Geneva (AFP)

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Paris SG avoided the Champions League 'death group' on Thursday, but not their 2019 nightmare Manchester United, as Marseille, against Manchester City, and Rennes, against Chelsea, inherited dense but open groups .

If the "Final 8" in Lisbon had offered Franco-German semi-finals in August, the draw for the pools for the 2020-2021 season, which begins on October 20, has rather reserved for French football an English autumn.

PSG-United, OM-City and Rennes-Chelsea will be the main posters for the three representatives of Ligue 1, who will attend as spectators at the real summit of this first round, Juventus-FC Barcelona, ​​shock of the Ballons d'Or putting grappling superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in Group G.

And there will even be a public in the stands: UEFA has authorized the immediate return of spectators to the stadiums with a limit of 30%, if the local authorities do not provide for stricter health instructions.

For PSG, who feared Barça and Inter, it is a lenient draw, but also noted, with also RB Leipzig and Istanbul Basaksehir.

"It's not an easy group, we will have to do very good things to pass," reacted the Parisian defender Marquinhos on RMC Sport.

The analysis of group H of PSG evokes the darkest hours as the most beautiful of its recent past.

- Revenge against United -

The last visit of the "Red Devils" of Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba, in March 2019, had thus sealed one of the worst humiliations in its history, with an elimination at home (3-1) in the round of 16 after winning the go (2-0).

Between Presnel Kimpembe, author of the hand that led to the penalty of elimination in stoppage time, Marcus Rashford, who converted him, or Neymar, author of insults targeting referees, the protagonists of 2019 are expected a year and a half later for an electric revenge.

"It's a team that is part of our path, and if players want to motivate themselves by taking this game as a rematch to have a good game, they can do it," said Marquinhos.

There will also be revenge in the air against Leipzig, a better memory for PSG: the Parisians had swept the Germans in the semi-final in Lisbon (3-0).

Finally, Istanbul Basaksehir is a novice in the competition, but the club, known for its proximity to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, won the last edition of the Turkish Championship.

The Istanbul team should also be able to benefit from part of its public boiling, under the announcements of UEFA.

The opening of the stands is also good news for Vélodrome supporters, especially as Marseille also has the right to a reunion with high emotional value.

The club, which had not played the C1 since 2013-2014, fell on FC Porto, the heart team of its coach André Villas-Boas, Manchester City, of its former defender Benjamin Mendy very attached to the OM, and Olympiakos, where his ex-playmaker Mathieu Valbuena plays.

- "steal points" -

“Marseille and I are linked for life!” Wrote the midfielder on Twitter, who passed through La Canebière between 2006 and 2014 but remained on bad terms with some Marseille ultras.

Behind the "Citizens" of Pep Guardiola, who is seeking the European coronation, the path seems playable against the champions of Portugal and Greece.

Rennes, for its first participation, also feared the worst.

After the draw, the Bretons keep the impression that the door of the 8th is not completely closed.

Stade Rennais has inherited one of the most affordable seeds, Europa League winners Sevilla FC, as well as another novice, the Russians from Krasnodar.

Chelsea is, on paper, its most solid opponent, especially as the "Blues" managed a full transfer window, recruiting striker Timo Werner, former PSG captain Thiago Silva ... as well as the former - Rennes keeper Edouard Mendy.

"All the teams imagine taking six points against us. It's up to us to try to steal as many as possible," replied coach Julien Stéphan, at the microphone of RMC Sport.

© 2020 AFP