the last time they were in the competition in the 2021-22 campaign.
      But they did manage to win that group which consisted of Villarreal, Atalanta and Young Boys.
      A year prior United were drawn against Paris Saint-Germain, RB Leipzig and Istanbul Basaksehir, which is why some fans feel they are cursed.
      One supporter said: “You can’t tell me Manchester United isn’t cursed when it comes to draws.”
      Wiegman dedicates award to Spanish national team
      England manager Sarina Wiegman dedicated her Coach of the Year award to the Spanish women’s national team amid the ongoing Luis Rubiales scandal.
      She said: “This team deserves to be celebrated and listened to.”
      UEFA chief slammed for ‘condescending’ comment
      UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin has been slammed by fans after warning Sarina Wiegman her Coach of the Year trophy was heavy.
      The England Women’s boss collected the prize in Monaco after the Champions League draw after winning it for the second year running.
      She was welcomed on to stage and awarded her trophy by Ceferin.
      But before he handed over the silverware he told Wiegman: “Be careful, it’s heavy.”
      Outraged fans flocked to social media to question Ceferin’s comment, with many criticising the Slovenian.
      One said: “Absolutely no way the president of Uefa said to Sarina Weigman ‘be careful it’s heavy’ when handing her coach of the year. Honestly mate…after the last two weeks you wanna condescend?”
      Another added: “What’s up with men telling women to be careful the trophy they’re about to receive is heavy? Just happened again.”
      Credit: Getty
      Fans confused after realising draw host
      Football fans were left confused as Joe Cole was given the honour of doing the Champions League draw.
      The former West Ham and Chelsea star – who has never won the competition – took center stage along with ex-Barcelona defender Eric Abidal for the tournament’s draw.
      He joined Abidal on stage, with the former Barcelona star boosting two triumphs in the competition during his playing days.
      And fans were confused by his inclusion by Uefa as they took to social media.
      One Tweeted: “Joe Cole at the UCL draw!”
      A second commented: “How has Joe Cole managed to get a piece of this.”
      A third wrote: “Joe Cole is one of UEFA’s special guests for the group draw?”
      Newcastle fans react to the draw
      Newcastle supporters have had mixed reactions to the club’s ‘group of death’ Champions League draw.
      One person tweeted: “Can’t waste time against these giants.”
      Another added: “Sometimes you have to be close to DEATH to feel ALIVE! Bring it on!”
      While a third joked: “Just take whatever we experience we can gain and run!”
      Eagle-eyed fans spot draw script
      Eagle-eyed viewers have spotted that the Champions League draw was scripted after a behind the scenes snap.
      Presenter Reshmin Chowdhury gave the fans an insight by posting on her Instagram story.
      The story shows the stage being set alongside the Champions League trophy and then pans down to a script on the presenters iPad.
      Chowdhury captioned the story with “Final rehearsals” alongside a pair of eyes staring emoji.
      The script on the iPad showed instructions for the presenter with what to say between each draw.
      Fans pitty Newcastle
      Fans have shown sympathy for Newcastle after they were drawn against PSG, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan.
      One fan Tweeted: “Who did Newcastle offend?”
      A second wrote: “Woah Newcastle are in the toughest group ever.”
      A third commented: “So sorry for Newcastle 😤.”
      Haaland ‘living the dream’
      A beaming Erling Haaland claimed he is “living the dream” after he was named the Uefa Men’s Player of the Year.
      Credit: TNT Sports
      City get ‘easy group again’
      Manchester City have been criticised by fans online after getting another “easy” group in the Champions League.
      The current holders face RB Leipzig, Shaktar Donetsk and Royal Antwerp.
      One fan declared: “Man City once again. Easy group.”
      A second added: “Man City in another easy group.”
      While another said: “What about Man City’s group. Looks like the easiest group for me.”
      Arsenal fans confident
      Arsenal supporters are very confident after seeing their team drawn into Group B against Sevilla, PSV and RC Lens.
      One Tweeted: “We’ve got this in the bag.”
      Another added: “Should be able to win the group. Would be mega disappointed if we don’t.”
      Credit: AFP
      United fans nervous of Group
      Man United fans have been left nervous after seeing their team drawn against Bayern Munich, Copenhagen and Galatasaray.
      One said: “I don’t see Man United leaving their group.”
      A second added: “Any team can win but not Man United.”
      Wiegman scoop accolade
      Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman has won the Uefa Women’s Coach of the Year.
      Credit: TNT Sports
      Guardiola picks up award
      Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has won the Uefa Men’s Coach of the Year award.
      On Arsenal’s draw
      The Gunners will be in Group B, but Joleon Lescott is “confident and believes” that Arsenal will top the group.
      Group of death
      Own Hargreaves has backed Newcastle to put up a fight in Group F despite facing PSG, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan.
      He said: “Eddie Howe’s side will be up for it and it is actually quite even.”
      Trip home for Hojlund 
      Manchester United summer signing Rasmus Hojlund will have a trip back home during the group stages.
      He and United will face Copenhagen, where Hojlund was born and spent time at during his youth career.
      Credit: Getty More

