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The UEFA Champions League is back for 2024-25 and the matches are set! This season’s edition is the first in a new format that will include 36 teams in the group stage. Take a look back at how the action unfolded alongside commentary and analysis from our experts.
There’s plenty to get excited about as the top teams in Europe fight for a place in the final in Munich on May 31, 2025.
Let’s collate some selected draws for the big clubs: remember, we’ll be publishing tons of reaction and analysis (video and written) on ESPN FC this afternoon as well!
ARSENAL: PSG (H), Inter Milan (A), Shakhtar Donetsk (H), Atalanta (A), Dinamo Zagreb (H), Sporting CP (A), Monaco (H), Girona (A)
LIVERPOOL: Real Madrid (H), RB Leipzig (A), Leverkusen (H), AC Milan (A), Lille (H), PSV Eindhoven (A), Bologna (H), Girona (A)
REAL MADRID: Borussia Dortmund (H), Liverpool (A), AC Milan (H), Atalanta (A), RB Salzburg (H), Lille (A), Stuttgart (H), Brest (A)
BARCELONA: Bayern Munich (H), Borussia Dortmund (A), Atalanta (H), Benfica (A), Young Boys (H), Red Star (A), Brest (H), Monaco (A)
BAYERN MUNICH: PSG (H), Barcelona (A), Benfica (H), Shakhtar Donetsk (A), Dinamo Zagreb (H), Feyenoord (A), Slovan Bratislava (H), Aston Villa (A)
MANCHESTER CITY: Inter Milan (H), PSG (A), Club Brugge (H), Juventus (A), Feyenoord (H), Sporting CP (A), Sparta Prague (H), Slovan Bratislava (A)
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN: Man City (H), Bayern Munich (A), Atletico Madrid (H), Arsenal (A), PSV Eindhoven (H), RB Salzburg (A), Girona (H), Stuttgart (A)
The highlights!
For Pot 1, we’ve done some back-of-the-envelope math to determine which clubs have it toughest moving forward. From EASIEST PATH to HARDEST PATH:
- Real Madrid (of course!): They will have fun against Liverpool and Dortmund, but the rest should be doable including a home date with AC Milan.
- Borussia Dortmund: Beyond Barcelona and Madrid in Pot 1, the computer has spat out a slew of Eastern European opponents — plus Celtic! — for them to presumably cruise into the knockouts.
- Liverpool: You have to love the Madrid revenge game at Anfield as well as a home date with former Reds legend (and CL winner) Xabi Alonso when Bayer Leverkusen come to town, but their Pots 3 and 4 opponents should be little issue for new manager Arne Slot.
- Barcelona: Might we see them actually reach the knockouts again?
- RB Leipzig: Seems fine and fair.
- Bayern Munich: PSG and Barcelona are potential slipups, as well as Aston Villa away and Benfica at home.
- Man City: Not the easiest, but would you ever bet against Pep Guardiola? Inter Milan and PSG will give them little issue, but their Pots 3 and 4 foes are robust enough for them to maybe drop points along the way.
- Inter Milan: You’d back the Italian champions, though the lower end of their draw threw up the likes of Arsenal, Monaco and Man City.
- PSG: Woof. If we’re going to see the potential majesty of a Mbappe-less side, it’s going to be earned the hard way, with the toughest teams from Pots 1 (Man City, Bayern) and 2 (Atletico, Arsenal) while Girona should give them heartburn.
ESPN