Real Madrid will play Liverpool in the Champions League league phase, while Manchester City and Arsenal will both take on Paris Saint-Germain
…Alonso set for Anfield return
…Villa face tough home games
…Ronaldo involved in new draw
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Champions League draw has taken place, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gianluigi Buffon assisting UEFA delegates as the first stage under new rules was plotted out.
There are some hugely attractive games to be played, particularly involving top English sides.
Manchester City face a mouth-watering clash with PSG, as well as a trip to Juventus, while Liverpool will face former midfielder, and fan favourite, Xabi Alonso, when Bayer Leverkusen travel to Anfield.
Along with City, Arsenal will also play PSG, but they will likely be pleased with a draw that also features games against Inter, Shakhtar Donetsk, Atalanta, Dinamo Zagreb, Sporting, Monaco, and surprise package Girona.
Defending champions Real will play both Borussia Dortmund, who have also been drawn against Barcelona, and AC Milan in their other headline fixtures.
WHO HAVE THE BRITISH TEAMS DRAWN?
The British draws are as follows:
Manchester City: Inter Milan (H), PSG (A), Club Brugge (H), Juventus (A), Feyenoord (H), Sporting CP (A), Sparta Praha (H), Slovan Bratislava (A).
Liverpool: Real Madrid (H), RB Leipzig (A), Bayer Leverkusen (H), AC Milan (A), Lille (H), PSV Eindhoven (A), Bologna (H), Girona (A).
Arsenal: PSG (H), Inter (A), Shakhtar (H), Atalanta (A), Dinamo (H), Sporting (A), Monaco (H), Girona (A).
Celtic: RB Leipzig (H), Borussia Dortmund (A), Club Brugge (H), Atalanta (A), Young Boys (H), Dinamo (A), Slovan Bratislava (H), Aston Villa (A).
Aston Villa: Bayern Munich (H), RB Leipzig (A), Juventus (H), Club Brugge (A), Celtic (H), Young Boys (A), Bologna (H), Monaco (A).
WHO WILL THE TOP EUROPEAN TEAMS PLAY?
In addition to champions Real Madrid, here are the respective draws for Barcelona, Bayern, and PSG.
Real Madrid: Borussia Dortmund (H), Liverpool (A), AC Milan (H), Atalanta (A), Salzburg (H), Lille (A), Stuttgart (H), Brest (A).
Barcelona: Bayern Munich (H), Borussia Dortmund (A), Atalanta (H), Benfica (A), Young Boys (H), Crvena Zvezda (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).
PSG: Man City (H), Bayern Munich (A), Atletico Madrid (H), Arsenal (A), PSV (H), Salzburg (A), Girona (H), Stuttgart (A).
WHAT NEXT?
While the draw has been made, the fixtures are not yet scheduled. UEFA will publish the match calendar on Saturday, and the fixtures will begin on week commencing September 16.
Goal.com