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      Champions League draw LIVE: Stream FREE as Man Utd, Arsenal, Newcastle and Man City learn group stage fate in Monaco

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      CHAMPIONS LEAGUE football is back – and the group stage draw is underway RIGHT NOW!Teams will hope to avoid Manchester City after they capped off their historic Treble triumph with victory over Inter Milan in last season’s final.
      But all eyes will be on the Premier League trio of Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle as they make their highly-anticipated return to Europe’s top-tier competition.

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      Stay up to date with all the latest from the Champions League group stage draw…
      A reminder of who is in which pot
      Pot 1: Manchester City, Sevilla, Barcelona, Napoli, Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain, Benfica, Feyenoord.
      Pot 2: Real Madrid, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, RB Leipzig, Porto, Arsenal.
      Pot 3: Shakhtar Donetsk, RB Salzburg, AC Milan, Braga, PSV Eindhoven, Lazio, Red Star Belgrade, FC Copenhagen.
      Pot 4: Young Boys, Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, Celtic, Newcastle United, Union Berlin, Royal Antwerp, RC Lens.
      Hargreaves on the “beautiful” draw
      Owen Hargreaves has also shared his thoughts on the draw.
      He said: “The Champions League draw is a beautiful thing.
      “Just to see who you’re going to play against, maybe against somebody you looked up to as an idol.”
      Team to avoid
      Joe Cole has also claimed that Newcastle and Celtic are the teams to avoid from Pot 4.
      He said: “Celtic wherever they are they raise themselves and are a match for anyone.
      “Newcastle will be the one that everyone will be trying to avoid in Pot 4.
      “Like Celtic, St James’ Park will be rocking on Tuesdays and Wednesday nights.”
      Credit: TNT SPORTS
      City are ‘the team to beat’
      Former Chelsea and West Ham star Joe Cole has insisted that Manchester City are still the team to beat.
      He said on TNT Sports: “Without a doubt, I don’t think they are as strong as they were last year with a lot of turnover.
      “But they are in that group with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
      “Come six month’s time, things may be different, but they are so good at the moment.”
      Last draw of its kind
      This will be the last Champions League draw of its kind as it will be changing for next season.
      In 12 months time, the competition will have undergone a revamp which will see more clubs being added and a new format to determine a winner.
      Kane aiming for glory
      Harry Kane will be hoping to reap the benefits of his move to Bayern Munich.
      The German giants are the joint-third most successful club in the competition winning it on six occasions.
      Kane has yet to win any major silverware in his career and will want that run to come to an end this season.
      Should Bayern reach the final then the Englishman will feel comfortable with the match set to be played at Wembley.
      Credit: Getty
      Spain eyeing the trophy
      Real Madrid will no doubt be keen to get their hands back on the trophy having won it 14 times in their history.
      Barcelona have won the competition six times but have failed to get out of the group stages for two consecutive seasons.
      Sevilla however will be hoping to turn Europa League success into the Champions League, with the club winning the secondary competition seven times.
      However, they have never won the Champions League in their history.
      Atletico Madrid will also be eyeing the trophy having reached the final back three times in their history without ever winning.
      Credit: EPA
      Italians looking to go one further
      After Inter Milan reached the final last season, Italian football fans will be hoping one of Napoli, AC Milan, Lazio and Inter will be able to go one further.
      AC and Inter battled it out in the semi-final while Napoli were knocked out by AC in the quarter-final.
      Lazio however are taking their first steps in the tournament since 2021 when they were knocked out by Bayern Munich in the last 16.
      Credit: AFP
      Man City looking to retain trophy
      Manchester City will be looking to replicate their success in the Champions League from last season.
      The Citizens beat Inter Milan 1-0 in a tense final in Istanbul thanks to Rodri’s second-half strike.
      Pep Guardiola may have to adapt his team however as talisman Kevin de Bruyne is likely to miss the entire group stages.
      The last time a club won the Champions League consecutively was Real Madrid when they won it three times in a row between 2016 and 2018.
      Credit: Getty
      Arsenal’s first CL venture in six years
      The last time Arsenal were in the Champions League was during the 2016/17 campaign.
      It was the Gunners’ 17th consecutive campaign in the tournament.
      It was also the club’s seventh year in a row of being knocked out at the round of 16 stage as they were thrashed 10-2 on aggregate by Bayern Munich.
      Mikel Arteta will be hoping to avoid that fate as he makes his debut as a manager in the competition this season.
      Credit: Alamy
      Manchester United’s return to the tournament
      Man United will be making their first appearance in the Champions League after failing to qualify for last year’s edition.
      Erik ten Hag’s side have not had a convincing start to the Premier League campaign and will be hoping to be better in Europe.
      The club are still trying to add to the squad with Sofyan Amrabat among the targets.
      The midfielder played in the Conference League final last season for Fiorentina but suffered defeat to West Ham.
      Credit: EPA
      How will Newcastle fair?
      The Magpies have qualified for the Champions League for the first time since the 2003/04 season.
      Eddie Howe’s side have added quality to an already impressive team this summer with Harvey Barnes, Tino Livramento, and Lewis Hall.
      However, Sandro Tonali could be the biggest addition as he brings a wealth of European experience.
      The midfielder reached the semi-finals of the tournament last season and will want to match that same success.
      Credit: Reuters
      One hour to go
      The draw for the Champions League will start at 5pm UK time.
      Credit: Getty
      Many stars will miss this year’s tournament
      Following the wave of players moving away from Europe this summer, the Champions League will be missing some iconic faces.
      Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, N’Golo Kante, Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez, and Karim Benzema are all among the players who will not compete after completing moves to Saudi Arabia.
      While Lionel Messi will not be in the Champions League as he left PSG for Inter Miami in the MLS.
      Credit: Getty
      What else will happen during the draw?
      During the Champions League draw the awards for the 2022/23 Uefa Men’s Player of the Year, Uefa Women’s Player of the Year, Uefa Men’s Coach of the Year and Uefa Women’s Coach of the Year will be presented.
      Meanwhile, former Germany striker Miroslav Klose will be awarded the 2023 Uefa President’s Award by Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin.
      Credit: Reuters
      Who are the favourites to win?

