Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Omar Berrada may not have said a word when Manchester United’s Champions League opponents were revealed, but their faces appeared to tell a story of their own.The United co-owner and chief executive were both in Monaco for Thursday’s league phase draw, where Michael Carrick’s side discovered a demanding set of fixtures for their return to Europe’s elite competition. Cameras quickly picked up the pair’s reaction as the draw unfolded, with Ratcliffe raising his eyebrows and Berrada appearing similarly serious, prompting plenty of amusement from United supporters online.The reactions quickly made their way around social media, with one fan writing, “They look stressed,” while another joked, “When you realise your team is not prepared for the Champions League.”A third supporter focused on United’s defensive options, writing, “Ratcliffe and Berrada looking worried about the Shaw/Amass rotation against the big boys,” while another added, “Omar Berrada already thinking of Olise vs Luke Shaw.” A fifth simply concluded: “Omar Berrada looked really worried when he saw our draw.”Whether the expressions actually reflected concern or were simply the natural reaction to a difficult draw, United certainly have some major European nights ahead.
Bayern Munich , Atletico Madrid and Roma await United
United will begin their Champions League campaign at Old Trafford against Bayern Munich, bringing another meeting with the German giants to Manchester three years after their last encounter, when Bayern came out on top.The home schedule also includes Roma, RB Leipzig and Sabah, while United will travel to face Atletico Madrid, Sporting CP, Villarreal and Como.Their full league-phase fixture list is:
- Bayern Munich — home
- Atletico Madrid — away
- Roma — home
- Sporting CP — away
- RB Leipzig — home
- Villarreal — away
- Sabah — home
- Como — away
United earned their Champions League return by finishing third in the Premier League last season, a major turnaround after their disastrous 15th-place finish in 2024-25.Their previous appearance in the competition came in 2023-24, when Erik ten Hag’s side finished bottom of their group after taking only one victory, against Copenhagen. They drew once and lost their other four matches, leaving them with a disappointing early exit.This time, the format is different. United need to finish in the top eight of the 36-team league phase to go directly through to the last 16. Teams finishing ninth through 24th will enter the knockout phase play-offs, while those finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated.
Berrada is looking forward to Bayern
While Ratcliffe and Berrada’s expressions provided the entertainment, Berrada’s actual assessment of the draw was considerably more positive.Asked about United’s return to the Champions League, the chief executive told reporters: “We’re very excited.”“This is a competition that we think we need to be playing in every season. We have some fantastic opponents.”Berrada also pointed to Old Trafford’s history in the competition and expressed hope that United can give supporters another memorable European campaign.“Old Trafford has been the home of some great moments in this competition, so hopefully we’ll create new memories for our fans.”When asked which fixture he was particularly looking forward to, Berrada immediately picked the visit of Bayern Munich.“I think Bayern Munich at home.”“Obviously, the 1999 final was iconic in the history of the club. But we’re looking forward to playing against all these great opponents, at home and away. And as I said, hopefully we’ll create some really good memories for our fans.”Berrada also stressed that United’s ambitions extend beyond simply making up the numbers in the competition, with the club targeting a deep run and ultimately aiming to win the Champions League.
Sabah’s remarkable route into the Champions League
One of United’s less familiar opponents will be Sabah, the Azerbaijan Premier League champions who will make their debut in the Champions League league phase.The club did not even exist nine years ago, making its arrival in Europe’s premier competition particularly remarkable, but its qualification was anything but straightforward.Sabah appeared to be heading out during their play-off tie against Israeli side Hapoel. After losing the first leg 1-0, they found themselves 2-1 down in the second leg with only 20 minutes remaining.Then the game completely turned on its head.Umarali Rakhmonaliev pulled one back late on before Tellur Mutallimov struck again to force extra time. Hapoel were subsequently reduced to nine players, allowing Sabah to take control and finish the job.They eventually won 5-2 on the night and 6-4 on aggregate, completing an extraordinary turnaround and booking their place in the Champions League league phase.That means Sabah will now travel to Old Trafford, while United will have the chance to test themselves against some of Europe’s biggest clubs at the same time. For Berrada, at least, there is no shortage of excitement; for the supporters watching their executives’ reactions to the draw, there is also a rather entertaining reminder that the Champions League is not going to give United an easy ride.