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Champions League draw: Huge matchups on tap starting Sept. 17

Valerio Pennicino - UEFA / UEFA / Getty

A new Champions League era began in earnest Thursday, as the 36 teams taking part in the revamped 2024-25 competition learned their opponents during the first-ever "league phase" draw. The clubs, which are all grouped together in one table - the so-called "Swiss model" that is replacing the old group stage - will each play eight different opponents in the opening round, matchups that were determined by a computer during a ceremony in Monaco. For more on what's different about the Champions League this season, including scheduling and knockout-stage qualification, tap here.

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Pot 1: MADRID | MAN CITY | BAYERN | PSG | LIVERPOOL | INTER | BVB | LEIPZIG | BARCA

Pot 2: LEVERKUSEN | ATLETI | ATALANTA | JUVE | BENFICA | ARSENAL | BRUGGE | SHAKHTAR | MILAN

Pot 3: FEYENOORD | SPORTING | PSV | DINAMO | SALZBURG | LILLE | RED STAR | YOUNG BOYS | CELTIC

Pot 4: SLOVAN | MONACO | SPARTA | VILLA | BOLOGNA | GIRONA | STUTTGART | STURM GRAZ | BREST

Pot 1

The perennial contenders, including reigning champions Real Madrid, were the first to learn their paths to the knockout stage. Unlike in previous years, where the old format meant all the teams in Pot 1 avoided one another in the group stage, the new format creates more parity, with every side being drawn against two opponents from each of the four pots to create their respective eight-match schedule. As a result, teams in Pot 1 knew they would meet their fellow heavyweights off the bat. The holders, for example, face a daunting trip to Anfield to meet Liverpool, along with a clash against Borussia Dortmund in a repeat of last season's final. Elsewhere, Manchester City take on Paris Saint-Germain, while Bayern Munich and Barcelona rekindle their rivalry.

Real Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ

Match Date
vs. Stuttgart Sept. 17
at Lille Oct. 2
vs. Borussia Dortmund Oct. 22
vs. AC Milan Nov. 5
at Liverpool Nov.27
at Atalanta Dec. 10
vs. Red Bull Salzburg Jan. 22
at Brest Jan. 29

Manchester City ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ

Match Date
vs. Inter Milan Sept. 18
at Slovan Bratislava Oct. 1
vs. Sparta Prague Oct. 23
at Sporting CP Nov. 5
vs. Feyenoord Nov. 26
at Juventus Dec. 11
at Paris Saint-Germain Jan. 22
vs. Club Brugge Jan. 29

Bayern Munich ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช

Match Date
vs. Dinamo Zagreb Sept. 17
at Aston Villa Oct. 2
at Barcelona Oct. 23
vs. Benfica Nov. 6
vs. Paris Saint-Germain Nov. 26
at Shakhtar Donetsk Dec. 10
at Feyenoord Jan. 22
vs. Slovan Bratislava Jan. 29

Paris Saint-Germain ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท

Match Date
vs. Girona Sept. 18
at Arsenal Oct. 1
vs. PSV Eindhoven Oct. 22
vs. Atletico Madrid Nov. 6
at Bayern Munich Nov. 26
at Red Bull Salzburg Dec. 10
vs. Manchester City Jan. 22
at Stuttgart Jan. 29

Liverpool ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ

Match Date
at AC Milan Sept. 17
vs. Bologna Oct. 2
at RB Leipzig Oct. 23
vs. Bayer Leverkusen Nov. 5
vs. Real Madrid Nov. 27
at Girona Dec. 10
vs. Lille Jan. 21
at PSV Eindhoven Jan. 29

Inter Milan ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น

Match Date
at Manchester City Sept. 18
vs.ย Crvena Zvezda Oct. 1
at Young Boys Oct. 23
vs. Arsenal Nov. 6
vs. RB Leipzig Nov. 26
at Bayer Leverkusen Dec. 10
at Sparta Prague Jan. 22
vs. AS Monaco Jan. 29

Borussia Dortmund ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช

Match Date
at Club Brugge Sept. 18
vs. Celtic Oct. 1
at Real Madrid Oct. 22
vs. Sturm Graz Nov. 5
at Dinamo Zagreb Nov. 27
vs. Barcelona Dec. 11
at Bologna Jan. 21
vs. Shakhtar Donetsk Jan. 29

RB Leipzig ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช

Match Date
at Atletico Madrid Sept. 19
vs. Juventus Oct. 2
vs. Liverpool Oct. 23
at Celtic Nov. 5
at Inter Milan Nov. 26
vs. Aston Villa Dec. 10
vs. Sporting CP Jan. 22
at Sturm Graz Jan. 29

Barcelona ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ

Match Date
at AS Monaco Sept. 19
vs. Young Boys Oct. 1
vs. Bayern Munich Oct. 23
atย Crvena Zvezda Nov. 6
vs. Brest Nov. 26
at Borussia Dortmund Dec. 11
at Benfica Jan. 21
vs. Atalanta Jan. 29

Pot 2

Bayer Leverkusen, on the back of their record-breaking, nearly flawless 2023-24 campaign, were handed a tough task with their eight matchups. Reigning Europa League holders Atalanta are also slated for some heavyweight tilts, including games against both Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Bayer Leverkusen ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช

