Manchester United will discover their eight Champions League league phase opponents tonight, with Express Sport predicting a challenging draw that includes a trip to back-to-back winners Paris Saint-Germain and a home test against Inter Milan.
The revamped Champions League has replaced the traditional group stage with a single league table for the third consecutive season. Instead of playing three teams home and away, United will face eight different opponents, with four matches at Old Trafford and four away.
Predicted opponents and tough away tests
The three-time European Cup winners are in Pot 2. Express Sport's predicted draw begins with an away fixture in game-week one against PSG at the Parc des Princes. United have won both of their previous trips there in 2019 and 2020, but PSG have knocked out Arsenal, Liverpool twice, Aston Villa and Chelsea in the last two seasons, while also beating Tottenham in the league phase.
Next up is a home match against RB Leipzig, a team United have only played twice before. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side won 5-0 six years ago with a Marcus Rashford hat-trick but lost the reverse group stage fixture 3-2. Leipzig were absent from the Champions League last season and won only one of their eight league phase matches the season before.
United then travel to PSV, their first meeting in 11 years since being Group B opponents. Louis van Gaal's team lost 2-1 away and drew 0-0 at home then. PSV won the Eredivisie title last year and beat Liverpool 4-1 at Anfield last November.
Home fixtures and European pedigree
Real Betis, managed by former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, visit Old Trafford next. The squad includes Hector Bellerin, Isco and former United forward Antony. United eliminated Betis from the Europa League in 2023, with Antony scoring in a 4-1 victory.
A trip to Feyenoord follows, where United lost under Jose Mourinho in the Europa League a decade ago. Feyenoord finished second in the Dutch league last season, and 19-year-old Shaqueel van Persie, son of ex-United striker Robin van Persie, is a player to watch.
Inter Milan provide United's hardest home game in this predicted draw. Inter have recruited John Stones, Djed Spence and Curtis Jones from the Premier League this summer. United's last two home ties against Inter in 1999 and 2009 both ended 2-0 to the hosts, and United have never lost a competitive fixture to the Italian side.
Final fixtures and knockout hopes
United then face Czech champions Slavia Prague away in January, a potentially cold night in the Czech capital. It appears their easiest fixture on paper and could help secure a spot in at least the knockout play-offs.
The final predicted match is at home to Lens, who have lost manager Pierre Sage to Crystal Palace and midfielder Mamadou Sangare to Brentford. Lens beat PSG in the French Super Cup final after finishing six points behind the Ligue 1 champions, but playing at Old Trafford favours United.
Express Sport's predicted draw in full: PSG (A), RB Leipzig (H), PSV (A), Real Betis (H), Feyenoord (A), Inter Milan (H), Slavia Prague (A), Lens (H).
