Real Madrid’s Champions League Challenge
Real Madrid, the club with a record tally of 15 Champions League titles, now faces a formidable challenge after a tough draw was revealed for the upcoming season. On Thursday, it was announced that they will compete against Premier League powerhouses Liverpool and Manchester City in the group stage of the prestigious tournament.
Defending Champions and Notable Matchups
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain are also in for a challenging path, having been matched with La Liga champions Barcelona, Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, as well as English teams Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.
For Real Madrid, the season presents a notable storyline as Trent Alexander-Arnold prepares to make a potential return to Anfield. The former Liverpool star joined Madrid this summer after an impressive two-decade career with the Reds. This matchup against Liverpool is one of several tough fixtures that lie ahead for the Spanish side, who will also be hosting Manchester City—last year’s Champions League victors—along with prominent teams like Juventus, Benfica, Marseille, Olympiacos, and Monaco, alongside a trip to Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan.
Exciting Pairings and Format Changes
The draw, which took place in Monaco, produced other exciting pairings: Chelsea—two-time Champions League winners—will be up against Barcelona, while Arsenal, who reached the semifinals last year, have been drawn to face Inter Milan, the runners-up of the 2023 competition.
In addition to Alexander-Arnold’s return to Liverpool, Manchester City might see a reunion with club icon Kevin De Bruyne, now donning the Napoli jersey.
League Phase Format and Schedule
This season marks the second year featuring the league phase format, which includes 36 teams facing eight different opponents and competing in a single table. Teams were seeded based on their performance over the last five years in UEFA competitions, and each club will face two teams selected randomly from the four seeding pots.
The matches are set to kick off on September 16, concluding the league phase on January 28. The top eight teams by the end of the standings will progress to the round of 16 in March, while an additional eight teams will qualify through knockout playoffs scheduled for February. Unfortunately, the lowest 12 teams will be eliminated from the competition.
