Champions League: a blockbuster draw with PSG-Barcelona and Arsenal-Real Madrid
The Champions League league-phase draw, made in Monaco on Thursday, lived up to the hype. With 36 teams in the mix and eight matches apiece to reach the round of 16, or at least the play-offs, the new format is already serving up heavyweight clashes from autumn onwards.
Big-name schedule for PSG, the reigning champions
As back-to-back champions, Paris Saint-Germain have been handed a brutal run of fixtures. The Parisians face a serious test at the Parc des Princes with Barcelona and Roma coming to town, alongside visits from Galatasaray and Slovan Bratislava. The away trips look just as nasty: Luis Enrique’s side head to Manchester City and Aston Villa, with further stops at Villarreal and Como.
👀 Le programme du Paris Saint-Germain en phase de ligue de @ChampionsLeague !#UCLDraw pic.twitter.com/DKtgv9oXM6
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) August 27, 2026
Europe’s heavyweights handed some mouth-watering ties
Beyond PSG’s path, the draw has thrown up several marquee fixtures across the continent. Arsenal-Real Madrid and Inter Milan-Liverpool already stand out as the headline acts of this opening phase. Atletico Madrid will also cross paths with Bayern Munich again, while Manchester City travel to Barcelona and Real Madrid host Inter before the end of January.
Photo credit: Valery HACHE / AFP
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