The Champions League league-phase draw has delivered high drama for England’s top clubs, with both Liverpool and Manchester City set to face record 15-time winners Real Madrid in a blockbuster opening round of fixtures.
Thursday’s draw in Nyon confirmed that all six Premier League representatives will face daunting schedules as the competition enters its second season under the expanded 36-team “Swiss-style” format.
Premier League’s tough assignments
Liverpool’s reunion with Real will carry added intrigue after former captain Trent Alexander-Arnold left Anfield for the Spanish giants this summer. The right-back is now set for an emotional return to Merseyside, with Jurgen Klopp’s successor Arne Slot preparing his squad for a challenging group of fixtures.
Alongside Real, Liverpool will also meet Atletico Madrid, last year’s beaten finalists Inter Milan, plus Eintracht Frankfurt, PSV Eindhoven, Marseille, Qarabag and Galatasaray. It represents one of the most demanding paths of the draw, with fixtures against three sides who have reached the Champions League final in the last five years.
Manchester City, meanwhile, were also paired with Real Madrid as Pep Guardiola chases a second European crown with the holders of the Premier League. City’s schedule includes Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Villarreal, Napoli, Monaco, Bodo/Glimt and Galatasaray.
Elsewhere, Chelsea and Arsenal each face daunting tests against Bayern Munich and Barcelona, while Tottenham and Newcastle must confront reigning champions Paris St-Germain.
Arsenal’s balanced route
For Arsenal, who return to the competition following a top-five Premier League finish, the draw paired them with Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid. Yet their remaining opponents – Club Brugge, Olympiacos, Slavia Prague, Kairat Almaty and Athletic Bilbao – are seen as less formidable, offering the Gunners a potentially balanced route to the knockouts.
New signing Eberechi Eze, brought in from Crystal Palace for £60m, is expected to be a key figure as Mikel Arteta’s side try to maintain momentum from their strong domestic start.
Chelsea also face a daunting list, including Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Benfica, Atalanta, Ajax, Napoli, Pafos and Qarabag. For manager Enzo Maresca, balancing European ambitions with a Premier League campaign will be his first true test.
Spurs and Newcastle return
Tottenham, back in the Champions League after winning last year’s Europa League, will play Paris St-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, Villarreal, Eintracht Frankfurt, Monaco, Bodo/Glimt, Copenhagen and Slavia Prague. The north London side’s relatively favourable draw beyond PSG should provide optimism for Ange Postecoglou’s men.
Newcastle United, returning for a second straight season, were paired with Barcelona, PSG, Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen, PSV, Marseille, Athletic Bilbao and Union Saint-Gilloise. St James’ Park is set for a string of glamorous European nights after decades away from the top level.
How the new format works
Under UEFA’s revised format, each of the 36 clubs plays eight matches against different opponents – four at home and four away. Teams who finish in the top eight of the league phase qualify automatically for the round of 16, while those ranked ninth to 24th compete in a two-legged play-off to reach the last 16. Sides who finish 25th or lower are eliminated entirely, without the safety net of dropping into the Europa League.
The first matches will begin on 16 September, with the league phase concluding in January 2026. The final will be held in Budapest in May.
English hopes and challenges
With six clubs in the competition for the first time, Premier League representation is at a record high. Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle qualified via league position, while Tottenham joined as Europa League winners.
Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest will feature in the Europa League, with Crystal Palace in the Conference League after being demoted from the Europa League over multi-club ownership rules.
Despite the heavyweights drawn against them, England’s clubs will expect to progress deep into the competition, though navigating the congested new format will be a stern challenge.
For now, all eyes turn to 16 September, when Europe’s biggest stage returns – and Liverpool and Manchester City must begin by facing the might of Real Madrid.
