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5 reunions in the Champions League group stage

Jason Cairnduff / Reuters

The UEFA Champions League groups are now sorted and there were a few interesting matchups featuring familiar faces returning to old stomping grounds. Here are five reunions to look forward to in the group stage.

Angel Di Maria and Real Madrid

Angel Di Maria may be a Paris Saint-Germain player this season, but he'll be on the field at the Santiago Bernabeu once more as his new club takes on one of his former teams in Real Madrid.

The reunion will pose this question to Di Maria: What would have happened if he had stayed? His departure from the Spanish capital saw the Argentine international join Manchester United, where he endured a rough 2014-15 Premier League campaign.

His transfer away one year later now has him in France, but Di Maria will certainly receive a positive reception when these two teams face off on Nov. 3 in Madrid.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Malmo

One day before the draw, PSG forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic tweeted out a simple wish:

Malmo holds a special place in Ibrahimovic's heart. He played for the Swedish club as a child, coming up its youth ranks before joining the senior team in 1999. He returns home on Sept. 30 to make his dream a reality.

"I have experienced a lot during my football career and this will be one of those moments too," Ibrahimovic wrote on Instagram. "It's a dream to play the Champions League in Malmo. Too bad that all of Malmo won't fit in the stadium but I guarantee that the stadium will be heard all over Malmo. I'm on my way."

Memphis Depay and PSV Eindhoven

The best reunions are the ones not long awaited, and for Manchester United newcomer Memphis Depay, a return to PSV Eindhoven certainly came sooner than later.

Already, Memphis is celebrating the occasion, taking to social media to express his excitement about a return to the Philips Stadion in the Netherlands.

Memphis joined United out of PSV this summer and will return to his old stomping grounds on Sept. 15, three short months after leaving.

Luis Enrique and Roma

When Barcelona takes on AS Roma on Sept. 16, an old question will be brought up once again: What happened between former Roma and current Barca manager Luis Enrique?

Enrique took over as Roma manager back in 2011 but departed the club at the end of his first season. To this day, it's not quite clear what prompted the decision. There's no bad blood between him and the team, it seems, but he ended his tenure feeling exhausted.

"I'm leaving because I feel very tired and drained," Enrique said, upon resigning his post. "I've given everything this season. I don't think I'll be able to recover my energy over the summer, not the energy needed to motivate a group."

Will Enrique return to Roma feeling up for the events of the day, or will the Italian capital once again drain him of his motivation?

Jose Mourinho and FC Porto

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is returning to where it all began.

His side was drawn with FC Porto, the Portuguese team that helped make Mourinho who he is today. Mourinho guided Porto to a Champions League victory in 2004, defeating AS Monaco 3-0 in the final.

His return to the Estadio Do Dragao alone will draw plenty of attention, but Mourinho will also be reunited with former Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas. The two famously clashed in the Spanish capital, with Mourinho bringing in replacement goalkeeper Diego Lopez in order to bench Casillas.

It'll be interesting to see how Mourinho and Casillas react if and when they see each other on Sept. 29 in Portugal. Will they shake hands? Ignore each other? Smile for the cameras? You can smell the drama cooking already!

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