Manchester United prepares for Champions League opener against Sabah at Old Trafford

Manchester United returns to the Champions League stage on September 10 with a home match against Azerbaijani debutants Sabah at Old Trafford. Manager Carrick described the tournament as a magical competition and expressed optimism regarding his side's ability to compete with European rivals. The club aims to move past recent group stage exits and improve upon a record that has seen no advancement beyond the quarter-finals since 2011. This season marks the team's first appearance in the tournament's new eight-fixture league phase. Carrick emphasized the goal of establishing consistent results to progress deep into the competition throughout the campaign. The squad will enter the match focused on starting the tournament with a strong performance.

• 1:50 PMYahoo Sports — Carrick hails ‘magical’ Champions League as Man United return to Europe's big stage