UEFA Champions League: Five Exciting Fixtures to Keep an Eye on
The stage is set for the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League as the league phase draw took place in Monaco on Thursday, unveiling thrilling matchups that fans can look forward to. With the absence of Scottish powerhouses Rangers and Celtic, the tournament promises to deliver captivating football as 36 teams gear up for battle.
Representatives from all participating clubs, including reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain and lesser-known teams like Kairat and Pafos, were present to witness the automated draw. The revamped format, introduced last season, has sparked mixed reactions, but this year’s lineup already hints at some intriguing encounters.
Five Must-Watch Fixtures
1. Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich
Arsenal and Bayern Munich will renew their rivalry in the league phase, a matchup that has historically been fraught with tension. The Gunners are eager to avenge past knockout heartbreaks, most recently suffering a 3-2 aggregate defeat in the 2023-24 quarter-finals. With both teams vying for supremacy, this clash at the Emirates promises to be a thriller.
2. Chelsea vs. Barcelona
Stamford Bridge will host a blockbuster encounter as Chelsea takes on Barcelona, rekindling memories of their dramatic semi-final clashes in 2009 and 2012. This match not only features two of the biggest clubs in Europe but also showcases emerging talents like Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, both of whom are poised to make their mark.
3. Real Madrid vs. Manchester City
The rivalry between Real Madrid and Manchester City continues in the Champions League, marking their fifth consecutive campaign meeting. This fixture will be particularly significant as it’s their first non-knockout encounter since 2012. With both teams having faced each other in high-stakes matches recently, fans can expect intense competition.
4. Liverpool vs. Real Madrid
In a matchup that has become a staple of the Champions League, Liverpool will welcome Real Madrid to Anfield. The Reds managed to break an eight-game winless streak against the Spanish giants last season, and the atmosphere promises to be electric as they seek to build on that momentum.
5. Barcelona vs. Paris Saint-Germain
The Ousmane Dembele derby awaits as Barcelona hosts Paris Saint-Germain in a match that has historically produced high-scoring encounters. With nearly 30 goals scored in their last six meetings, this fixture is likely to be a spectacle of attacking football.
When does the 2025-26 Champions League league phase start?
The 2025-26 Champions League league phase will begin on September 16 and will conclude with the final round of matches on January 28, 2026, when all 36 teams will be in action on the same evening.
2025-26 Champions League league phase draw in full
Ajax: Inter Milan (home), Chelsea (away), Benfica (home), Villarreal (away), Olympiacos (home), Marseille (away), Galatasaray (home), Qarabag (away)
Arsenal: Bayern Munich (home), Inter Milan (away), Atletico Madrid (home), Club Brugge (away), Olympiacos (home), Slavia Prague (away), Kairat Almaty (home), Athletic Bilbao (away)
Atalanta BC: Chelsea (home), Paris St-Germain (away), Club Brugge (home), Eintracht Frankfurt (away), Slavia Prague (home), Marseille (away), Athletic Bilbao (home), Union SG (away)
Athletic Bilbao: Paris Saint-Germain (home), Borussia Dortmund (away), Arsenal (home), Atalanta BC (away), Sporting Lisbon (home), Slavia Prague (away), Qarabag (home), Newcastle United (away)
Atletico Madrid: Inter Milan (home), Liverpool (away), Eintracht Frankfurt (home), Arsenal (away), Bodo/Glimt (home), PSV Eindhoven (away), Union SG (home), Galatasaray (away)
Barcelona: Paris St-Germain (home), Chelsea (away), Eintracht Frankfurt (home), Club Brugge (away), Olympiacos (home), Slavia Prague (away), Copenhagen (home), Newcastle United (away)
Bayer Leverkusen: Paris St-Germain (home), Manchester City (away), Villarreal (home), Benfica (away), PSV Eindhoven (home), Olympiacos (away), Newcastle (home), Copenhagen (away)
Bayern Munich: Chelsea (home), Paris St-Germain (away), Club Brugge (home), Arsenal (away), Sporting (home), PSV (away), Union SG (home), Pafos (away)
Benfica: Real Madrid (home), Chelsea (away), Bayer Leverkusen (home), Juventus (away), Napoli (home), Ajax (away), Qarabag (home), Newcastle (away)
