PSG handed toughest Champions League draw, Real Madrid and Liverpool face tough test

The defending UEFA Champions League title-holders, Paris Saint-Germain, were handed the toughest set of opponents with no teams from the lower nations as the draw was unveiled on Thursday, August 28.

Luis Enrique's side were drawn up against Bayern Munich and Barcelona from the top-ranked pot. In addition, Tottenham joins the mix from the third seed to set up a rematch after the Super Cup clash, which went down to penalties earlier this month. The group is rounded out by Newcastle and Athletic Bilbao, arguably the two strongest sides from the lower-ranked teams, along with Bayer Leverkusen, Atalanta, and Portuguese champion Sporting Lisbon.

“It’s always difficult,” said PSG president Nasser Al-Khelafi, reflecting on the team’s rollercoaster journey last season. “We forgot last season, we think about this season.” PSG had finished 15th in the single-standings league before surging to claim its first Champions League title.

Real Madrid also received a demanding draw. The Spanish powerhouse will travel more than 6,400 kilometres (4,000 miles) to play Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan, marking the furthest east the Champions League has ever gone. Madrid’s group includes English heavyweights Manchester City, a team they defeated in last season’s knockout playoffs, and Liverpool, revisiting Anfield after a 2-0 defeat last season. Juventus, along with French sides Marseille and Monaco—where Kylian Mbappe began his career—complete the group.

Liverpool coach Arne Slot highlighted the high-stakes nature of the fixtures, particularly the matchup against Madrid, calling it “a fixture that the whole world will be looking at.” The English side will also face Inter Milan, Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille, and Galatasaray away, while hosting Madrid at Anfield.

Other marquee encounters include Bayern Munich, who will face PSG in a rematch of the 2020 final and host Chelsea, revisiting the 2012 title game they lost at home. Bayern will also travel to Cyprus to take on Pafos.

Manchester City faces its own Arctic challenge, travelling to Bodo/Glimt in Norway, while hosting Kevin De Bruyne with new club Napoli. Inter Milan, runners-up in two of the last three finals, will host Premier League top-two teams Liverpool and Arsenal, having beaten Arsenal at San Siro last season.

Long-distance journeys feature prominently elsewhere as well. Kairat will host Club Brugge, Olympiakos, and Pafos, while also traveling four time zones west to face Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon. Bodo/Glimt will welcome Juventus, Tottenham, and Monaco, while Qarabag in Azerbaijan will host Chelsea, Eintracht Frankfurt, Ajax, and Copenhagen.

The draw promises a Champions League season filled with high-profile rematches, long-haul trips, and thrilling reunions, ensuring fans across the globe are in for a dramatic group stage.

Full Draw:

• Bayern Munich: Chelsea (H), PSG (A), Club Brugge (H), Arsenal (A), Sporting CP (H), PSV Eindhoven (A), Union Saint-Gilloise (H), Pafos (A)
• Chelsea: Barcelona (H), Bayern Munich (A), Benfica (H), Atalanta (A), Ajax (H), Napoli (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Real Madrid: Manchester City (H), Liverpool (A), Juventus (H), Benfica (A), Marseille (H), Olympiacos (A), Monaco (H), Kairat Almaty (A)
• Inter Milan: Atalanta (H), Bayer Leverkusen (A), Juventus (H), Benfica (A), Arsenal (H), Club Brugge (A), Shakhtar Donetsk (H), Eintracht Frankfurt (A)
• Paris Saint-Germain (PSG): Bayern Munich (H), Chelsea (A), Club Brugge (H), Arsenal (A), Sporting CP (H), PSV Eindhoven (A), Union Saint-Gilloise (H), Pafos (A)
• Arsenal: Bayern Munich (H), Chelsea (A), Benfica (H), Atalanta (A), Ajax (H), Napoli (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Liverpool: Real Madrid (H), Manchester City (A), Juventus (H), Benfica (A), Marseille (H), Olympiacos (A), Monaco (H), Kairat Almaty (A)
• Manchester City: Real Madrid (H), Liverpool (A), Juventus (H), Benfica (A), Marseille (H), Olympiacos (A), Monaco (H), Kairat Almaty (A)
• Tottenham Hotspur: Paris Saint-Germain (H), Borussia Dortmund (A), Villarreal (H), Bayer Leverkusen (A), Ajax (H), Napoli (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Newcastle United: Barcelona (H), Paris Saint-Germain (A), Benfica (H), Bayer Leverkusen (A), Ajax (H), Napoli (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Barcelona: Chelsea (H), Bayern Munich (A), Benfica (H), Atalanta (A), Ajax (H), Napoli (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Benfica: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Atalanta (A), Ajax (H), Napoli (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Atalanta: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Ajax (H), Napoli (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Juventus: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Club Brugge: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Shakhtar Donetsk: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Milan: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Feyenoord: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Sporting CP: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• PSV Eindhoven: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Dinamo Zagreb: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Red Bull Salzburg: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Lille: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Red Star Belgrade: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Young Boys: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Celtic: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Slovan Bratislava: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Monaco: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Sparta Prague: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Aston Villa: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Bologna: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Girona: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• VfB Stuttgart: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Sturm Graz: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)
• Brest: Arsenal (H), Bayern Munich (A), Chelsea (H), Benfica (A), Atalanta (H), Ajax (A), Pafos (H), Qaraba (A)