      Man City – 21/10
      Bayern Munich – 5/1
      Real Madrid – 17/2
      Arsenal – 10/1
      Barcelona – 12/1
      PSG – 14/1
      Man United – 16/1
      Napoli, Newcastle – 20/1
      Inter, Atletico Madrid – 25/1
      Dortmund – 33/1
      AC Milan – 40/1
      RB Leipzig, Sevilla, Benfica – 50/1
      Celtic – 150/1

      *Odds provided by Betfair.
      Credit: Getty
      How were the Pots decided?
      Pot 1 includes the Champions League winners and the Europa League winners as well as champions from Europe’s top six leagues.
      However as Manchester City are the current holders of the Champions League and Premier League titles, Dutch outfit PSV have snuck in.
      Pots 2 to 4 have been decided by the club’s Uefa co-efficient rankings which are based on their performances in Europe.
      Paired clubs
      Clubs that are paired together from the same countries will play on separate days.

      A Manchester City & Manchester United
      B Sevilla & Atlético
      C Barcelona & Real Madrid
      D Napoli & Lazio
      E Bayern & Dortmund
      F Paris & Lens
      G Benfica & Porto
      H Feyenoord & PSV
      I Inter & AC Milan
      J Leipzig & Union Berlin
      K Arsenal & Newcastle

      Which clubs are in Pot 4?

      Young Boys (SUI)
      Real Sociedad (ESP)
      Galatasaray (TUR)
      Celtic (SCO)
      Newcastle (ENG)
      Union Berlin (GER)
      Antwerp (BEL)
      Lens (FRA)

      Credit: PA
      Which teams are in Pot 3?

      Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
      Salzburg (AUT)
      Milan (ITA)
      Braga (POR)
      PSV (NED)
      Lazio (ITA)
      Crvena zvezda (SRB)
      Copenhagen (DEN)

      Credit: Getty
      Who is in Pot 2?

