Manchester United’s UEFA Champions League kick-off is just two weeks away as the Reds will travel to Germany to face Bayern Munich in our Group A opener.
Erik ten Hag’s team will tackle one of his former clubs at the Allianz Arena, with the Bundesliga champions including spectacular striker signing Harry Kane in their ranks, in what should be an entertaining start to our latest European adventure.
The game is a repeat of the opening away Champions League group fixture of the most thrilling season in United’s entire history.
Back in September 1998, we had our first competitive meeting with Bayern after also being placed in a group containing Barcelona and Brondby. We’d opened up with an entertaining 3-3 draw with Barcelona at Old Trafford, after having to knock out Polish side LKS Lodz to reach that stage.
The Reds also have a Danish side in our pool this time around, with Rasmus Hojlund’s former club FC Copenhagen joining Galatasaray in Group A.
Giovane Elber handed the Germans an early lead but Dwight Yorke levelled on the half-hour mark. Paul Scholes showed persistence to edge Alex Ferguson’s team in front soon after the break, only for Brazilian forward Elber to snatch an injury-time equaliser, pouncing on a rare mistake by Peter Schmeichel, when the keeper misjudged a long throw-in by Bixente Lizarazu.
It is worth pointing out that, like in 2023, we also finished that stage of the competition in 1998 with a home clash against Bayern, drawing 1-1, as Roy Keane’s goal ensured both sides qualified at the expense of Barcelona.
The Catalans would only provide the venue for the final later that season, won dramatically by those never-to-be-forgotten late strikes by Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as we completed the Treble.
The appearance of England skipper Kane in Thomas Tuchel’s side will gain a lot of focus in the lead-up to the game in a fortnight’s time as this will represent his European bow for his new club.
Our last meeting with Bayern ended in elimination from the Champions League when the hosts won 3-1 in 2014, despite a thunderbolt of an opener by full-back Patrice Evra.
We await what will happen in Ten Hag’s first match in the competition as Reds boss, as we look to progress from a tough group and create more special memories from the last time the Champions League will have this format ahead of next year’s changes.
So remember the date - Wednesday 20 September, with a 20:00 BST kick-off.
