Why the 22/23 Champions League season should be tagged the "homecoming"

The 2022/2023 UEFA Champions League season is set for takeoff after the draw was held on Thursday evening.

Group C has emerged as the centre of attraction after two giants FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich were paired together again.

Italian giant Inter Milan also finds itself in Group C, unfortunately, and will have to battle hard against those two B-clubs.

Elsewhere, Group H also presents an interesting clash between the moneybags from France, Paris Saint-Germain, and Italian Old Lady, Juventus.

However, this piece is about the top four players who will return to clubs that they once called home, including Nigeria's very own Calvin Bassey.

The Super Eagles defender recently swapped the Ibrox for the Johan Cruijff Arena following a record-breaking move to Eredivisie champions, Ajax Amsterdam.

Now, Bassey is set to face his former club, Rangers, who returned to the Champions League after 12 years.

The Gers defeated another Dutch side PSV Eindhoven 3-2 on aggregate to make it to the group stages.

Surely, the 22-year-old Bassey, who was named young player of the year at Rangers, can't wait to face the team that gave him his breakthrough.

Lewandowski ended his eight-year romance with the Bavarians this summer when he demanded a move away from the Allianz Arena.

The 33-year-old wanted no other club but La Liga giant, Barcelona, who paid £50 million to get him on a four-year contract.

Now, the Polish International will return to the ground where he played 375 times and scored 344 goals.

After 119 games and 39 goals, Olivier Giroud left Stamford Bridge for San Siro to join then struggling AC Milan in the summer of 2021.

For three years with the Blues, the Frenchman was successful as a fan favourite. However, he joined the Rossoneri and has gone on to help the Italian end their long wait for a League title.

Back in the Champions League, the 35-year-old will be looking to help Milan overcome his former club in Group E with whom he also lifted the Champions League title.

It will be fun to watch the Manchester City star score against Borussia Dortmund and celebrate in Signal Iduna Park.

Erling Haaland was a goal machine at Dortmund, whom he represented for two years, scoring 86 goals in 89 matches.

The 22-year-old, who left in the summer, will return to the German side this season when his new club take on the Yellow and Blacks in the Champions League.

Other notable names set for an interesting homecoming this season in the Champions League include;

Angel Di Maria, who left PSG for Juventus as a free agent. He will return to the Parc de Prince.

British-born Nigerian defender, Fikayo Tomori will be looking to impress against former club Chelsea when he visits Stamford Bridge with Milan.

Still at Chelsea, Brazilian defender Thiago Silva will also return to San Siro, while Joao Felix will visit Porto again but this time with Atletico Madrid.

Ilkay Gundogan will join Haaland to return to Signal Iduna Park, while Jesus Navas will turn up at the Etihad with Sevilla.