Champions League excitement continues to build with the official league phase draw set for Thursday in Monaco, marking the dawn of a fresh era with the expanded 36-team Swiss model format. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain headline Pot 1, joined by powerhouses like Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, and Barcelona. English clubs make a strong showing, with six representatives including Arsenal, who are in Pot 2 with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United rounding out Pot 4 thanks to strong domestic finishes and European success last season. Spanish clubs have five qualifiers, including both Barcelona and Real Madrid, while familiar faces from across Europe such as Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, and Ajax will line up across the pots.
The final spots for this season’s Champions League are being decided in tense playoff rounds. Kazakhstan's Kairat, Cyprus' Pafos, and Norway’s Bodo/Glimt are making headlines as they chase first-ever group-stage appearances. Bodo/Glimt look poised to advance after a dominant 5-0 win in their first leg, while Kairat and Pafos face stern competition with aggregate scores finely balanced against Celtic and Red Star Belgrade respectively. Club Brugge, Benfica, Fenerbahce, Copenhagen, and Basel are also fighting for their places, adding jeopardy and excitement ahead of Thursday’s draw.
In the Premier League, Liverpool pulled off a thrilling 3-2 victory away at Newcastle United, with Mohamed Salah pivotal and in fine form. Looking ahead, matches this weekend feature key clashes such as Liverpool versus Arsenal at Anfield and Brighton taking on Manchester City, both of which will be closely watched as early benchmarks for the title race. In Serie A, Inter Milan kicked off their campaign against Torino, while La Liga’s storied clubs start the weekend aiming to set the early pace and evaluate their summer signings.
There’s also notable off-field buzz, with rumors swirling around potential late-summer transfers. While the window nears its close, attention focuses on whether big names might make moves, especially with Real Madrid and Manchester United reportedly still shopping for attacking reinforcements amidst injury concerns and recent stumbles.
No major controversy has erupted in the last day, but all eyes remain on UEFA’s newly automated draw process designed to streamline club allocations and keep fans on edge. For the women’s game, the Champions League is also debuting a new format, promising even greater excitement as the top clubs from around Europe gear up for a fresh campaign.
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