FLETCHER PREDICTS RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

Fletcher - respects Russians.

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher has warned Europe's Champions League hopefuls: The Russians are coming.

United will learn the first opponents of their Champions League defence on Thursday when the finest clubs on the continent gather for the group stage draw in Monaco.

Although AC Milan are absent, Bayern Munich return. And with Juventus leading a four-strong Italian challenge and Barcelona and Real Madrid taking up their customary places from Spain, familiar opposition seems guaranteed at some stage of the competition for the English quartet.

However, all four could also face UEFA Cup winners Zenit St Petersburg, who square up to the Red Devils in Super Cup combat on Friday night.

And having seen them dispose of Rangers at the City of Manchester Stadium last season, Fletcher feels there is more to come from Dick Advocaat's side.

"Zenit St Petersburg will fancy themselves to do really well in the Champions League this season," said Fletcher.

"They beat some top teams in the UEFA Cup last season so they are no mugs.

"There is also a lot of money in the Russian game. There are plenty of Brazilian players over there and people generally don't realise how strong a league it is.

"A lot of teams struggle when they go out to Russia, so that gives them a big advantage as well."

While familiar names pack the top two pots, United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal will be wary of what lies beneath.

Celtic are in pot three along with Zenit, Steaua Bucharest and Panathinaikos, raising the prospect of draining away trips, a factor United in particular will be aware of given their every Champions League group match is followed by an away game in the Premier League.

And apart from even more lengthy journeys, including two to the Ukraine, pot four contains some Champions League new-boys.

Cluj bolster the Romanian challenge, BATE Borisov are one to avoid, if only because it involves a trip to Belarus, while United would not have expected to return to Cyprus after playing Maccabi Haifa on the island in 2002, yet that is exactly what might happen after Famagusta made it through.

"It would be good for European football as a whole if teams from more countries were competitive in the Champions League," admitted Fletcher.

"Porto came from nowhere to win it a few years back and there are good leagues throughout Europe that are getting stronger all the time.

"There are a number of teams who could win it and it would be no surprise if they did."

Equally, it would be no surprise if England maintained their domination of the tournament.

UEFA president Michel Platini has already expressed his concern that three of the semi-finalists from the past two seasons have come from the Premier League, and United - looking to become the first club to win back-to-back Champions League trophies - are certainly in no mood to relinquish their crown.

"If you cannot enjoy the Champions League, what can you enjoy?" said Fletcher.

"The draw is always an exciting time. You look forward to seeing who you are playing, whether it is a new challenge and how far you are travelling.

"It is the top club competition in the world but if we can show our form from last year and learn from the experiences it should stand us in good stead this season."