Chris Davies: the Celtic assistant manager is pleased with the Champions League draw (pic: SNS Group). 

Celtic have been handed a mouth-watering Champions League draw with Brendan Rodgers’ side to face Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain and Anderlecht from Belgium in the group stages of this year’s competition.

Progress to the knockout phase will once again be a tough ask for the Parkhead outfit, though officials will be pleased to have avoided any lengthy journeys after overcoming Astana of Kazakhstan in the play-offs.

Reflecting on the draw made in Monaco, assistant manager Chris Davies said: “I think we’re happy with that. We’ve got two massive challenges there in Bayern and PSG.

“Anderlecht are a team we can look to exploit as well.”

The Germans are the top seeds in Group B, having won the competition five times, and the Glasgow side faced Bayern in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League back in 2003, when Anderlecht were also in the group.

PSG recently splashed out a world record fee of £200 million to bring Neymar to the French capital and Celtic will know all about the Brazilian having come up against him for Barcelona in last season’s tournament.

Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur were pitched into Group H alongside holders Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Cypriots Apoel.

Chelsea will face Atletico Madrid, Roma and Qarabag in Group C, and Manchester United take on Benfica, Basel and CSKA Moscow in Group A.

Manchester City are up against Shakhtar Donetsk, Napoli and Feyenoord in Group F, while Liverpool will meet Spartak Moscow, Sevilla and Maribor in Group E.

The group stages kick-off on 12-13 September.

GROUPS

Group A: Benfica, Manchester United, Basel, CSKA Moscow

Group B: Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain, Anderlecht, Celtic

Group C: Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Roma, Qarabag

Group D: Juventus, Barcelona, Olympiakos, Sporting

Group E: Spartak Moscow, Sevilla, Liverpool, Maribor

Group F: Shakhtar Donetsk, Manchester City, Napoli, Feyenoord

Group G: Monaco, Porto, Besiktas, RB Leipzig

Group H: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham, Apoel

DATES

Match day one: 12-13 September

Match day two: 26-27 September

Match day three: 17-18 October

Match day four: 31 October-1 November

Match day five: 21-22 November

Match day six: 5-6 December

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