By DPA
Monaco : English Premier League leaders Chelsea were handed a tricky group in the UEFA Champions League football draw here.
Jose Mourinho’s side were drawn Thursday night to face Spanish side Valencia, who they beat in last season’s quarterfinal, Germans Schalke 04 and Rosenborg of Norway in Group B.
Defending champions AC Milan will be happy about being drawn in Group D against Scottish champions Celtic, Benfica and Shakhtar Donetsk.
Last year’s beaten finalists Liverpool take on 2004 winners FC Porto, Marseille and Turkish side Besiktas in Group A.
Two-time winners Barcelona face German champions VfB Stuttgart, French league winners Olympique Lyon and Scottish side Rangers in a very difficult looking Group E.
In Group F, Manchester United will be hoping there will be no repeat of last season’s crowd trouble when they play AS Roma. Sporting Lisbon and Dynamo Kiev complete the group.
United thumped 7-1 in a quarterfinal second-leg tie at Old Trafford last season.
Serie A champions Inter Milan look to have a manageable route to the next phase after being drawn against PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow and Fenerbahce in Group G. Arsenal, runners-up in 2006, will also feel they have nothing to fear from Sevilla or AEK Athens, Steaua Bucharest and Slavia Prague.
Real Madrid will also be satisfied after being pitted against inconsistent Werder Bremen, Lazio and Greek side Olympiakos in Group C.