FC Bayern against Robert Lewandowski's FC Barcelona, ​​Borussia Dortmund against Erling Haaland and Manchester City!

The draw for the group stage of the Champions League in Istanbul brought the German soccer champions and the runners-up explosive reunions in cracker groups.

RB Leipzig also has to face defending champions Real Madrid, newcomers Eintracht Frankfurt against Tottenham Hotspur and star striker Harry Kane.

And Bayer Leverkusen was given the extremely unpleasant task of Atlético Madrid, among other things.

Bayern boss Oliver Kahn smiled at the Barcelona draw for Group C in the Haliç Congress Center auditorium.

Lewandowski had left Munich for Barcelona after a change of theater in the summer, with Bayern the Pole had won everything there was to win.

“We used to joke around in the office beforehand.

Only football writes such stories,” said sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić.

“Barcelona have also strengthened.

It will be exciting games.”

"We have to be careful"

Bayern attacker Thomas Müller, who scored many goals for Lewandowski in eight years together in Munich, spoke of a “great story that we are about to meet FC Barcelona with Robert Lewandowski”.

For coach Julian Nagelsmann, "the story with Lewy is of course already prescribed".

Captain Manuel Neuer is looking forward to a challenging start in Europe's premier class: "Barcelona and Inter Milan - they will be highlights in the group phase.

Two great clubs, two great stadiums.”

Third Bayern opponent is outsider Viktoria Pilsen.

"We have to be careful, with Barcelona and Inter we have two teams that are really strong," said Salihamidzic.

“Of course we are favorites against Pilsen.

This is not an easy group.

Our boys have to give it their all.”

The BVB ticket had to be drawn into Man City Group G during the draw based on the regulations.

Haaland left Dortmund for Pep Guardiola's club in the summer for 75 million euros.

Other group opponents of the German club are FC Sevilla and FC Copenhagen.

"Manchester City is of course a board in the Champions League," said BVB captain Marco Reus.

"We're looking forward to it as much as to seeing Erling Haaland again."

In Group F, Leipzig also play in politically emotional games against the Ukrainian team Shakhtar Donetsk and Celtic Glasgow.

"We look forward to magical nights together with our fans," said RB boss Oliver Mintzlaff.

"Our goal is to spend the winter in Europe - preferably for the third time in the premier class, of course."

Leverkusen also have to play against FC Porto and Club Brugge.

"Atlético Madrid - that's always a special atmosphere," said Simon Rolfes, Bayer's sporting director.

"I myself played my last Champions League game in the old stadium in Madrid.

All teams have a different way of playing football.

That's why I'm looking forward to the games and believe that something is possible there."

The three German coaches Jürgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel and Roger Schmidt also have to solve difficult tasks.

Klopp meets Liverpool with Ajax Amsterdam, SSC Napoli and Glasgow Rangers, while Tuchel meets Chelsea with AC Milan, RB Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb.

As coach of Benfica, Schmidt has to deal with the star ensemble of Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus Turin and Maccabi Haifa.

Because of the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year, the entire preliminary round will be played until the beginning of November.

"We will need all the players in the squad this season, everyone in top condition because we have an extremely large number of games," said Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn.

The first group matchday is scheduled for September 6th and 7th, the last for November 1st and 2nd.

In the new year, the round of 16 games will follow in February and March, and the quarter-finals in April.

After the semi-finals until mid-May, the final will take place on June 10 – again in Istanbul.