Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd get blockbuster reunions as Champions League draw simulated

There is significant Premier League interest in this week's Champions League draw and at least one of Arsenal , Manchester City , Manchester United , Aston Villa and Liverpool is likely to face a humdinger of a league phase match. All five teams will represent England in this season's competition, with the strong showing from English clubs last season ensuring an extra spot.

The Champions League league phase draw will take place on Thursday August 27 at 6pm CET (5pm UK time). Match dates and kick-off times will be confirmed by Saturday at the latest, with the first league phase matches to be held on September 8.

As has been the case since the competition brought in its new league phase system, every club will take on two opponents seeded in pot one, two from pot two, two from pot three and two from pot four. That makes for some high-profile match-ups early on, for example the October 2024 clash between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, two teams who would end up meeting again in the semi-finals that season.

We have simulated the entire league phase draw to bring up a potential set of fixtures for the 2026/27 edition of the tournament. It has brought up some huge match-ups, including a number of opportunities for revenge after high-profile recent clashes.

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One of the stand-out results of last season's Champions League league phase was Arsenal's 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid . Our simulation has thrown up a rematch at the Emirates Stadium in gameweek two, with the Gunners also handed a trip to the Parc des Princes to take on Paris Saint-Germain in a repeat of the 2025/26 final.

Mikel Arteta's side will take on Porto and Real Betis from pot two and Napoli and Shakhtar from pot three. The latter will be a relatively short trip, with the Ukrainian side playing their home games at Stamford Bridge this term.

TNT Sports broadcasts select Premier League fixtures throughout the 2026/27 season and fans can stream each one on HBO Max and the TNT Sports Prime Video channel. A monthly subscription also includes select Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup games.

They also have a reunion with Cesc Fabregas' Como, who are making their Champions League debut and are in pot four. Our simulator was used before the second legs of the play-off matches, but pits the London side against the winner of AEK Athens vs Levski Sofia as their other pot four match-up.

Enzo Maresca's first Champions League match as Manchester City boss is a big one if our simulator gets it right. It's got them heading to the Bernabeu to face Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid on the first matchday, with Barcelona - in gameweek three - their other pot one opponents.

The pot two opponents are Sporting CP - who beat them in Lisbon when Ruben Amorim was manager - and Borussia Dortmund . From pot three, they're given Feyenoord and Bodo/Glimt.

Maresca's team are also predicted to take on LASK after their historic play-off comeback win against Celtic.