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Arsenal host Real Madrid, Aston Villa play holders Paris Saint-Germain, while Manchester United will mark their Champions League return against Bayern Munich as the league phase draw was revealed.
Premier League champions Arsenal, runners-up to PSG last season, will also visit Bayern Munich, host Borussia Dortmund and travel to Napoli in their campaign. The Gunners also play Real Betis, Lille, Azerbaijani debutants Sabah and Slavia Prague.
Michael Carrick’s United, in their first Champions League campaign in three years, have Bayern Munich at home and Atletico Madrid away among their eight league phase fixtures. There are also ties against Roma, Sporting, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Sabah and Como.
Liverpool will once again go to Inter Milan and host Atletico Madrid, two repeat fixtures from last season, as well as games against Porto, Villarreal and a tough trip to Turkey to play Fenerbahce. Andoni Iraola’s men also play Club Brugge, Lens and Austrian champions LASK.
Manchester City will play both holders PSG and Rodri’s Barcelona in a tough first campaign for Enzo Maresca and also face a reunion with Kevin De Bruyne as they drew Napoli at home. Sporting, Porto, Leipzig, AEK Athens and Lens complete their fixture schedule.
Europa League winners Aston Villa will go to Barcelona and the Camp Nou, as well as hosting holders PSG in a rematch of their epic quarter-final clash from two years ago. Borussia Dortmund, Club Brugge, both Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, as well as Norway’s Viking and Slavia Prague await Unai Emery’s men.
The full fixture schedule for the Champions League league phase will be confirmed in the coming days. Follow all the latest updates, reaction and analysis from the draw below
Uefa Champions League 26/27 league phase drawArsenal: Real Madrid (h), Bayern Munich (a), Dortmund (h), Real Betis (a), Lille (h), Napoli (a), Sabah (h), Slavia Prague (a)Man Utd: Bayern (h), Atletico (a), Roma (h), Sporting (a), Leipzig (h), Villarreal (a), Sabah (h), Como (a)Man City: PSG (h), Barcelona (a), Sporting CP (h), Porto (a), Napoli (h), Leipzig (a), AEK (h), Lens (a)Liverpool: Atletico (h), Inter (a), Porto (h), Club Brugge (a), Villarreal (h), Fenerbahce (a), Lens (h), LASK (a)Aston Villa: PSG (h), Barcelona (a), Dortmund (h), Club Brugge (a), Fenerbahce (h), Galatasaray (a), Viking (h), Slavia Prague (a)Where will Julian Alvarez be playing Champions League?
Arsenal target Julian Alvarez will “never, ever” be sold to Barcelona, according to Atletico Madrid chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin, who did not rule out the possibility of the Argentina international joining another club instead before the transfer deadline.
Alvarez made it clear earlier this summer that he wanted to join Barcelona but relations between the Spanish clubs have completely broken down over the transfer saga, with Gil Marin accusing Barcelona of “dishonesty” and a lack of “professionalism”.
Barcelona’s president Joan Laporta said on Wednesday that they were still interested in Alvarez despite Atletico’s stance, with Atletico then releasing a statement to confirm there was “zero per cent chance” of Alvarez moving to Camp Nou.
Atletico or Arsenal? What’s it going to be?
Jamie Braidwood28 August 2026 04:02
Aston Villa exodus continues before Champions League return?
Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa for £7.5m.
It means that six of the side that started Aston Villa’s Europa League final victory over Freiburg will have left the club by the time the Champions League begins.
Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne, Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins and Martinez are all set to have departed in a summer of huge change for Unai Emery’s side.
(PA Wire)
Jamie Braidwood28 August 2026 02:02
Why Bradley Barcola should be the ‘perfect’ fit for Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool
Liverpool have been forced to wait until days before the deadline, writes Richard Jolly, but Andoni Iraola has a specific type of winger crucial to his system and therefore his success at Anfield
Jamie Braidwood28 August 2026 00:02
Man City look forward to welcoming Kevin De Bruyne back to Etihad
Manchester City can look forward to an “amazing” reunion with Kevin De Bruyne as well as meeting with Rodri when they face Barcelona, director of football Hugo Viana has said.
De Bruyne will return to the Etihad with his Napoli team while City will visit Rodri following his move back to Spain this summer. City will also play Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain.
“Of course, it’s always a challenge to play against the European champions, but we are happy to see Kevin and Rodri again,” Viana told City’s website.
“We are really happy that we face Barcelona with Rodri there, we are happy to see him again. Barcelona is always tough, especially away.
“And also Napoli that we played last year and we had the pleasure to have Kevin on the field and it will be amazing to see him again.
“When you have friends on the pitch it’s always good.
“And I’m happy also that I will see Sporting, my former club, coming to Manchester and that I go to my country to face Porto.
“We go to France to play Lens; they are doing really well. AEK also, they were doing really well last season, and Leipzig is a really tough opponent also.
(Action Images via Reuters)
Jamie Braidwood27 August 2026 23:02
Martin Keown excited by Arsenal’s Champions League draw
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown said the Gunners have “nothing to fear” in the Champions League despite the Premier League champions facing Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the league phase.
