Champions League Draw Controversy As Manchester United Appeared To Be Placed In Wrong Pot

Champions League Draw Controversy As Manchester United Appeared To Be Placed In Wrong Pot.
for an on-pitch reunion between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

What's more, it appears as though United were not put in the bowl to draw Atletico Madrid despite there being no permutations preventing them.

And the events prompted reactions aplenty on social media, with some calling for the draw to be redone.

According to Miguel Delaney of the Independent, it's looking as though the draw will be allowed to stand. The word 'Rigged' was trending on Twitter' following on from the draw.

It remains to be seen whether the clubs involved complain about the situation.

Mass panic ensued, the ball was taken away and the draw moved on. Villarreal were then drawn against United's rivals Manchester City, before the Red Devils were paired with Paris Saint-Germain for an on-pitch reunion between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.that were massively confusing for viewers watching.

Rules stipulate that the two sides could not face one another as they had already competed in the same group, with United finishing top and Villarreal coming second.

There was huge controversy in the Champions League round of 16 draw this morning as Manchester United appeared to be placed in the wrong pot.

Villarreal's name was drawn and then former Arsenal star Andrey Arshavin picked out United's ball in scenes that were massively confusing for viewers watching.

Champions League Draw Controversy As Manchester United Appeared To Be Placed In Wrong PotChampions League Draw Controversy As Manchester United Appeared To Be Placed In Wrong Pot
However, UEFA chief Giorgio Marchetti was forced to intervene midway through the draw after United were pitted against Villarreal. Teams that have faced each other in the group stage are not permitted to face one another in the last-16, and there was much dismay when Arshavin plucked United out of the pot after Marchetti had picked out Villarreal.

'No, this is not possible because Manchester United was in the group so we need to draw another one,' Marchetti said. 'Manchester United played in the same group as Villarreal so they must be paired with another team.'

Arshavin then selected United's arch rivals Manchester City as the side to take on Unai Emery's Europa League winners early next year

Michael Heselschwerdt, UEFA's Head of Club Competitions, was tasked with providing the correct balls for Arshavin to draw, and it was his error in including United in the pot.

Following this, Heselschwerdt also accidentally omitted United from the pot to face Atletico Madrid - who were drawn against Bayern Munich. Liverpool faced Atletico in the group stage and were also incorrectly included.

The Red Devils were subsequently drawn against French giants Paris Saint-Germain, in a tantalising clash that will see Cristiano Ronaldo go up against Lionel Messi, although there is uncertainty as to whether the draw will stand now.

According to ESPN, Atletico have sought clarification from UEFA regarding the circumstances surrounding the draw and have asked why United were not included in their pot. A decision on a re-draw is expected within the hour

The draw for the next round took place in Nyon, Switzerland on Monday where former Arsenal star Andriy Arshavin was tasked with drawing the remaining 16 teams from the potWill the bungled Champions League draw be ALLOWED to stand? Man United are pulled out TWICE - and excluded from the possible opponents for Atletico Madrid - and now it may need to be re-drawnThe Champions League last-16 draw descended into chaos on Monday after Manchester United were accidentally drawn against group rivals Villarreal, and omitted from being drawn against Atletico Madrid.

United qualified for the knockout stage of this competition after finish top of Group F which contained Villarreal, Young Boys and Atalanta
Fans convinced Champions League last 16 draw is FIXED as Man Utd denied chance to play Atletico and end up with PSGUEFA’S Champions League draw descended into farce after TWO massive balls-up that left Manchester United facing PSG in the last 16.

In an almighty mess that left Uefa officials red-faced by their own mistakes, United left with Mauricio Pochettino’s team as their only possible opponents because of a spectacular double-blunder

United were the first of the four English sides to be picked out of the hat when they were paired with Villarreal.

That came after Uefa deputy general secretary Giorgio Marchetti told competitions chief Michael Heselschwert, in charge of putting the right balls in the pot: “Again from Spain, so they can be paired against all the other seven teams in the draw."

But that went against competition rules that prevent sides playing group opponents in the last 16.

Marchetti, realising the error, then intervened: “This is not possible because Manchester United were in the group.

We need to draw another one. Manchester United