Group A analysis: Benfica, Man. United, Basel, CSKA Moskva
Thursday, August 24, 2017
Article summary
Manchester United have fond memories of ties against Benfica and CSKA Moskva – less so Basel, who knocked out the Red Devils at this stage six years ago.
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Who's in Group A?
Benfica (POR)
• UEFA coefficient ranking: 9
• How they qualified: first in Portuguese Liga
• Previous group stage campaigns: 12 (last appearance: 2016/17)
• Last season: UEFA Champions League round of 16
• Best European Cup performance: winners x 2 (1960/61, 1961/62)
Manchester United (ENG)
• UEFA coefficient ranking: 15
• How they qualified: UEFA Europa League winners
• Previous group stage campaigns: 20 (last appearance: 2015/16)
• Last season: UEFA Europa League winners
• Best European Cup performance: winners x 3 (1967/68, 1998/99, 2007/08)
Basel (SUI)
• UEFA coefficient ranking: 22
• How they qualified: first in Swiss Super League
• Previous group stage campaigns: 7 (last appearance: 2016/17)
• Last season: UEFA Champions League group stage
• Best European Cup performance: quarter-finals (1973/74)
CSKA Moskva (RUS)
• UEFA coefficient ranking: 52
• How they qualified: second in Russian Premier-Liga, play-off winners
• Previous group stage campaigns: 10 (last appearance: 2016/17)
• Last season: UEFA Champions League group stage
• Best European Cup performance: quarter-finals (2009/10)
Matchday one fixtures (Tuesday 12 September)
Benfica v CSKA Moskva
Manchester United v Basel
Key facts
• Manchester United became the first English club to win the European Cup with a 4-1 extra-time victory against Benfica in the 1968 final at Wembley, Bobby Charlton scoring twice. United have won six of their nine fixtures against Benfica, losing just once.
• CSKA beat Benfica 3-1 on aggregate in the round of 32 during their victorious 2004/05 UEFA Cup campaign.
• This will be the third time United and CSKA have been in the same UEFA Champions League group, after 2009/10 and 2015/16. United won two of those games, the other two ending all square.
• United's 2011/12 UEFA Champions League campaign was ended by Basel, who beat the Manchester club 2-1 in Switzerland on matchday six to progress at their expense.