Manchester United could face Barcelona, Bayern Munich, PSG or Juventus if they qualify for the Champions League group stage

Louis van Gaal's side likely have to play a qualifier first

Tom Sheen
Tuesday 19 May 2015 15:38 BST
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Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal (Getty Images)

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Manchester United have a tough test waiting for them in the Champions League group stage - if they make it past potential qualifier.

For next season Uefa have drastically changed the way teams across Europe are seeded, with the coefficient system still in place but only for teams in the second, third and fourth pots.

In 2015-16, the top eight seeds will go to teams who have won their domestic league and with all eight championships now decided, Louis van Gaal can get a good idea of who he will face in the competition.

In pot one are Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Chelsea, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, PSV Eindhoven and Zenit.

With the club in fourth place, two points below Arsenal having played a game more, they will likely finish in fourth, meaning they will have to play a qualifier.

That is yet to be drawn, but should they get through they have enough coefficient points to go into the second pot.

Teams from the same country cannot face each other in the group stage so that rules out Chelsea, whilst they will not have to face Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Porto or Real Madrid as they are also in pot two.

Pots three and four are still to be decided.

The group stage is scheduled to start on 15-16 September with the final game due to be played on 8-9 December.

Next year's final is at the San Siro in Milan on 28 May.

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