      Real Madrid (ESP)
      Manchester United (ENG)
      Inter (ITA)
      Dortmund (GER)
      Atlético de Madrid (ESP)
      Leipzig (GER)
      Porto (POR)
      Arsenal (ENG)

      Credit: AP
      Which teams are in Pot 1?

      Manchester City (ENG)
      Sevilla FC (ESP) – B
      FC Barcelona (ESP) – C
      SSC Napoli (ITA) – D
      FC Bayern München (GER) – E
      Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) – F
      SL Benfica (POR) – G
      Feyenoord (NED) – H

      Credit: Getty
      Champions League draw day is here
      Hello and welcome to today’s big Champions League draw from Monaco.
      And it is a huge day for the Premier League with Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle in the draw.
      Arsenal will be in the draw for Europe’s elite competition for the first time since 2017.
      While Newcastle were last in the tournament in 2003.
      City go into the draw as the holders after their stunning win over Inter Milan to complete The Treble last season.
      Stick with us here on SunSport as we bring you all of the updates from the big day.
      All eyes will be on the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco for what should be an absolute cracker! More

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      Who is Champions League draw star Giorgio Marchetti?

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      GIORGIO Marchetti is well known in the footballing world, with a career spanning decades.He has worked in the sport since the 1980s, but who is he?
      Giorgio Marchetti is known for drawing football teamsCredit: AFP
      Who is Giorgio Marchetti?
      Giorgio Marchetti is best known as the person who conducts the draws for the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League throughout the campaign.
      Before this job he has had quite the career in the footballing industry.
      The Italian started off as a sports manager in the football league.
      At the beginning of 2004, with the new management of Lars-Christer Olsson as general manager, he was called by the European confederation to be the marketing and commercial director.
      Read more on sport
      What does Giorgio Marchetti do at UEFA?
      Marchetti’s work at UEFA began in 2007 when he became director of all UEFA club and country competitions.
      In December 2016, he became Director of Sport and was promoted to the position of UEFA Deputy Secretary General.
      Due to being director of competitions he assisted in carrying out the draws for all UEFA competitions.
      He is recognised for conducting the draws for the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.
      Most read in Football
      Marchetti has earned quite a following from the job, with supporters often tweeting their support during the draw for each competition.
      Speaking to the Daily Star about his role at UEFA, Giorgio admitted that he feels pressure when he draws the teams for each competition.
      He explained: “You feel huge pressure when you are live to deliver something which catches such eager attention among worldwide football fans.
      “What I try to do is to avoid thinking about anything which is not what’s happening on stage and following our procedure correctly. That’s not always easy, at times I feel I would need some kind of zen technique…”
      Is Giorgio Marchetti married and does he have children?
      Yes, Marchetti is married and has children.
      He is married to Matilde and the pair have three children together, Andrea, Davide and Matteo.
      The family live in Nyon, which is the city where UEFA is based. More

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      Italy legend Leonardo Bonucci set for stunning transfer abroad as he returns to Champions League at 36

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      JUVENTUS icon Leonardo Bonucci is on the brink of a return to the Champions League with a shock new club.The Italian legend, 36, is set to join Bundesliga side Union Berlin, on their debut campaign in the competition.
      Italian legend Leonardo Bonucci is leaving Juventus to join Union BerlinCredit: Getty
      Fabrizio Romano says the defender will travel to the German capital today to complete a deal.
      In his prime, Bonucci was once the top centre-backs in world football, winning eight titles with Juventus while leading Italy to glory at Euro 2020.
      The veteran is now approaching the end of his glittering career.
      And Bonucci recently announced his intention to hang up his boots in 2024.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      However, the defender is ready for one last dance with Berlin before bowing out.
      He will join the Die Eisernen on a free transfer signing a one-year deal with an option for a further season to be decided.
      It will be the first time he has ever played outside of Italy.
      The Italian ace initially received interest from Premier League side Newcastle, the MLS and Saudi Arabia.
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      But Bonucci is eager to play at the highest level with Champions League football on the cards.
      A move for the Juventus star to the Bundesliga side is favourable as they are making their Champions League debut this season.
      The defender made his professional appearance back in 2006 with Inter Milan.
      Having been an integral part of the Bianconeri’s backline for over a decade Bonucci’s departure marks the end of an era.
      The centre-back joined Juventus in 2010, where, apart from the 2017-18 season with AC Milan, he has been ever since.
      He has made exactly 500 appearances for the club.
      However, the Champions League trophy has proved elusive, with Bonucci experiencing heartbreaking defeats in the final on two occasions.
      Bonucci’s transfer to Germany can potentially pave the way for him to grab the missing piece of silverware. More

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      Who is Champions League draw host Pedro Pinto?