Match Date
at Feyenoord Sept. 19
vs. AC Milan Oct. 1
at Brest Oct. 23
at Liverpool Nov. 5
vs. Red Bull Salzburg Nov. 26
vs. Inter Milan Dec. 10
at Atletico Madrid Jan. 21
vs. Sparta Prague Jan. 29

Atletico Madrid ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ

Match Date
vs. RB Leipzig Sept. 19
at Benfica Oct. 2
vs. Lille Oct. 23
at Paris Saint-Germain Nov. 6
at Sparta Prague Nov. 26
vs. Slovan Bratislava Dec. 11
vs. Bayer Leverkusen Jan. 21
at Red Bull Salzburg Jan. 29

Atalanta ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น

Match Date
vs. Arsenal Sept. 19
at Shakhtar Donetsk Oct. 2
vs. Celtic Oct. 23
at Stuttgart Nov. 6
at Young Boys Nov. 26
vs. Real Madrid Dec. 10
vs. Sturm Graz Jan. 21
at Barcelona Jan. 29

Juventus ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น

Match Date
vs. PSV Eindhoven Sept. 17
at RB Leipzig Oct. 2
vs. Stuttgart Oct. 22
at Lille Nov. 5
at Aston Villa Nov. 27
vs. Manchester City Dec. 11
at Club Brugge Jan. 21
vs. Benfica Jan. 29

Benfica ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น

Match Date
at Crvena Zvezda Sept. 19
vs. Atletico Madrid Oct. 2
vs. Feyenoord Oct. 23
at Bayern Munich Nov. 6
at AS Monaco Nov. 27
vs. Bologna Dec. 11
vs. Barcelona Jan. 21
at Juventus Jan. 29

Arsenal ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ

Match Date
at Atalanta Sept. 19
vs. Paris Saint-Germain Oct. 1
vs. Shakhtar Donetsk Oct. 22
at Inter Milan Nov. 6
at Sporting CP Nov. 26
vs. Monaco Dec. 11
vs. Dinamo Zagreb Jan. 22
at Girona Jan. 29

Club Brugge ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ช

Match Date
vs. Borussia Dortmund Sept. 18
at Sturm Graz Oct. 2
at AC Milan Oct. 22
vs. Aston Villa Nov. 6
at Celtic Nov. 27
vs. Sporting CP Dec. 10
vs. Juventus Jan. 21
at Manchester City Jan. 29

Shakhtar Donetsk ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ

Match Date
at Bologna Sept.ย  18
vs. Atalanta Oct. 2
at Arsenal Oct. 22
vs. Young Boys Nov. 6
at PSV Eindhoven Nov. 27
vs. Bayern Munich Dec. 10
vs. Brest Jan. 22
at Borussia Dortmund Jan. 29

AC Milan ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น

Match Date
vs. Liverpool Sept. 17
at Bayer Leverkusen Oct. 1
vs. Club Brugge Oct. 22
at Real Madrid Nov. 5
at Slovan Bratislava Nov. 26
vs. Crvena Zvezda Dec. 11
vs. Girona Jan. 22
at Dinamo Zagreb Jan. 29

Pot 3

Of all the sides who found themselves in Pot 3, Celtic may feel the best about their fixture list right now. Brendan Rodgers' men got paired with arguably the most forgiving possible opponents from Pot 1, and, partly due to the new format, could have a legitimate shot at making the knockout round.

Feyenoord ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฑ

Match Date
vs. Bayer Leverkusen Sept. 19
at Girona Oct. 2
at Benfica Oct. 23
vs. Red Bull Salzburg Nov. 6
at Manchester City Nov. 26
vs. Sparta Prague Dec. 11
vs. Bayern Munich Jan. 22
at Lille Jan. 29

Sporting CP ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น

Match Date
vs. Lille Sept. 17
at PSV Eindhoven Oct. 1
at Sturm Graz Oct. 22
vs. Manchester City Nov. 5
vs. Arsenal Nov. 26
at Club Brugge Dec. 10
at RB Leipzig Jan. 22
vs. Bologna Jan. 29

PSV Eindhoven ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฑ

Match Date
at Juventus Sept. 17
vs. Sporting CP Oct. 1
at Paris Saint-Germain Oct. 22
vs. Girona Nov. 5
vs. Shakhtar Donetsk Nov. 27
at Brest Dec. 10
at Crvena Zvezda Jan. 21
vs. Liverpool Jan. 29

Dinamo Zagreb ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ท

Match Date
at Bayern Munich Sept. 19
vs. AS Monaco Oct. 2
at Red Bull Salzburg Oct. 23
at Slovan Bratislava Nov. 5
vs. Borussia Dortmund Nov. 27
vs. Celtic Dec. 10
at Arsenal Jan. 22
vs. AC Milan Jan. 29

Red Bull Salzburg ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น

Match Date
at Sparta Prague Sept. 18
vs. Brest Oct. 1
vs. Dinamo Zagreb Oct. 23
at Feyenoord Nov. 6
at Bayer Leverkusen Nov. 26
vs. Paris Saint-Germain Dec. 10
at Real Madrid Jan. 22
vs. Atletico Madrid Jan. 29

