Champions League schedule levels, ranked: Real Madrid, Man City have it easy; PSG faces a difficult path in a new format

The UEFA Champions League may have a new format, but the luck of the draw is a constant, as was evident from Thursday’s first draw in the competition phase for the 36 teams taking part in the competition this season.

The new format means that every team will have at least one big match during the league phase, but even then some teams came out of the draw happier than others. A handful of European heavyweights emerged relatively unscathed, including two teams that arguably didn’t need the help: Real Madrid and Manchester City, the favorites to win this season’s competition.

For most, however, the draw offered a combination of must-win games and games where the odds are stacked against them, with the balance being more difficult for some than others. That includes Paris Saint-Germain, who have attracted some of the best teams in both Pot 1 and Pot 2 and will have a lot to prove as they map out life after Kylian Mbappe.

As the start of the league phase approaches, here is a ranking of each team’s route to the knockout stages of the Champions League.

A piece of cake

• Arsenal
• Barcelona
• Juventus
• Manchester city
• Real Madrid

These teams are poised to be the oddsmakers’ favorites in each of their matches, which comes less of a surprise for City and Real Madrid and more of a surprise for the rest as the new format brings a tough schedule to a real opportunity for every team in the competition. . The match between Real Madrid and Liverpool will attract a lot of attention, but it is still a game for the reigning champions to lose. As for Arsenal, their games against PSG and Inter could present some challenges but they should be able to handle them, while Barcelona will be grateful that their toughest match could come against a Bayern Munich team under new leadership. Juventus returns to the Champions League with a showdown against City, but otherwise has some very winnable matches.

It might start to sweat

• Bayern Munich
• Borussia Dortmund
• Liverpool

This trio will be mostly happy with their draws, but a few tough matches could complicate matters if they clinch a spot in the knockouts. Bayern’s toughest matches will come against PSG and Barcelona, ​​which will be a serious test of Vincent Kompany’s managerial abilities in his first high-profile job. Liverpool are in similar territory: a game against Real Madrid will be tough, while most other games are winnable, but a game against Bayer Leverkusen could be an important assessment of Arne Slot’s managerial qualities. Borussia Dortmund will also be happy with the majority of their schedule, but their games against Barcelona and Real Madrid will present some challenges.

Central toss

• Atletico Madrid
• Bayer Leverkusen
• Below
• RB Leipzig

These teams definitely have the ability to take the top 24 places in the league stage, but they were involved in matches that could go either way and will be real showcases of their current form. What is also unique about this group of teams is that they will have to take points from each other. Most of them play against two teams in this category, while Leverkusen has to play against three teams. Leverkusen’s schedule in particular will serve as a litmus test after their record-breaking season, but every team in this group will be keen to break into the elite rather than be labeled as a mid-table Champions League team.

Time to worry

• AC Milan
• Atalana
• Benfica
• ClubBruges
• Paris Saint Germain
• Shaktar Donetsk

These teams end up here through a combination of questions about their own qualities and the rough draw they were handed. PSG will undoubtedly feel the brunt of the draw, which reads more like a list of Champions League hopefuls than early-stage showdowns: Manchester City, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid. AC Milan, meanwhile, will be underdogs against Real Madrid and Liverpool, but amid a poor start to the season they will have to prove they have what it takes against the likes of Leverkusen and Girona. The other four may not have enough to progress, especially as their schedules include matches against three of Europe’s top teams.