The first-ever 36-team league phase of the Champions League is setting up for some pulsating action, with Real Madrid being pitted against Liverpool in a blockbuster tie at Anfield. This was a tie pitting them against familiar foes after meeting in the 2022 final, one of several high-stakes clashes lined up in the new era for European football’s elite competition.
Real Madrid are the defending champions, and they know it will not be easy, with the grueling fixture list involving Borussia Dortmund, Milan, Atalanta, Salzburg, Lille, Stuttgart, and Brest. There is no shortcut in this new format, as from the outset of the tournament, the best teams confront each other.
Paris Saint-Germain arguably had the toughest draw on paper of the teams in Pot One: The French giants fell into a pool that will also see the likes of Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, PSV, Girona, Salzburg, and Stuttgart provide stern challenges to them in their groups. This has made PSG fall into what many people have referred to as the “Group of Death.”
Another favourite for the trophy, Manchester City, also learned that the road will not be smooth: Inter Milan, PSG, Club Brugge, Juventus, Feyenoord, Sporting CP, Sparta Prague, Slovan Bratislava-the list of teams is endless, and Pep Guardiola’s men will have to be fully awake from the very beginning.
Meanwhile, Liverpool will not only be going up against Real Madrid but also Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, Milan, Lille, PSV, Bologna, and Girona-all in a tough draw.
The draw was done by Cristiano Ronaldo, the Champions League’s all-time top scorer, amidst great fanfare in Monaco.
This new format now means all 36 teams would go into a single league table format, each playing eight matches, adding a fresh coat of excitement to Europe’s premier club competition.