Bodo/Glimt: Man City (home), Borussia Dortmund (away), Juventus (home), Atletico Madrid (away), Tottenham Hotspur (home), Slavia Prague (away), Monaco (home), Galatasaray (away)
Borussia Dortmund: Inter Milan (home), Manchester City (away), Villarreal (home), Juventus (away), Bodo/Glimt (home), Tottenham (away), Athletic Bilbao (home), Copenhagen (away)
Chelsea: Barcelona (home), Bayern Munich (away), Benfica (home), Atalanta (away), Ajax (home), Napoli (away), Pafos (home), Qarabag (away)
Club Brugge: Barcelona (home), Bayern Munich (away), Arsenal (home), Atalanta (away), Marseille (home), Sporting (away), Monaco (home), Kairat Almaty (away)
Copenhagen: Borussia Dortmund (home), Barcelona (away), Bayer Leverkusen (home), Villarreal (away), Napoli (home), Tottenham Hotspur (away), Kairat (home), Qarabag (away)
Eintracht Frankfurt: Liverpool (home), Barcelona (away), Atalanta (home), Atletico Madrid (away) Tottenham (home), Napoli (away), Galatasaray (home), Qarabag (away)
Galatasaray: Liverpool (home), Manchester City (away), Atletico Madrid (home), Eintracht Frankfurt (away), Bodo/Glimt (home), Ajax (away), Union SG (home), Monaco (away)
Inter Milan: Liverpool (home), Borrusia Dortmund (away), Arsenal (home), Atletico Madrid (away), Slavia Prague (home), Ajax (away), Kairat Almaty (home), Union SG (away)
Juventus: Borussia Dortmund (home), Real Madrid (away), Benfica (home), Villarreal (away), Sporting (home), Bogo Glimt (away), Pafos (home), Monaco (away)
Kairat: Real Madrid (home), Inter Milan (away), Club Brugge (home), Arsenal (away), Olympiacos (home), Sporting Lisbon (away), Pafos (home), Copenhagen (away)
Liverpool: Real Madrid (home), Inter Milan (away), Atletico Madrid (home), Eintracht Frankfurt (away), PSV Eindhoven (home), Marseille (away), Qarabag (home), Galatasaray (away)
Manchester City: Borussia Dortmund (home), Real Madrid (away), Bayer Leverkusen (home), Villarreal (away), Napoli (home), Bodo/Glimt (away), Galatasaray (home), Monaco (away)
Marseille: Liverpool (home), Real Madrid (away), Atalanta BC (home), Club Brugge (away), Ajax (home), Sporting Lisbon (away), Newcastle United (home), Union SG (away)
Monaco: Manchester City (home), Real Madrid (away), Juventus (home), Club Brugge (away), Tottenham Hotspur (home), Bodo/Glimt (away), Galatasaray (home), Pafos (away)
Napoli: Chelsea (home), Manchester City (away), Eintracht Frankfurt (home), Benfica (away), Sporting Lisbon (home), PSV Eindhoven (away), Qarabag (home), Copenhagen (away)
Newcastle United: Barcelona (home), Paris Saint-Germain (away), Benfica (home), Bayer Leverkusen (away), PSV Eindhoven (home), Marseille (away), Athletic Bilbao (home), Union SG (away)
Olympiacos: Real Madrid (home), Barcelona (away), Bayer Leverkusen (home), Arsenal (away), PSV Eindhoven (home), Ajax (away), Pafos (home), Kairat (away)
Pafos: Bayern Munich (home), Chelsea (away), Villarreal (home), Juventus (away), Slavia Prague (home), Olympiacos (away), Monaco (home), Kairat (away)
Paris Saint-Germain: Bayern Munich (home), Barcelona (away), Atalanta (home), Bayer Leverkusen (away), Tottenham Hotspur (home), Sporting (away), Newcastle United (home), Athletic Club (away)
PSV Eindhoven: Bayern Munich (home), Liverpool (away), Atletico Madrid (home), Bayer Leverkusen (away), Napoli (home), Olympiacos (away), Union Saint-Gilloise (home), Newcastle United (away)
Qarabag: Chelsea (home), Liverpool (away), Eintracht Frankfurt (home), Benfica (away), Ajax (home), Napoli (away), Copenhagen (home), Athletic Bilbao (away)
Real Madrid: Manchester City (home), Liverpool (away), Juventus (home), Benfica (away), Marseille (home), Olympiacos (away), Monaco (home), Kairat Almaty (away)
Slavia Prague: Barcelona (home), Inter Milan (away), Arsenal (home), Atalanta BC (away), Bodo/Glimt (home), Tottenham Hotspur (away), Athletic Bilbao (home), Pafos (away)
Sporting Lisbon: Paris Saint-Germain (home), Bayern Munich (away), Club Brugge (home), Juventus (away), Olympiacos (home), Napoli (away), Kairat (home), Athletic Bilbao (away)
Tottenham Hotspur: Borussia Dortmund (home), Paris Saint-Germain (away), Villarreal (home), Eintracht Frankfurt (away), Slavia Prague (home), Bodo/Glimt (away), Copenhagen (home), Monaco (away)
Union SG: Inter Milan (home), Bayern Munich (away), Atalanta BC (home), Atletico Madrid (away), Marseille (home), PSV Eindhoven (away), Newcastle United (home), Galatasaray (away)
Villarreal: Manchester City (home), Borussia Dortmund (away), Juventus (home), Bayer Leverkusen (away), Ajax (home), Tottenham (away), Copenhagen (home), Pafos (away)