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      THE UEFA Champions League draw is a yearly event which determines the group stages and subsequent games for the upcoming season.Pedro Pinto hosts the annual draw with UK sports journalist and broadcaster Reshmin Chowdhury.
      Pedro Pinto is a sports journalist and presenter who hosts the UEFA Champions League DrawCredit: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
      Who is Pedro Pinto?
      Pedro Pinto is a sports journalist and presenter. 
      He was born in Lisbon, Portugal, on January 28, 1975.
      Pinto moved to the US for college and graduated from the University of North Carolina with a degree in communications and marketing.
      Upon graduating Pinto began his career as a TV presenter, hosting programmes back in Portugal.
      Read More on UEFA
      He eventually landed a role as sports anchor and correspondent with CNN International, moving to Atlanta, Georgia.
      After a brief return to Portuguese television, Pinto took up another role with CNN, this time in London.
      In this job he interviewed major sports stars such as tennis legends Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, as well as football’s Sir Alex Ferguson and Pelé.
      Pinto is also a businessman.
      Most read in Football
      He is the founder and CEO of Empower Sports, a sports communications agency with offices in Lisbon, London and São Paulo.
      As of August 2023, Pinto lists his job as founder, CEO, and director of communications at Empower Sports, and broadcaster and executive producer at ELEVEN SPORTS HQ.
      Pinto is fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish and has a “good working knowledge” of French, according to his LinkedIn.
      What does Pedro Pinto do at UEFA?
      In 2013, Pinto left CNN for a second time, this time to take the job of Chief of Press at UEFA.
      The following year, he was named Chief of Communications and Media and in 2017 he became UEFA’S Managing Director of Communications.
      In this last role he served as an official spokesman for the organisation and oversaw editorial content on all UEFA digital and social media platforms.
      Although he left his Managing Director of Communications role in 2018, Pinto has stayed involved with UEFA and still hosts the Champions League draws.
      The 2023/24 UEFA Champions League group stage draw is scheduled to take place on Thursday, August 31, at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. More

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      Newcastle land Champions League group of death in horror draw with fans relieved it’s only rehearsal

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      NEWCASTLE found themselves in the group of death in the Champions League rehearsal draw. The Toon are making their return to Europe’s elite competition for the first time since the 2002/03 season.
      Newcastle got a tough draw in the Champions League rehearsalCredit: Reuters
      Eddie Howe’s side are set to be given tough games as they are in the lowest ranked pot four due to their lack of recent qualification.
      And in the rehearsal of the draw, Newcastle were reportedly put in a horror group alongside Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Red Star Belgrade.
      Fans are thankful it was only a practice run, one said: “Almost gave me a heart attack.”
      Another added: “If this was real we would be eliminated lol.”
      READ MORE NEWCASTLE NEWS
      But others were more positive and want the occasion of welcoming some of the world’s best sides to St James’ Park.
      One fan reacted: “I would be happy with that draw. Would be great to see us play big teams at home.”
      More supporters commented: “Why would we want an easy group? We’re in pot four so surely we want the better teams to give us something to look forward to?”
      Some even believed they could get the better of PSG, who have developed a reputation of failing to live up to the talent of their team in the Champions League.
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      The real draw is set to take place tonight at 5pm.
      Newcastle cannot draw Union Berlin, Lens, Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, Celtic, Young Boys and Antwerp as they are in pot four with them.
      They will face one of Sevilla, Barcelona, Napoli, Bayern Munich, PSG, Benfica and Feyenoord as they are in the top pot.
      Pot two contains Real Madrid, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, RB Leipzig, Porto and Arsenal.
      And pot three has Shakhtar Donetsk, RB Salzburg, AC Milan, Lazio, Red Star Belgrade, Braga, PSV and FC Copenhagen.
      Newcastle cannot draw any other English sides in the group. More

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      PSV 5 Rangers 1 (7-3 Agg) – Horror Goldson own goal caps humbling night in Eindhoven as Gers drop into Europa League

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      IN the city the locals refer to as Light Town Rangers kept switching off.That’s why this became a dark night in Eindhoven.
      Connor Goldson at full timeCredit: Willie Vass
      PSV Eindhoven’s Joey Veerman celebrates the winCredit: PA
      Rangers applaud fans at full time after what was a humbling resultCredit: Willie Vass
      It’s PSV who’ll get to shine in the Champions League this season after this dazzling win.
      The Dutch club got the revenge they were looking for from last season with two goals from Ismael Saibari as well as strikes from Luuk De Jong, Joey Veerman as well as an embarrassing OG from Connor Goldson.
      Rangers’ goal from James Tavernier gave their 2000 supporters a brief cause for celebration.
      All of two minutes.

