Following Thursday's league-phase draw in Monaco, holders Paris Saint-Germain will clash with Barcelona and Manchester City, while 15-time champions Real Madrid take on Inter Milan and Arsenal.
Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain will take on Barcelona and Manchester City in the league phase of the competition following Thursday's draw in Monaco. Luis Enrique's PSG, who defeated Premier League champions Arsenal on penalties in May to retain their title, will host Barca and travel to City. Their other opponents include Roma, Aston Villa, Galatasaray, Villarreal, Slovan Bratislava, and Como.
Record 15-time champions Real Madrid will host Inter Milan and travel to Arsenal. The match against Inter reunites new Real manager Jose Mourinho with his former club, having previously guided the Italian side to the Champions League title in 2010. Mourinho returned for a second stint at Real in June. Real Madrid will also face PSV Eindhoven, Roma, RB Leipzig, Shakhtar Donetsk, LASK, and AEK Athens.
Six-time European champions Bayern Munich headline their fixtures with a home game against Arsenal alongside away trips to Atletico Madrid and Manchester United. Under new manager Andoni Iraola, six-time champions Liverpool will play Inter and Atletico. Manchester United return to Europe's elite competition after a two-season absence, facing Atletico away and hosting Bayern and Roma.
The Premier League and LaLiga are the most heavily represented leagues in the competition with five clubs each. England's entrants include Arsenal, City, United, Villa, and Liverpool, while Spain is represented by Barca, Real Madrid, Villarreal, Atletico, and Real Betis.
The 36-team league phase begins on September 8 and runs across eight matchdays through January 27, marking the third campaign of the format introduced in the 2024-25 season. The knockout stage starts in February, with the final scheduled for June 5 at Atletico's Metropolitano Stadium. Additionally, former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry, who drew Aston Villa during the ceremony, was named the recipient of UEFA's President's Award.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Football. Photo courtesy The Hindu Football.