Champions League draw: PSG face Bayern and Barcelona, Real Madrid meet Man City and Liverpool

Holders Paris St Germain have been handed a daunting Champions League league phase draw, with clashes against Bayern Munich and Barcelona headlining their group of fixtures. Thursday’s draw also paired record 15-time winners Real Madrid with Manchester City and Liverpool in what promises to be one of the competition’s most thrilling campaigns.

PSG, who lifted the trophy last season, will also take on Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen in the league phase format introduced last year, which requires each club to play eight matches — four at home and four away.

Real Madrid’s schedule includes another meeting with Manchester City for the fifth straight season, as well as a return to Anfield where new signing Trent Alexander-Arnold will face his former club Liverpool. Los Blancos will also host Juventus and make the long trip to Kazakhstan to play debutants Kairat Almaty, who stunned Celtic in the playoffs.

Liverpool, who topped the league phase table last season, face Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt, while Bayern Munich’s campaign features encounters with Chelsea, Arsenal and Club Brugge. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City will take on Borussia Dortmund, Leverkusen and Napoli in addition to their trips to Real Madrid and Villarreal.

Barcelona, last season’s semi-finalists, will host PSG and travel to Chelsea and Newcastle. Arsenal, also semi-finalists last season, are set for high-profile matches against Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid, with their recent history against the German champions adding intrigue as they have failed to win in their last five meetings.

The Premier League will have six clubs in this year’s competition, the most of any league, with Liverpool, Arsenal, City, Chelsea and Newcastle joined by Europa League winners Tottenham. Spurs are set for tests against PSG, Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal, while Serie A champions Napoli meet Chelsea, Manchester City, Frankfurt and Benfica.

Newcastle’s return to Europe’s elite comes with a tough draw against Barcelona, PSG, Benfica and Leverkusen. The league phase begins September 16 and runs until January 28, with the knockout rounds starting in February and the final scheduled for May 30 at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.

Chelsea received special recognition after becoming the first club to win the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, Super Cup and the now-defunct UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. Meanwhile, former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was honoured with the UEFA President’s Award.

SportsLigue