Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Celtic have discovered their opponents in the new-look Champions League group stage following the draw in Monaco. The draw, which was conducted by Cristiano Ronaldo, determined the fixtures for each team.
Liverpool, who are returning to the competition as reigning Premier League champions, will face tough tests against Real Madrid, Leipzig, Leverkusen, AC Milan, Lille, PSV Eindhoven, Bologna, and Girona. This group presents an exciting challenge for Liverpool, with matches against European heavyweights Real Madrid and AC Milan sure to be highlights.
Manchester City, last season’s Premier League winners, have been drawn against Inter Milan, Paris St-Germain, Club Brugge, Juventus, Feyenoord, Sporting Lisbon, Sparta Prague, and Slovan Bratislava. The clash between Manchester City and Paris St-Germain is particularly intriguing, as it pits two of the strongest teams in Europe against each other.
Arsenal, who finished eighth in the Premier League last season, will face Paris St-Germain, Inter Milan, Shakhtar Donetsk, Atalanta, Dinamo Zagreb, Sporting Lisbon, Monaco, and Girona. The Gunners will be hoping to make a strong impression in the competition and prove their worth against some of Europe’s top sides.
Aston Villa, back in the Champions League after a long absence, have been drawn against Bayern Munich, Leipzig, Juventus, Club Brugge, Celtic, Young Boys, Bologna, and Monaco. This group presents a tough challenge for Villa, with matches against Bayern Munich and Juventus likely to test their mettle.
Celtic, Scottish champions, will face Aston Villa, Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund, Club Brugge, Atalanta, Young Boys, Dinamo Zagreb, and Slovan Bratislava. The Scottish side will be hoping to cause some upsets in the group and prove that they can compete with the best in Europe.
The new format of the Champions League sees each team play eight matches in the league phase, with four at home and four away. The top eight teams will automatically qualify for the last 16, while teams finishing ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout play-off for a chance to join them. Teams finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated from the competition.
The expansion of the tournament means there will be an increase in the number of matches, from 125 to 189. This will provide more opportunities for teams to showcase their talent and for fans to enjoy the excitement of European football.
The Champions League action will begin on September 17-19, and the league phase will run until January 29. This extended schedule allows for more matches and ensures that the group stage does not finish before Christmas.
Fans can follow the Champions League on the BBC, with match-by-match highlights available on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app. There will also be a highlights show on BBC One on Wednesdays, as well as clips online and on social media. Additionally, live text commentary and radio coverage will be provided for all matchweeks on the BBC Sport website.
Overall, the Champions League draw has set the stage for an exciting and competitive tournament. The fixtures present intriguing matchups between some of Europe’s top teams, and fans can look forward to a thrilling few months of football.