Champions League Nights are back with blockbuster matchups
Highlights from the Champions League Draw
The UEFA Champions League returns for its 71st season, with the champions league draw held last night in Monaco. Yesterday marked exactly 90 days since Paris Saint-Germain lifted the most prestigious club trophy in the world for the very first time.
What a final it turned out to be! Les Parisiens ran riot in Munich, shredding the Italian giants and humiliating last season’s meanest defence with a breathtaking 5–0 demolition at the Allianz Arena.
At 18:00 CET yesterday in Monaco, the fixtures for this season’s UCL campaign were unveiled — serving up breathtaking clashes for fans and reigniting some of football’s fiercest rivalries. The draw began with UEFA presenting two awards to Chelsea, honouring them as the only club to have secured every European trophy across both their men’s and youth teams. Zlatan Ibrahimović was also honoured with the UEFA President’s Award in recognition of his remarkable career.
Adding glitz and star power to the night, football icons Kaká and Zlatan Ibrahimović stepped into the spotlight to conduct the draw, their presence underscoring the grandeur of Europe’s biggest club competition. On one side stood Kaká, the Brazilian genius and 2007 Ballon d’Or winner, remembered for his dazzling years with AC Milan and Real Madrid. Beside him was Ibrahimović, the Swedish colossus whose career spanned the greatest stages of the game — Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, Milan, PSG, Manchester United — a man who turned goals into art and left his mark wherever he played.
- Paris St-Germain
- Real Madrid
- Man City
- Bayern Munchen
- Liverpool
- Inter Milano
- Chelsea
- Borrusia Dortmund
- Barcelona
The names drawn from the pots read like a roll call of European royalty. Paris Saint-Germain, fresh from finally breaking their curse to lift a maiden Champions League crown, arrived not as hopefuls but as defending champions.
Real Madrid, the eternal kings of the competition, stood poised to chase what would be an unprecedented 15th title. Last season, Los Blancos fell short of their own sky-high standards, bowing out at the semi-final stage, a rare stumble for a club so accustomed to ruling Europe. Now, a new chapter begins under Xabi Alonso — a beloved former midfield general and Champions League winner with the club — whose appointment as manager has rekindled both nostalgia and optimism in Madrid. For fans, it feels like destiny: one of their own returning to restore the aura of invincibility.
Manchester City, Guardiola’s modern-day juggernaut, carried the weight of ambition to cement a dynasty after rewriting Premier League history. Yet last season was far from their best — City stuttered in Europe, surrendering their crown earlier than expected and finishing the campaign under a cloud of inconsistency. That disappointment has only sharpened their resolve. Over the summer, Guardiola has moved decisively in the transfer market, bolstering key areas with fresh talent to restore balance and depth, ensuring City return not just hungry, but rearmed for another assault on Europe’s greatest prize.
Bayern München, six-time European champions and the iron fist of German football, remained ever-present contenders.
Liverpool, with six European Cups of their own and a reputation for drama on the grandest nights, return eager to rekindle old rivalries. Last season brought both triumph and heartbreak — the Reds finally reclaimed the Premier League crown, their first since 2020, after a relentless domestic campaign that showcased Jürgen Klopp’s rebuilt side at its best, under new manager Arne Slot. Yet in Europe, their journey ended earlier than they hoped, bowing out to eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain in the knockout stages. That blend of pride and disappointment fuels their return to the Champions League this year, as they look to combine domestic dominance with a renewed push for continental glory.
Inter Milano, three-time winners and true icons of Serie A, arrived carrying echoes of Italy’s rich footballing glory. Last season, the Nerazzurri made a stirring run all the way to the Champions League final, their second in just three years, showcasing grit, tactical discipline, and flashes of brilliance that rekindled memories of their golden eras. But their dream ended in heartbreak, as they fell to Paris Saint-Germain in a decisive showdown, denied a fourth European crown. The heartbreak was compounded in the summer by the departure of Simone Inzaghi, the architect of their recent resurgence. His exit marked the end of an era, leaving Inter not only to chase redemption on the pitch but also to adapt to a new chapter off it. With a proud history behind them and the pain of near-misses fresh in memory, the Nerazzurri step into this season driven by unfinished business.
Chelsea, England’s modern European force and the only club in the nation to have conquered every continental trophy, once again added their name to the mix. Last season was one of turbulence at Stamford Bridge, marked by inconsistency in the league, but a strong finish to their season saw them qualify for this season’s UEFA Champions League. They made a memorable season by lifting the FIFA Club World Cup over the summer to complete football’s rarest collection of honours.
Borussia Dortmund, the vibrant German club famed for their Yellow Wall and their 1997 Champions League triumph, once again embodied youthful fire and fearless ambition. Yet last season was a rollercoaster, defined by inconsistency both domestically and in Europe. A string of uneven performances left their top-four hopes hanging in the balance, and a mid-season managerial change only added to the turbulence. But true to Dortmund’s spirit, the squad dug deep in the closing stretch, rallying against the odds to secure Champions League qualification. That resilience, combined with their trademark mix of fearless young stars and passionate support, ensures they remain one of the competition’s most unpredictable and dangerous forces.
And Barcelona, the Catalan giants whose golden eras defined an entire generation of football through Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta, once again set out in pursuit of redemption and revival on Europe’s grandest stage. Last season was another bitter pill to swallow: their campaign ended in disappointment after being edged out by Inter Milan, exposing both their frailties and the growing gap between Barça and Europe’s very elite. Yet amid the frustration, a beacon of hope emerged in the form of Lamine Yamal. The teenage prodigy lit up the season with fearless performances beyond his years, dazzling fans with pace, flair, and an instinct for the big moments. Now hailed as the new jewel of La Masia, Yamal carries the weight of Barcelona’s future on his young shoulders, embodying both the promise of tomorrow and the urgency of restoring the club to the summit of European football.
With such thrilling fixtures destined to ignite Europe’s iconic arenas, fans can be sure there will be no shortage of drama and intrigue — especially as the remaining ties from the other pots were unveiled.
“Another season of intrigue and excitement awaits football fans, and with the domestic campaigns already in full swing, all eyes now turn to the first round of Champions League clashes following the conclusion of the international break.
