Bayern Munich Players Discuss UEFA Champions League Draw: Paris Saint-Germain Like a Spouse, Delighted to Reunite with Flick

On the morning of August 30, the draw for the new season’s UEFA Champions League group stage was revealed. Bayern Munich has been grouped with Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Benfica, Shakhtar Donetsk, Dinamo Zagreb, Feyenoord, Slovan Bratislava, and Aston Villa. Bayern Munich will play home games against Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica, Dinamo Zagreb, and Slovan Bratislava, while the remaining matches will be away games.

The Bayern Munich players and executives have shared their thoughts on this group allocation.

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer stated: “The matches against these strong opponents will be incredibly exciting. However, we are confident about the new season and aim to directly advance to the Round of 16. We want to showcase our strength and secure victories against top-seeded teams, particularly Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Both teams have started well. We will meet Hansi Flick and his coaching staff again, which we are very much looking forward to, especially for the away game against Barcelona. Shakhtar Donetsk has been participating in the Champions League for many years, and this match will take place in Gelsenkirchen, which is essentially a home game for me, making it very special. Benfica is a very strong team that has consistently proven its ability to reach the knockout stages in recent years. We also have experience playing against Dinamo Zagreb. Slovan Bratislava will surely be excited after qualifying. The English players in our squad are particularly delighted to play in England against Aston Villa.”

Joshua Kimmich pointed out: “There are some teams we rarely face. Most importantly, I am looking forward to seeing Hansi Flick and Barcelona again, as well as playing against Paris. In my view, these two teams are among the strongest, though we cannot underestimate any other clubs. These matches could be very intense. Nonetheless, our goal must be to directly advance to the Round of 16. What could be better than playing in the final at the Allianz Arena in May 2025, on our own turf?”

Bayern Munich’s sports director Max Eberl said: “This is a very interesting and exciting new format that will keep us in suspense until the end. We are pleased to encounter former Bayern coach Hansi Flick at Barcelona. The home game against Paris Saint-Germain will be thrilling. Apart from never having faced Slovan Bratislava, we have good records against all the teams, although it’s worth noting Aston Villa, as we lost to them in 1982. So this will be a historic reunion, and we will give it our all for a better outcome.”

Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen commented: “We are satisfied with the draw. I just told Nasser Al-Khelaifi of Paris Saint-Germain that we are like a ‘couple’ in the Champions League because we always play each other. This will definitely be an exciting match. I am delighted that we will play at home. Personally, Aston Villa is a very attractive opponent. We last played them in a final 42 years ago. Our primary goal is the Bundesliga title, which is the most tangible championship. But we dream of playing in the Champions League final in Munich.”

Sports director Christoph Freund added: “Our opponents are evenly matched, with two absolutely top-tier teams, Paris and Barcelona. There are also very interesting away games, including Rotterdam and Aston Villa, both of which have passionate atmospheres. This is a very exciting new format for the Champions League. We look forward to the journey in the new season.”