Champions League draw LIVE: Fixtures CONFIRMED as Arsenal land dream ties while Liverpool dealt tough opponents – latest
THE Champions League is back - and it's here with a sparkling new format and MORE teams than ever before!
Premier League sides Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool and Aston Villa have learnt their league phase fates - a brand-new component of Europe's elite club competition.
Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane will return to England with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich as the head to Liverpool and Villa respectively.
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Find out all the latest reaction from the Champions League draw with our live blog below...
Ron and only
Supporters have been left in hysterics after spotting Cristiano Ronaldo's bored look during the Champions League draw.
It's safe to say he was not the most thrilled by the new format as he was given the job as "chief button presser".
Rigged draw?
Fans have their doubts about the new Champions League draw after AI paired all the teams together.
One said: "We've got a Champions League draw being done by a 'supercomputer'. Games gone."
Push the button
Cristiano Ronaldo was given the task of pushing that magic button that paired teams with each other in seconds.
The AI-generated draw was a success - nothing went wrong and it moved at a startling pace.
Although it did take them 30 minutes to actually begin the draw.
Credit: AP
PSG's nightmare
Every since the Qataris invested in PSG, it has been their aim to win the Champions League.
And they are going to have to do it the hard way this year because they have been dealt a tough league phase line-up.
Four fellow elite sides and some of the stronger so-called "weaker" teams.
Man City (H) Bayern Munich (A) Atletico (H) Arsenal (A) PSV (H) RB Salzburg (A) Girona (H) Stuttgart (A)
Villa's long-awaited return
Aston Villa last played a Champions League match in 1982/83.
And their fixture list for the new "league phase" will gets fans even more thrilled for the return of Europe's elite club competition.
Bayern Munich, Juventus, Celtic all come to Villa Park, with the atmosphere those three nights set to be off the scale.
There's also surely a belief amongst supporters that Unai Emery's men can progress too.
Juventus aren't quite what they have been in the past and they will massively fancy their chances in games like Club Brugge (A), Celtic (H), Young Boys (A), Bologna (H) and Monaco (A).
Blockbuster ties for Liverpool
Liverpool fans' excitement will be through the roof.
The holders Real Madrid and their former player Xabi Alonso will bring German champions Bayer Leverkusen to Anfield.
Away from home, RB Leipzig and Milan are their toughest challenges.
There is surely belief in Arne Slot's camp that they can finish in the top eight.
City will be confident
Just like his old pal Mikel Arteta - Pep Guardiola will be happy with that.
A repeat of the 2023 final against Inter followed by a trip to PSG and Juventus are not easy.
But aside from that it's pretty tough to see them dropping points to the likes of Club Brugge (H), Feyenoord (H), Sporting (A), Sparta Praha (H) and Slovan Bratislava (A).
City will believe they are in with a strong chance of finishing in the top eight of the huge 36-team league.
Arsenal get dream draw
Arsenal will be very happy with the fixtures dealt to them by the AI.
PSG at home is tough but in front of their own fans it is winnable.
A trip to San Siro to face Inter is difficult and away at Atalanta should not be underestimated.
But Shakhtar, Dinamo Zagreb and Monaco at the Emirates is as good as it can get.
Sporting and Girona away complete the line-up.
Arsenal will fancy their chances at being in the top eight and being seeded for the last-16.
Aston Villa's UCL comeback
Coming up for Liverpool
Man City's opponents
Arsenal's draw
Pot 4 comfirmed
Here are the pot 4 fixtures.
Villa get incredible matches to look forward to.
The AI has not been kind to Slovan Bratislava and Sparta Prague.
Villa's fixtures confirmed
What an incredible return to the Champions League for Villa.
Giants like Bayern and Juve are coming to Birmingham, as are Celtic for a battle of Britain.
There's a nice away day at Monaco thrown in too.
Bayern Munich (H), RB Leipzig (A), Juventus (H), Club Brugge (A), Celtic (H), Young Boys (A), Bologna (H), Monaco (A).
Pot 3 fixtures
Aston Villa vs Celtic grabs the headlines from pot 3.
It's looking tough for several of these sides - especially Feyenoord, Salzburg and Lille.
Trips to Lisbon for Prem duo
Both Man City and Arsenal will play Sporting in Portugal.
Aston Villa vs Celtic
What a game this is going to be. WOW!
Feyenoord head to the Etihad
The Dutch giants will be coming to Manchester.
Tough draw for Lille
Best of luck - they may need it:
Real Madrid (H), Liverpool (A), Juventus (H), Atletico (A), Feyenoord (H), Sporting CP (A), Sturm Graz (H), Bologna (A).
Young Boys vs Villa
Unai Emery's side will head to Switzerland.
Pot two fixtures
Here is where we are after pot two.
Arsenal's dream draw steals the show.
But spare a thought for Club Brugge - a tough lineup from pot two.
Juve coming to Villa Park
Juventus will face Man City at home and Aston Villa away.
Juve's line-up: Man City (H), Leipzig (A), Benfica (H), Club Brugge (A), PSV (H), Lille (A), Stuttgart (H) and Aston Villa (A).
Arsenal's fixtures confirmed
It's a DREAM DRAW for Arsenal.
PSG (H), Inter (A), Shakhtar (H), Atalanta (A), Dinamo Zagreb (H), Sporting (A), Monaco (H), Girona (A).
Alonso heading to Anfield
Bayer Leverkusen are out next and we get confirmation that Xabi Alonso will be on his way back to Liverpool.
The nearly undefeated boys get: Inter (H), Liverpool (A), Atletico (A), Milan (H), Salzburg (H), Feyenoord (A), Sparta Prague (H), Brest (A).
City and Villa get Club Brugge
The Belgians will travel to Man City.
Aston Villa will be making the short trip across the Channel.