PSG, Barcelona and a Rashford reunion: Man United's worst possible Champions League draw

Manchester United will learn their Champions League fate on Thursday when the draw for this season’s league phase takes place at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland — and one particular combination of opponents would make for a genuinely daunting return to Europe’s top table.

United have been absent from the competition since December 2023, with Michael Carrick having guided the club back to the continent’s premier stage in his first full season in the Old Trafford hot seat. The league phase format pits each side against two teams from each of four seeding pots, and for United, the nightmare scenario is already taking shape.

PSG (Pot 1)

The hardest possible Pot 1 draw would be Paris Saint-Germain, the back-to-back European champions who continue to evolve under Luis Enrique. United and PSG share an even head-to-head record of two wins apiece, but the most recent meeting — a 3-1 defeat for United in December 2020 — came before PSG’s most recent period of continental dominance. The French side have made significant strides since then and would represent a markedly different challenge today.

Barcelona (Pot 1)

A draw against Barcelona would also carry a subplot: Marcus Rashford, who spent the second half of last season on loan at the Nou Camp, could face his parent club in European competition. Hansi Flick’s side opened their La Liga campaign with a 5-0 win at Elche, and the arrival of Manchester City’s Rodri adds another layer of quality to a squad already brimming with talent. United’s record against Barcelona makes for uncomfortable reading — four wins, six defeats and five draws across 15 meetings, with their sole recent success a 3-1 Europa League victory in 2023.

Borussia Dortmund (Pot 2)

Pot 2 presents its own dangers, with Borussia Dortmund standing out as the most formidable threat. United have not faced the Black and Yellows since April 1997 and lost both of their previous Champions League encounters with the German club. Dortmund finished as Bundesliga runners-up last season and have been active in the transfer market this summer, with Konstantinos Karetsas and Joane Gadou catching the eye after both scored in a pre-season win against Arsenal.

Porto (Pot 2)

Porto round out the worst-case scenario from Pot 2, adding further weight to what would be a formidable group of opponents for a side still finding its feet back at the highest level of European football.

Carrick’s United will be hoping the draw is considerably kinder when the balls are pulled from the pots in Nyon on Thursday.