FCBARCELONA.CAT

27.08.2009 18:54

Barça draw Inter, Kiev and Rubin Kazan in group stage

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FC Barcelona will face Inter, Kiev and Rubin Kazan in the group stage of this season’s Champions League. Things will start with a bang with a match against Eto'o and Mourinho’s Inter side on 16th September.

FC Barcelona, the team with the highest UEFA coefficient, have been drawn in the only group to feature four champions of their respective domestic leagues.

The main attraction

The main attraction of the group are the matches between Barça and Inter Milan, which will bring back to the Camp Nou the recently transferred Samuel Eto'o, who spent five seasons at the Club, and José Mourinho, who worked with Guardiola when he was a member of the coaching staff. It will also see the return of former Barça player Thiago Motta. Another familiar face is Diego Milito, brother of Gaby.

At the same time it will see the return to their former stadium of Maxwell and Ibrahimovic.

Some long journeys

In addition to Inter, Barça have been drawn against the champions of the Russian and the Ukrainian leagues. Apart from the footballing qualities of the two sides, the distances involved will be an added problem for the Barça players. Dynamo Kiev is well known to the Barça fans but Rubin Kazan have never played Barça. The four teams make up the only group to include four league champions.