The Gunners will host Real Madrid and go to Bayern Munich in two blockbuster fixtures, and will also play Borussia Dortmund, Real Betis, Lille, Napoli, Sabah and Slavia Prague.
“Winning the Premier League gives you that extra bit of confidence,” he told Arsenal’s website. “You see that glow in the players.
“Of course Bayern away [will be] tough, Napoli as well, but these are all really great fixtures and Arsenal have started the season really well so there’s nothing to fear.
“That has to be the vision for the club, the ambition, and embrace that. I think they’re more than capable of doing that, let’s see how it pans out.”
Declan Rice scored two free-kicks the last time Arsenal hosted Real Madrid (Getty)
Jamie Braidwood27 August 2026 22:02
Andoni Iraola reacts to Liverpool’s Champions League draw: ‘An honour’
Andoni Iraola said it will be an “honour” to take charge of Liverpool in the Champions League as he prepares for his first season as a manager in the competition. The Reds will will face Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan in their toughest tests, and also play Porto, Club Brugge, Villarreal, Fenerbahce, Lens and LASK.
“It’s an interesting and difficult draw but we understood in advance that however the draw went we would be facing strong opposition, and that is exactly how it has worked out,” Iraola told Liverpool’s website.
“This is the strength of the Champions League and why competing in it is such a big test. Each of these games will present a difficult challenge in their own way, so we will have to prepare for them as best as possible and give our very best on the pitch.
“It’s up to us to be ready but we have two important Premier League games before then, which will be our full focus before we look at the Champions League.
“But the Champions League is a challenge that we are definitely looking forward to, and it is also exciting for our supporters in terms of the European nights we can experience at Anfield and the visits to stadiums in Italy, Belgium, Austria and Turkiye.
“Coming here, I knew how special the Champions League is and how much it has been part of Liverpool’s history, so it will be an honour for me and my staff to work with the team in this tournament.”
(Getty)
Jamie Braidwood27 August 2026 21:02
Jose Mourinho returns to Arsenal with Real Madrid
There should be some fireworks as Jose Mourinho returns to face Arsenal with Real Madrid, as Vinicius Jr also faces the side who tried to sign him earlier this summer. Mourinho is back in charge of Real Madrid following the end of his first spell in 2013. The two-time Champions League winner has won his first two games in charge back at the Bernabeu. Mourinho faced Mikel Arteta three times as Tottenham manager, winning two of those matches. But their last meeting came five years ago. Mourinho will also face one of his former sides: Roma.
Inter (h)Arsenal (a)PSV (h)Roma (a)Leipzig (h)Shakhtar (a)LASK (h)AEK Athens (A)
(Getty)
Jamie Braidwood27 August 2026 20:02
When does Champions League kick-off?
It all kicks off on Tuesday 8 September, with a further slate of matches on Wednesday 9 September and even more on Thursday 10 September. The fixture dates and kick-off times will be announced on Saturday!
Matchday 1: September 8-10Matchday 2: October 13-14Matchday 3: October 20-21Matchday 4: November 3-4Matchday 5: November 24-25Matchday 6: December 8-9Matchday 7: January 19-20Matchday 8: January 27
Jamie Braidwood27 August 2026 19:02
Aston Villa’s Champions League draw: PSG again for Unai Emery’s side
Aston Villa have already face Paris Saint-Germain this season after losing 2-1 to the Champions League winners in the Super Cup. Unai Emery’s side also played out an epic quarter-final against Luis Enrique’s side in 2024-25, so Villa Park will relish getting the opportunity to play the two-time defending champions. A trip to Barcelona is also appealing while Villa play both Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, as well as Borussia Dortmund. Quite a tough draw there for the Europa League winners.
PSG (h)Barcelona (a)Dortmund (h)Club Brugge (a)Fenerbahce (h)Galatasaray (a)Viking (h)Slavia Prague (a)
(AP)
Jamie Braidwood27 August 2026 18:52
Liverpool’s Champions League draw: Deja vu for the Reds?
It’s a case of deja vu for Liverpool, although not for Andoni Iraola of course as he takes charge in the Champions League for the first time. But under Arne Slot, Liverpool hosted Atletico Madrid and went to Inter Milan in last season’s league phase. They won late against Atletico, as Diego Simeone was sent off for clashing for fans pitchside following Virgil van Dijk’s winner, and won 1-0 at Inter in December thanks to a late Dominik Szoboszlai penalty after Mohamed Salah was dropped.
It means they immediately face a reunion with local lad Curtis Jones, of course, after his switch ti Inter while Liverpool also face another trip to Istanbul. They lost twice at Galatasaray in the Champions League last season and Fenerbahce away promises to be another tough one.
Atletico Madrid (H) Inter Milan (A) Porto (H) Club Brugge (A) Villarreal (H) Fenerbahce (A) Lens (H) LASK (A) 
(Getty)
Jamie Braidwood27 August 2026 18:46