      It was just all too much for Michael Beale’s side with their dire defending at key moments seeing their £20million dream of reaching the group stages disappear.
      The reality for Rangers right now is that the Europa League is their level as they now have to wait until Friday to see who they’ll be up against in that competition.
      No-one could fault the effort they put into reaching the Champions League for the second year running.
      It wasn’t like they settled for the Europa League which was always there waiting for them as a fall-back.
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      Not that any of that took away any of the disappointment of last night. As the final whistle could be heard some Rangers players fell to their knees, shattered in every way possible.
      The travelling fans, too, looked gutted by it all.
      Beale’s line-up would have raised eyebrows among those who journeyed to the Netherlands.
      Luuk de Jong of PSV Eindhoven celebrates his priceless goalCredit: Getty
      It was a humbling scoreline at the endCredit: Willie Vass
      Rabbi Matondo looked a cert to begin the night on the bench and be the manager’s back-up plan if and when he needed him.
      But no. Matondo started ahead of Abdallah Sima.
      Clearly the goalscoring impact the Wales international made as a substitute in the first-leg at Ibrox thrust him to the forefront of Beale’s mind. 
      It was a gamble worth taking with Sima hardly pulling up trees since his arrival.
      The other change to the team that kicked off at Ibrox was the inclusion of John Lundstram which came at the expense of Ryan Jack.
      Beale’s thinking there was that the Englishman’s ball-hunting ability would bring more to the team. But that wasn’t how it panned out.

      There were encouraging signs for Rangers initially. 
      But it wasn’t long before the home side were dominant.
      Rangers became far too slack in possession in the first-half and opportunities to hit PSV on the break were wasted with painfully poor final balls.
      The Dutch side had far more composure where it mattered.
      Johan Bakayoko was a major threat on the right, Noa Lang every bit as dangerous on the left.
      Ismael Saibari of PSV Eindhoven celebrates after scoring his team’s goal for 2-0Credit: Getty
      There were close calls before PSV took the lead.
      De Jong should have scored with a back post header after 20 minutes before Jack Butland saved with his legs to keep out a shot from Saibari.
      Rangers did have a glimpse of goal around that time but Cyriel Dessers used an arm to control a brilliant long ball from Connor Goldson and pulled his effort wide anyway.
      It was that kind of night for the big striker who continues to underwhelm in a light blue jersey.
      When it came to the opener Rangers really should have defended the situation better.
      But it came during a sustained period of pressure and when Joey Veerman clipped a cross into the six yard box from the bye-line big Saibari couldn’t miss.
      Could John Souttar have moved his feet quicker? Could Nico Raskin have blocked the attacker’s run? As it was, both players will probably feel they could have done more in that key moment.
      It has gone from bad to worse for Rangers! 😬Connor Goldson passes it back past the keeper into his own net giving PSV a 5-1 lead… 😳#UCL pic.twitter.com/OdryuWeP9T— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 30, 2023

      There were 34 minutes on the clock at that point and the half-time whistle couldn’t come quickly enough for Beale’s side.
      But PSV came back out after the break with exactly the same energy and will to win.
      And just eight minutes after the restart Rangers were trailing by two.
      This time skipper De Jong did superbly to fire a back-post cross back across goal for Saibari to score his second of the night with an easy tap-in.
      It felt like game over there and then.
      But in 64 minutes Tavernier breathed new hope into Rangers chances with a poacher’s goal after sub Sam Lammers delivered a good cross to the back post.
      Suddenly the dream was back on for Rangers.
      But within just two minutes PSV had restored their two goal lead with the defending from Rangers once again not good enough.
      From a free-kick De Jong got between Lammers and Tavernier to nod the ball past Kammers.

