Berlin(Germany), August 27: Despite their club's underdog role, fans of RB Leipzig might joyfully prepare for some stunning football parties in the Champions League.
The Germans assumedly won't be among the ones proceeding to the knock-out stage but slipped into the fascinating group A of the 2021/2022 campaign.
Coach Jesse Marsch's team is facing Lionel Messi and Paris St. Germain and reigning Premier League Champion Manchester City with coach Pep Guardiola aside from Bruges.
While Leipzig's realistic goal can only be the third group place, entitling for the Euro League, reigning German Champion Bayern Munich, German Cup-winner Borussia Dortmund, and the VfL Wolfsburg can be optimistic to survive their groups.
And more, the draw is providing the chance for German football to prove its international resilience despite the enormous investments made by other European leagues such as the Premier League, La Liga, the Ligue 1, and the Serie A.
Despite declining revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic English clubs spent more than a billion Euros. The German league is the only top European league earning a transfer plus this summer.
The Bundesliga's reasonable spending policy might go at the cost of international success and reputation, but is securing the clubs' financial stability. Bayern remains the only club assumed to have chances to reach the last four.
Leipzig might not only be facing Messi but could well meet Cristiano Ronaldo. According to English media reports Juve's Portuguese star is in advanced negotiations with the Citizens.
Expectations for Bayern's new coach Julian Nagelsmann don't go too far to talking of a piece of cake when meeting wavering Spanish giant FC Barcelona aside from Benfica and Dynamo Kyiv.
"We face a Barcelona without Messi. It will be a new Barca, but still a squad full of top-class players. We want to finish the group as first despite some challenging issues ahead," Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic said.
For Dortmund, the group's favorite role is within reach when crossing swords with Sporting, Ajax, and Besiktas. The Black and Yellow star striker Erling Haaland was awarded UEFA Champions League Forward of the year for the 2020-21 season. The Norwegian striker scored ten goals in eight games.
Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke spoke about "good chances for us" to proceed to the last-16 facing a group with no favorite. "We can't complain considering the big number of very strong clubs in the draw," Watzke added.
Even Germany's team with less international experience, Wolfsburg, finds itself in a promising situation in advance of duels against French Champion Lille, Spanish side FC Sevilla and Austrian participant RB Salzburg.
"It's a hard nut to crack. City and Paris reached the semi-final and the final last season. But, believe it or not, we intend to get through to the knock-out stage for the third consecutive time," Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff stated.
"We have proved we can compete with Europe' top sides with our performance last year," the Leipzig official said.
Source: Xinhua