Who can United meet in the Champions League?

The wait is almost over to discover who Manchester United’s opponents will be in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. Here's everything you need to know...

WHEN IS THE DRAW?
The group-stage draw will take place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Thursday 30 August from 17:00 BST.

HOW IS THE DRAW CONDUCTED?
Thirty-two clubs have reached the group stage, including six winners of two-legged play-off ties, and will be split into four pots, each consisting of eight teams. Holders Real Madrid and Europa League winners Atletico Madrid are in Pot 1, as well as the champions of the six highest-ranked nations. Pots 2 to 4 are determined by the club’s coefficient rankings within UEFA.

WHICH POT ARE WE IN?
United will be in Pot 2 for the draw, alongside Borussia Dortmund, FC Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Napoli, Tottenham Hotspur and AS Roma. We therefore cannot face any of those teams in the group stage, nor can we play against Liverpool or Manchester City as teams from the same country must be kept apart.

WHO COULD WE BE DRAWN AGAINST?
The highest-ranked opponents Jose Mourinho’s men could be pitted against are Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Paris St-Germain, Lokomotiv Moscow, who are all in Pot 1.

The other teams who could be in United's group include:

Pot 3: Schalke, Lyon, Monaco, CSKA Moscow, Ajax
Pot 4: Club Brugge, Galatasaray, Young Boys, Inter Milan, Hoffenheim, AEK Athens
Pot to be determined: Valencia, Viktoria Plzen

Still to be added to that list of potential opponents for United are the winners of three play-off ties to be concluded on Wednesday night.

PSV Eindhoven take a 3-2 lead into their second leg at home to BATE Borisov, Red Bull Salzburg welcome Red Star Belgrade after a goalless first-leg draw, while PAOK Salonika host Benfica with a crucial away goal in their tie following a 1-1 draw last week.

COULD WE FACE NEW OPPONENTS?
Of the teams who have definitely qualified for the group stage, there are four teams that the Reds could come up against for the first time in Europe. German club Hoffenheim have qualified for the Champions League group stage for the first time in their history, by virtue of finishing third in the Bundesliga last term. This will also be a maiden experience for Swiss outfit Young Boys, who have previously faced Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham in European competition. AEK Athens are the most successful Greek team in Europe, with their most memorable achievement being their run to the 1976/77 UEFA Cup semi-finals. They have qualified for the Champions League group stage for the first time since 2006/07. Viktoria Plzeň of the Czech Republic have reached the last 32 for the third time, having made their debut at this level in 2011/12.

WHO DID WE PLAY AGAINST LAST SEASON?
Jose Mourinho's men took on Swiss club Basel, Russian outfit CSKA Moscow and Portuguese giants Benfica in the group stage last term on our return to the Champions League. The Reds won five of the six Group A games to reach the knockout stage but were then eliminated by Spanish side Sevilla in the last 16, after a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford in the second leg.

ARE WE IN THE UEFA YOUTH LEAGUE THIS SEASON?
Yes, and Thursday's draw will also establish the groups for that competition, in which the United Academy will field an Under-19 team.

WHEN WILL THE FIXTURES BE PLAYED?
The first Champions League group-stage games will take place on 18 and 19 September, which is sandwiched in between United’s Premier League fixtures away at Watford and at home to Wolves. Here’s the full group-stage schedule for your diary:

18/19 September: Matchday one
2/3 October: Matchday two
23/24 October: Matchday three
6/7 November: Matchday four
27/28 November: Matchday five
11/12 December: Matchday six

IS IT TRUE THERE WILL BE DIFFERENT KICK-OFF TIMES?
Yes, most group-stage games will start at 20:00 BST this season, instead of 19:45. Also, four matches per week will kick off at 17:55 BST - two on a Tuesday and two on a Wednesday.