      Even then Rangers had chances to score again and again, Matondo having one effort blocked and another one rattle the post.
      But with 12 minutes to go PSV turned the screw with Veerman firing through a crowded penalty box to make it 4-1 on the night.
      It wasn’t over yet, though, with the worse goal yet to come.
      In 81 minutes Goldson scored a horrendous own goal when he over-hit a passback to Butland.

      The sight of the ex-England No1 chasing the ball and diving into the back of his own net was just cruel.
      By the time the final whistle came the chants from the home fans rubbed salt in the wounds of the Rangers players.
      And during PSV’s on the pitch celebrations there was some anger among the Rangers side with Todd Cantwell clearly raging with something that had been said or done.
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      But by then it was all over bar the shouting.
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      Champions League draw simulated with Man Utd handed group of death, Arsenal facing Barcelona test and two all-Brit ties

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      MANCHESTER UNITED and Arsenal were handed nightmare Champions League group stages by the SunSport simulator.The number-crunching machine projected the possible outcome of Thursday’s draw in Monaco.
      Manchester United could face a Champions League Group of DeathCredit: Getty
      Arsenal got pitted in a nightmare group in the supercomputer drawCredit: Getty
      The final six teams in the group stages will be decided by this week’s qualification play-offs.
      Rangers are hoping to see off PSV while Galatasaray and Copenhagen have high hopes of booking their place in the 2023-24 Champions League.
      As a result, the clubs in pots three and four are yet to be finalised.
      So SunSport filled the remaining six spots with the teams we think are likely to go through and entered all the teams into our electronic brain box.
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      And the outcome churned out was a brutal one for the English teams – especially United and Arsenal.
      Both in pot two, the Red Devils were pitted against Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich, seven-time winners AC Milan and Scottish giants Celtic in a staggering group of death in Group B.
      As for Mikel Arteta, he must prepare to try and qualify for the knockout stages despite facing boyhood club Barcelona following their fiery pre-season showdown, a blockbuster Battle of Britain with Rangers and a hostile trip to Turkey to take on Galatasaray.
      Holders Manchester City have a repeat of their memorable June final against Inter Milan as well as the seemingly-annual ties against Shakhtar Donetsk, plus Kieran Tierney’s Real Sociedad in Group F.
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      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST NO DEPOSIT CASINO OFFERS
      And it is a case of being thrown back in at the deep end as Newcastle make their Champions League return after 20 years.
      The Magpies have the small task of taking on heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain, 14-time winners Real Madrid with Jude Bellingham shining in midfield and Red Star Belgrade from Serbia in Group C.
      Elsewhere, Napoli and Porto headline Group A, with Sevilla and RB Leipzig set to battle it out for top spot in Group D.
      Lens will not fancy their chances in Group G with Feyenoord, Borussia Dortmund and Lazio.
      And Union Berlin may struggle to get anything out of Benfica, Atletico Madrid and Copenhagen in Group H.
      The real draw is set to get underway with the traditional rigmarole at 5pm on Thursday at the Grimaldi Forum.
      Fans can watch the action unfold for free on the Uefa website.
      The six group-stage matchdays will take place between September 19 and December 13 with TNT Sports holding the UK broadcast rights.
      The Europa League draw – featuring Liverpool, West Ham and Brighton – and the Europa Conference League draw with Aston Villa take place on Friday.
      Manchester City head into the 2023-24 campaign as holdersCredit: Getty
      Newcastle are back in the Champions League after 20 yearsCredit: Getty
      Jude Bellingham will be dreaming of European glory with Real MadridCredit: Getty
      Bayern Munich signed Harry Kane in the hope he can power them to the Champions LeagueCredit: AP
      Supercomputer Champions League 2023-24 Draw
      GROUP A
      Napoli, Porto, Red Bull Salzburg, Antwerp
      GROUP B
      Bayern Munich, MANCHESTER UNITED, AC Milan, Celtic
      GROUP C
      PSG, Real Madrid, Red Star Belgrade, NEWCASTLE
      GROUP D
      Sevilla, RB Leipzig, Braga, Young Boys
      GROUP E
      Barcelona, ARSENAL, Rangers, Galatasaray
      GROUP F
      MANCHESTER CITY, Inter Milan, Shakhtar Donetsk, Real Sociedad
      GROUP G
      Feyenoord, Borussia Dortmund, Lazio, Lens
      GROUP H
      Benfica, Atletico Madrid, Copenhagen, Union Berlin More