The UEFA Champions League anthem is set to play as league‑phase action looms just over a week away. I’m Pardeep Cattry, breaking down what lies ahead following Thursday’s draw, with the countdown to Matchday 1 now underway.
Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Friday, Aug. 28
Bundesliga: Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart, 2:30 p.m. Fandango
Serie A: AC Milan vs. Venezia, 2:45 p.m. Paramount+
EPL: Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. USA Network
NWSL: Gotham FC vs. Portland Thorns, 8 p.m. Amazon Prime Video
Saturday, Aug. 29
EPL: LIverpool vs. Nottingham Forest, 7:30 a.m. USA Network
Serie A: Juventus vs. Parma, 2:45 p.m. Paramount+
NWSL: Kansas City Current vs. North Carolina, 6:30 p.m. Ion
MLS: New York Red Bulls vs. Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m. Apple TV
Sunday, Aug. 30
EPL: Chelsea vs. Brighton and Hove Albion, 9 a.m. Peacock
LaLiga: Real Madrid vs. Mallorca, 11 a.m. ESPN+
NWSL: Washington Spirit vs. Bay FC, 12:30 p.m. ESPN2
Serie A: Cagliari vs. Inter, 2:45 p.m. Paramount+
MLS: St. Louis City vs. FC Dallas, 7 p.m. Apple TV
The Forward Line
The draw results are in
Getty Images
The recent draw — symbolized by thirty‑six clicks of a red button on a late‑summer day — has released the UEFA Champions League league‑phase fixture list for review ahead of the competition’s kickoff on September 8, presenting several intriguing matchups for this season’s clubs.
Although the full league‑phase schedule won’t be published until Saturday, Thursday’s draw has already outlined each team’s route to the final, highlighting the fixtures they must navigate. The Pot 1 clubs face a varied set of opening matches that will serve as early tests of their title ambitions. Below is a snapshot of the opponents each leading side will encounter before the knockout stage.
- Real Madrid: Inter (home), Arsenal (away), PSV (home), Roma (away), RB Leipzig (home), Shakhtar Donetsk (away), LASK (home), AEK Athens (away)
- Manchester City: Paris Saint-Germain (home), Barcelona (away), Sporting Club (home), Porto (away), Napoli (home), RB Leipzig (away), AEK Athens (home), Lens (away)
- Inter: Liverpool (home), Real Madrid (away), Club Brugge (home), Borussia Dortmund (away), Shakhtar (home), Feyenoord (away), Stuttgart (home), Slovan Bratislava (away)
- Barcelona: Manchester City (home), Paris Saint-Germain (away), Aston Villa (home), Sporting Club (away), Feyenoord (home), Galatasaray (away), Como (home), Sabah (away)
- Atletico Madrid: Bayern Munich (home), Liverpool (away), Manchester United (home), PSV (away), Fenerbahce (home), Bodo/Glimt (away), Viking (home), Stuttgart (away)
- Paris Saint-Germain: Barcelona (home), Manchester City (away), Roma (home), Aston Villa (away), Galatasaray (home), Villarreal (away), Slovan Bratislava (home), Como (away)
- Arsenal: Real Madrid (home), Bayern Munich (away), Borussia Dortmund (home), Real Betis (away), Lille (home), Napoli (away), Sabah (home), Slavia Prague (away)
- Liverpool: Atletico Madrid (home), Inter (away), Porto (home), Club Brugge (away), Villarreal (home), Fenerbahce (away), Lens (home), LASK (away)
- Bayern Munich: Arsenal (home), Atletico Madrid (away), Real Betis (away), Manchester United (away), Bodo/Glimt (home), Lille (away), Slavia Prague (home), Viking (away)
The standout fixture of the league phase could be Barcelona’s visit to Paris Saint‑German, a renewed edition of a classic Champions League clash that will test each side’s capacity for a deep run this season. The stakes differ: PSG aim for a third consecutive title, while Barcelona seeks to return to the podium eleven years after its last Champions League triumph, bolstered by notable acquisitions such as World Cup winner Rodri.
The draw benefited most Pot 1 sides, but not all. Manchester City must contend with PSG, Barcelona and a Napoli side now led by former City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, a slate that could prove a stern test for new head coach Enzo Maresca. Atlético Madrid may face the toughest draw of the group, with Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester United on its schedule, plus an arctic trip to Bodo/Glimt that adds an extra layer of difficulty. While not insurmountable, genuine challenges await Atlético, especially as the ongoing uncertainty around Julián Álvarez’s potential transfer fuels fan discontent and creates tension inside the Metropolitano Stadium.
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