Ten storylines from the Champions League league phase draw and games to look out for

The draw for the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League has been made and once again has spawned plenty of intriguing storylines and mouth-watering match-ups.

We pick out ten of the headline-makers and the games to keep an eye on.

Kick-offs are 21:00 unless stated; all times CET.

1) Reunions aplenty for Barcelona

Blaugrana midfielder Rodri may have thought he had seen everything in a trophy-laden career with Manchester City, but even the Spanish linchpin probably could not have envisaged a visit from his former club being the first game revealed in the draw for Barcelona.

It was a similar story for Como coach Cesc Fàbregas and Paris Saint-Germain striker Ferran Torres. Catalonia-born Fàbregas made more than 150 appearances for the Spanish champions from 2011–14 and the first assignment revealed in Como's Champions League history was a date at the Camp Nou. Torres' history with Barcelona is somewhat more recent – he only left for the current European champions 12 days before this season's league phase draw.

Games to watch out for
Matchday 3: Paris vs Barcelona 
Matchday 6: Barcelona vs Man City
Matchday 8: Barcelona vs Como

2) Mourinho returns to scenes of former glory

José Mourinho's second spell as Real Madrid coach will begin with a Champions League quest steeped in personal history. A home date with Inter on Matchday 1 is arguably the pick of the games – and memories – for Mourinho, who conquered Europe with the Italian outfit by beating Bayern 2-0 at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in 2010.

Mourinho lost five of his six games against Inter as Roma coach and he will hope to fare better, and receive a hero's welcome, when he heads to the Italian capital to face the side he led to Conference League glory in 2021/22. Stamford Bridge, arguably the Portuguese's spiritual home, will also evoke happy memories when the former Chelsea coach returns there to face Shakhtar Donetsk, who are playing their home league phase matches at the London venue.

Games to watch out for
Matchday 1: Real Madrid vs Inter
Matchday 2: Roma vs Real Madrid
Matchday 8: Shakhtar vs Real Madrid

3) Bayern and Roma offer Carrick contrasting emotions

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick spent 12 years at the club as a player and, as a key component of Sir Alex Ferguson's swashbuckling outfit, he was often involved in the biggest games in Europe's elite club competition. Needless to say, his previous adversaries featured heavily in the draw, with Bayern München and Roma the standout sides heading to Old Trafford.

United suffered an Arjen Robben-inspired elimination by Bayern in front of their own fans in 2010 and another quarter-final elimination against them four years later. Carrick's last-eight meetings with Roma were a different story, though, United coming through in both 2006/07 and 2007/08 – the first of those being a career highlight for Carrick as he scored twice in a famous 7-1 second-leg masterclass. Sporting CP also succumbed home and away to United in Carrick's playing days, with a certain Cristiano Ronaldo playing a decisive role each time.

Games to watch out for
Matchday 4: Man United vs Roma
Matchday 5: Sporting CP vs Man United
Matchday 7: Man United vs Bayern

4) German victims next on the list for Bodø/Glimt?

The 2025/26 campaign was a break-out one in the Champions League for Bodø/Glimt as their five-game winning run against Manchester City, Atlético de Madrid, Inter (twice) and Sporting CP took them deep into the competition. With English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese side dispatched last season, who would bet against a German club being next?

Bodø/Glimt have never beaten a Bundesliga outfit in Europe, which could be bad news for league phase opponents Dortmund and Bayern München as both will be firmly in the sights of Kjetil Knutsen's men. However, the hunter could become the hunted when Atleti head to Aspmyra Stadion on Matchday 7, hoping to avenge last season's reverse in Madrid.

Games to watch out for
Matchday 1: Bayern vs Bodø/Glimt
Matchday 2: Bodø/Glimt vs Dortmund 
Matchday 7: Bodø/Glimt vs Atleti (18:45)

5) New names pitted against European heavyweights

As if reaching the Champions League proper for the first time in their histories was not remarkable enough, newcomers Sabah, Viking and LASK were then rewarded with plum home ties against former European champions. Dortmund and Barcelona will make the long trip to face Sabah – for the latter, remarkably, this will be their first-ever game against Azerbaijani opponents in Europe – while LASK welcome Liverpool and Porto.

Viking will go two better – they face four clubs who have lifted the European Cup or Champions League trophy in Bayern München, Aston Villa, Feyenoord and PSV. The Norwegian side's impressive play-off victory over GNK Dinamo suggests they will not be overawed. Sabah and Viking will also have a chance to compare notes when they face each other in Stavanger on Matchday 4.

