Manchester city and Norwegian forward Erling Haaland has been named the 2023 UEFA player of the year.
The 23 year-old lanky forward scored a total of 52 goals last season, 12 in the UEFA champions league, 36 in the English premier league, three fa cup goals and one in the carabao cup.
FIFA women’s world cup winner with Spain, Aitana Bonmati was named the UEFA women’s player of the year for her performance for both club and country.
The award ceremony which held side by side with the 2023/24 champions league draw in Monaco also saw Spanish coach pep Guardiola emerge as the best coach of the year while England lionesses coach, Sarina Weigman was named the women’s coach of the year.
Sarina dedicated her award to the women world cup champions, the Spanish women team whose heroics have been overshadowed by the unsolicited kiss of the country’s football federation president, Luis Rubiales on one of the players Jenni Hermoso during trophy presentation.
Meanwhile reigning UEFA champions league winners Manchester city will begin their title defence campaign in group g alongside Leipzig, red star Belgrade and young boys of Switzerland.
Group f which has five time champions, Ac Milan, Paris Saint German, Borussia Dortmund And Newcastle has been dubbed the group of death.
Group stage draw in full
Group A: Bayern Munich, MANCHESTER UNITED, FC Copenhagen, Galatasaray
Group B: Sevilla, ARSENAL, PSV Eindhoven, RC Lens
Group C: Napoli, Real Madrid, Braga, Union Berlin
Group D: Benfica, Inter Milan, Salzburg, Real Sociedad
Group E: Feyenoord, Atletico Madrid, Lazio, CELTIC
Group F: Paris St-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, NEWCASTLE
Group G: MANCHESTER CITY, RB Leipzig, Red Star Belgrade, Young Boys
Group H: Barcelona, Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Royal Antwerp
The group stages will run from 19 September to 13 December, with the final at Wembley on 1 June.
