MONACO, Principality of Monaco (AFP) — Reigning Champions League holders Real Madrid will encounter Liverpool away and Borussia Dortmund at home in a highly anticipated league stage of the newly formatted Champions League, according to Thursday’s draw. This marks a repeat of last season’s final and adds to the excitement of Europe’s elite club competition’s new structure.
Under the revamped format, every participating team will play eight matches against eight different opponents. The previous group stage has been abolished, and all 36 clubs will now compete in a single, unified league. This change is expected to introduce more variety and excitement, with the increased number of clubs raising the competition from 32 to 36 teams.
Since winning their 15th European Cup, Real Madrid has bolstered their squad with the signing of French superstar Kylian Mbappe. In addition to facing Dortmund and Liverpool, Real Madrid will also host AC Milan and play away against Atalanta. The Spanish giants recently faced Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup, defeating last season’s Europa League champions in Warsaw.
Liverpool’s return to the Champions League after missing out last season brings high-profile clashes, including a game against AC Milan and a matchup with Girona, making their tournament debut. Perhaps most intriguing for Liverpool fans will be the home fixture against German champions Bayer Leverkusen, managed by former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso.
Manchester City, who claimed the Champions League title in 2023, will take on a challenging set of fixtures, including home games against Inter Milan, and trips to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Juventus. However, they also drew less formidable opponents such as Club Brugge, Sparta Prague, and Slovan Bratislava, none of whom have previously competed in the modern Champions League proper.
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Other compelling fixtures feature Bayern Munich facing both PSG and Barcelona, and Arsenal set to take on Inter Milan and PSG, highlighting the depth of talent and competition in this year’s tournament.
The draw process for the new league stage featured 36 participants divided into four seeded pots of nine teams. Each club will play two opponents from each pot, one at home and one away. The first set of matches is scheduled for September 17, 18, and 19.
The extended league phase includes two additional matchdays in January. At the conclusion of the league stage, the top eight clubs will automatically advance to the last 16. Teams finishing between ninth and 24th will enter a play-off round to determine the remaining eight spots in the last 16. The bottom 12 teams will be eliminated from the competition, without the opportunity to move down to the Europa League, a departure from previous seasons.
The Europa League and the third-tier Conference League will also adopt the 36-club format. However, the Conference League will feature only six matchdays in its league phase. The draws for these competitions will be conducted on Friday.
The new Champions League format promises to deliver more intense matchups and greater competition, setting the stage for an exhilarating season of European football.
