Champions League Draw: Liverpool's Favorable Path and Barcelona's Tough Challenge

The draw for the new league phase of the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League has been finalized, revealing intriguing matchups across the 36 participating teams. Big names, newcomers, and minnows alike face a season filled with intense competition starting September 8, though the exact schedule will be announced soon.

Key Matchups to Watch

• PSG vs Manchester City
• Real Madrid vs Arsenal
• Barcelona vs PSG
• Manchester City vs Barcelona
• Arsenal vs Bayern Munich

This phase avoids rematches from last season’s later knockout rounds but ensures early-season clashes between Europe’s elite clubs. Arsenal and Bayern Munich’s strong performances in recent league phases showed how early success can propel teams deep into the tournament, though PSG remains a tough hurdle.

Debutants and First-Time Hosts

Several clubs will make their first appearances in this format or return after a long absence:

• Como hosts heavyweights PSG and Manchester United, visiting Barcelona as well.
• Sabah FK, an Azerbaijani club formed in 2017, faces Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, and Manchester United at home in Baku and on the road.
• Norway’s Viking welcomes Bayern Munich.
• Austria’s LASK hosts Liverpool and Porto among others.
• Bodø/Glimt, known for their impressive knockout run last winter, hosts Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.

Seven teams, including Atletico Madrid, Como, RB Leipzig, Roma, Sabah, Sporting CP, and Villarreal, will play three matches against top-10 ranked teams globally.

Teams Benefiting From the Draw

New coach Andoni Iraola, inexperienced in European competition, receives a relatively gentle entry with Liverpool avoiding the strongest Pot 1 teams like PSG, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich. Their group includes Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid as top seeds, plus Club Brugge, Villarreal, Fenerbahce, Lens, and LASK Linz. The trip to Austria to face LASK could be challenging given LASK’s remarkable comeback against Celtic in playoffs.

With the final at their Metropolitano Stadium, Atletico have a promising route to the knockout stages despite matches against Bayern, Liverpool, and Manchester United. Home advantage should help secure wins over PSV, Fenerbahce, Viking, and Stuttgart. Bodø/Glimt’s away fixture remains a tricky test after their surprise win last season.

Though facing four former European champions — Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, and Manchester United — this debutant club will savor the experience. Hosting big teams in Baku while traveling to iconic stadiums like Emirates and Old Trafford will create lasting memories.

Jose Mourinho returns to Real Madrid, revisiting old grounds against Inter Milan and Roma. Their toughest away game is at Arsenal. The rest of their schedule features less daunting opponents like PSV Eindhoven, RB Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk (playing at Stamford Bridge), LASK, and AEK Athens, providing a solid chance to advance comfortably.

Teams Facing Difficult Paths

Despite back-to-back LaLiga titles and hopes for Champions League glory under Hansi Flick, Barcelona must navigate a demanding group. They face Pot 1 giants Manchester City and PSG, alongside Pot 2's Aston Villa, an away trip to Galatasaray, and challenging sides Como and Sabah from Pot 4. It promises to be a tough campaign.

Returning to Europe, United confront a stern league phase with Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid presenting tough tests. Away matches at Como and Villarreal add difficulty, although home games against Sabah offer some relief.

After a disappointing previous league phase with just one point, Villarreal’s new coach Iñigo Pérez faces a brutal group featuring PSG, Liverpool, Manchester United, Dortmund, and Napoli. Matches against Sabah and Slavia Prague offer chances to improve last season’s poor record.

Villa’s rough Premier League start continues with a challenging Champions League group including PSG, Barcelona, Dortmund, Club Brugge, Galatasaray, and Viking. Unai Emery’s experience will be critical to maneuver through this tough schedule.

Noteworthy Matches to Anticipate

• Barcelona vs Manchester City: Featuring Rodri’s return to Camp Nou shortly after his transfer, a high-stakes midfield battle awaits.
• Barcelona vs Como: Como, coached by former Barcelona player Cesc Fabregas, will seek to make an impact in their first Champions League appearance.
• Manchester United vs Bayern Munich: Revisiting historic rivalries from the 1999 final and recent group stage encounters.
• PSG vs Barcelona: A clash between two favorites with Ferran Torres returning to his former club.
• Villarreal vs Manchester United: A poignant venue for Michael Carrick, who debuted as United manager there.
• Arsenal vs Real Madrid: Mourinho’s Real faces Wenger’s former Arsenal in a fixture loaded with history and drama.

Other Teams’ Outlooks

• PSG: Known for slow starts followed by strong finishes; faces six opponents from Europe’s top leagues.
• Arsenal: England’s best club meets major challenges against Real Madrid and Bayern but otherwise enjoys a lighter schedule.
• Bayern Munich: Consistently strong in group phases with a chance to avenge last year’s Arsenal loss.
• Manchester City: Navigating a new roster, City face tough trips to Barcelona and PSG, plus tricky matches against Leipzig and Porto.
• Inter Milan: Faces few top-five league teams but will play in lively atmospheres at Liverpool, Club Brugge, and Stuttgart.
• Borussia Dortmund: Arsenal away may be too much, but home games against Inter, Real Betis, Villarreal, and AEK Athens offer opportunities.

Early Predictions

• Alex Kirkland: Arsenal, due to their solid defense and improved attack.
• Bill Connelly: Arsenal, with a manageable draw and strong start to the season.
• Rob Dawson: Bayern Munich, with a good squad and eight winnable matches.
• Mark Ogden: Liverpool, favored by the easiest group among top seeds.

• Kirkland: Arsenal, Bayern, Barcelona, PSG, Real Madrid, Inter, Liverpool, Como.
• Connelly: Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Porto, Stuttgart.
• Dawson: Bayern, Arsenal, Liverpool, Barcelona, PSG, Real Madrid, Inter, Manchester City.
• Ogden: Liverpool, PSG, Arsenal, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich.

• Kirkland: Atletico Madrid, affected by the departure of key player Julián Álvarez.
• Connelly: Manchester City, still adapting to new squad dynamics.
• Dawson: Atletico Madrid, impacted by off-field challenges.
• Ogden: Manchester United, facing a tough schedule and experienced opponents.