Games to watch out for
Matchday 2: LASK vs Liverpool
Matchday 2: Viking vs Bayern 
Matchday 5: Sabah vs Barcelona (18:45)

6) Fenerbahçe, Slovan Bratislava look to scratch itches

No team faced more pressure in the play-offs than Fenerbahçe. Not only were they up against a highly rated Lyon side but they were trying to advance beyond the qualifying stage for the first time since 2008/09, having failed to get through in nine attempts since. Their impressive 2-1 victory in France ended that painful streak in style – and the likes of Liverpool and Atleti have been warned as the Turkish side look to emulate their run to the last eight in 2007/08.

Slovan Bratislava's last league phase appearance was two years ago, but they have their own ghosts to lay to rest. The Slovakian outfit were beaten in all eight of their matches so are still looking for their first victory at this stage of the competition. Stuttgart were one of the sides to beat them in 2024/25 – will they be the main target for Yaya Touré's charges this time around?

Games to watch out for
Matchday 2: Slovan Bratislava vs Stuttgart
Matchday 4: Fenerbahçe vs Liverpool (18:45)
Matchday 8: Atleti vs Fenerbahçe

7) Holders handed tough league phase draw

Only Real Madrid have won three consecutive titles in the Champions League era, but Paris will have that record on their mind when they start their campaign. Luis Enrique's side have often been slow starters in the league phase, yet they may not be able to afford that luxury with a tricky schedule ahead of them.

Paris host Barcelona – four of the last five games between them have ended in an away win – as well as Roma and Galatasaray. Villarreal and Como present intriguing away days, meanwhile, alongside two English club who have troubled them of late. Manchester City have won four of their six most recent meetings, while Aston Villa nearly knocked them out in the 2024/25 quarter-finals and created plenty of chances in their recent UEFA Super Cup encounter.

Games to watch out for
Matchday 2: Man City vs Paris
Matchday 6: Aston Villa vs Paris
Matchday 8: Paris vs Galatasaray

8) Farioli's roundabout route to success

Francesco Farioli's coaching career could be classed as unorthodox, with the Italian-born trainer yet to actually manage a team in his home country. A goalkeeping coach for much of his early career, notably under Roberto De Zerbi at Sassuolo, he will now experience some familiar surroundings when he leads Porto into the league phase.

Farioli locked horns with PSV and Feyenoord during his year as Ajax coach and he will be reacquainted with them again this term, while Napoli will head to Portugal to give the coach his first taste of Champions League action against a team from his home nation.

Games to watch out for
Matchday 3: Porto vs PSV
Matchday 4: Porto vs Napoli
Matchday 5: Feyenoord vs Porto

9) Home and away hoodoos for Arsenal and Arteta

Arsenal versus Real Madrid is one of the glamour matches of the league phase and the Gunners will be looking forward to the match-up as the Spanish side have never beaten them in this competition (D1 L3). Madrid's most recent loss came in the 2024/25 quarter-finals, when Declan Rice's stunning free-kicks helped Mikel Arteta's men to a 3-0 home win before a 2-1 success in the return.

The upcoming away games for the English champions have less favourable history, however. The Gunners may have beaten Bayern 3-1 in last season's league phase, but they have been eliminated five times by the German giants in the knockout phase since 2004/05. Arteta will not have fond recollections of Napoli either, having been sent off in a 2-0 defeat when lining up in the Arsenal midfield for their Champions League last head to head in 2013.

Games to watch out for
Matchday 1: Napoli vs Arsenal
Matchday 3: Bayern vs Arsenal
Matchday 6: Arsenal vs Real Madrid

10) AEK stars face up to their past

AEK Athens are back in the Champions League proper for the first time since 2018/19, and for the stars of their current crop that means meetings with previous employers and domestic rivals. Striker Luka Jović is perhaps their most famous name and the former Milan, Fiorentina and Real Madrid man has the chance to remind the latter of what might have been when they head to Greece on Matchday 4.

Additionally, Ukrainian international Oleksandr Zubkov will hope his knowledge of former club Shakhtar comes in handy, while experience could be the byword if ex-Beşiktaş veteran Domagoj Vida makes their selection to face Galatasaray.

Games to watch out for
Matchday 2: Shakhtar vs AEK Athens
Matchday 4: AEK Athens vs Real Madrid (18:45)
Matchday 6: AEK Athens vs Galatasaray