Lille ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท

Match Date
at Sporting CP Sept. 17
vs. Real Madrid Oct. 2
at Atletico Madrid Oct. 23
vs. Juventus Nov. 5
at Bologna Nov. 27
vs. Sturm Graz Dec. 11
at Liverpool Jan. 21
vs. Feyenoord Jan. 29

Crvena Zvezda ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ธ

Match Date
vs. Benfica Sept. 19
at Inter Milan Oct. 1
at AS Monaco Oct. 22
vs. Barcelona Nov. 6
vs. Stuttgart Nov. 27
at AC Milan Dec. 11
vs. PSV Eindhoven Jan. 21
at Young Boys Jan. 29

Young Boys ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ

Match Date
vs. Aston Villa Sept. 17
at Barcelona Oct. 1
vs. Inter Milan Oct. 23
at Shakhtar Donetsk Nov. 6
vs. Atalanta Nov. 26
at Stuttgart Dec. 11
at Celtic Jan. 22
vs. Crvena Zvezda Jan. 29

Celtic ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ

Match Date
vs. Slovan Bratislava Sept. 18
at Borussia Dortmund Oct. 1
at Atalanta Oct. 23
vs. RB Leipzig Nov. 5
vs. Club Brugge Nov. 27
at Dinamo Zagreb Dec. 10
vs. Young Boys Jan. 22
at Aston Villa Jan. 29

Pot 4

Several of Europe's fairy-tale teams from last season found themselves in Pot 4 on Thursday, with Girona, Bologna, Brest, and Aston Villa all making either long-awaited returns to the competition or their full debuts. Can any of them rediscover the magic that helped get them here?

Slovan Bratislava ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ

Match Date
at Celtic Sept. 18
vs. Manchester City Oct. 1
at Girona Oct. 22
vs. Dinamo Zagreb Nov. 5
vs. AC Milan Nov. 26
at Atletico Madrid Dec. 11
vs. Stuttgart Jan. 21
at Bayern Munich Jan. 29

AS Monaco ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท

Match Date
vs. Barcelona Sept. 19
at Dinamo Zagreb Oct. 2
vs.ย Crvena Zvezda Oct. 22
at Bologna Nov. 5
vs. Benfica Nov. 27
at Arsenal Dec. 11
vs. Aston Villa Jan. 21
at Inter Milan Jan 29

Sparta Prague ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ

Match Date
vs. Red Bull Salzburg Sept. 18
at Stuttgart Oct. 10
at Manchester City Oct. 23
vs. Brest Nov. 6
vs. Atletico Madrid Nov. 26
at Feyenoord Dec. 11
vs. Inter Milan Jan. 22
at Bayer Leverkusen Jan. 29

Aston Villa ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ

Match Date
at Young Boys Sept. 17
vs. Bayern Munich Oct. 2
vs. Bologna Oct. 22
at Club Brugge Nov. 6
vs. Juventus Nov. 27
at RB Leipzig Dec. 10
at AS Monaco Jan. 21
vs. Celtic Jan. 29

Bologna ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น

Match Date
vs. Shakhtar Donetsk Sept. 18
at Liverpool Oct. 2
at Aston Villa Oct. 22
vs. AS Monaco Nov. 5
vs. Lille Nov. 27
at Benfica Dec. 11
vs. Borussia Dortmund Jan. 21
at Sporting CP Jan. 29

Girona ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ

Match Date
at Paris Saint-Germain Sept. 18
vs. Feyenoord Oct. 2
vs. Slovan Bratislava Oct. 22
at PSV Eindhoven Nov. 5
at Sturm Graz Nov. 27
vs. Liverpool Dec. 10
at AC Milan Jan. 22
vs. Arsenal Jan. 29

VfB Stuttgart ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช

Match Date
at Real Madrid Sept. 17
vs. Sparta Prague Oct. 1
at Juventus Oct. 22
vs. Atalanta Nov. 6
at Crvena Zvezda Nov. 27
vs. Young Boys Dec. 11
at Slovan Bratislava Jan. 21
vs. Paris Saint-Germain Jan. 29

Sturm Graz ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น

Match Date
at Brest Sept. 19
vs. Club Brugge Oct. 2
vs. Sporting CP Oct. 22
at Borussia Dortmund Nov. 5
vs. Girona Nov. 27
at Lille Dec. 11
at Atalanta Jan. 21
vs. RB Leipzig Jan. 29

Brest ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท

Match Date
vs. Sturm Graz Sept. 19
at Red Bull Salzburg Oct. 1
vs. Bayer Leverkusen Oct. 23
at Sparta Prague Nov. 6
at Barcelona Nov. 26
vs. PSV Eindhoven Dec. 10
at Shakhtar Donetsk Jan. 22
vs. Real Madrid Jan. 29

This season's Champions League, the 70th edition of Europe's elite club competition, begins with Matchday 1 on Sept. 17.

The tournament culminates with the final May 31 at the Allianz Arena, home of German giants Bayern Munich.

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