Showdown at Anfield — Alexander-Arnold Reunion Confirmed
- Liverpool have been drawn against Real Madrid, setting the stage for a dramatic return of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Anfield — now as a Real Madrid player (The Guardian, Sports Mole, LFC Live).
- The right-back’s departure from Liverpool was controversial, and his return is expected to bring a charged atmosphere, possibly a frosty reception from fans (Sports Mole, RTE, The Telegraph).
Premier League Clubs’ Opponents at a Glance
Under the new 36-team league-phase format, each club faces eight different opponents, playing one match at home and one away against two teams from each pot (The Guardian, NBC Sports, Wikipedia).
Liverpool:
- Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Atlético Madrid, Eintracht Frankfurt, PSV, Marseille, Qarabag, Galatasaray (NBC Sports, The Guardian).
Arsenal:
- Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Atlético Madrid, Club Brugge, Olympiakos, Slavia Prague, Kairat Almaty, Athletic Bilbao (NBC Sports).
Manchester City:
- Real Madrid, Napoli, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Villarreal, Bodo/Glimt, Galatasaray, Monaco (NBC Sports, Manchester City FC).
Chelsea:
- Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Atalanta, Ajax, Napoli, Pafos, Qarabag (NBC Sports).
Tottenham Hotspur:
- PSG, Borussia Dortmund, Villarreal, Eintracht Frankfurt, Slavia Prague, Bodo/Glimt, Copenhagen, Monaco (NBC Sports).
Newcastle United:
- PSG, Barcelona, Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen, PSV, Marseille, Athletic Bilbao, Union Saint-Gilloise (NBC Sports).
Format & Context
- The new league-phase format replaces the traditional group stage. All teams compete in a single league table, and each plays eight different opponents — one home game and one away — drawn from four seeding pots (Wikipedia, The Guardian, The Short Fuse).
- The top eight progress directly to the Round of 16; teams ranked 9–24 enter playoff rounds, while the bottom eight teams are eliminated (Wikipedia, The Short Fuse).
Quick Summary Table
| Club | Notable Opponents | Special Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | Real Madrid, Inter, Atlético, Marseille, PSV… | Alexander-Arnold returns to Anfield |
| Arsenal | Bayern, Inter, Atlético, Club Brugge, Kairat… | Tough but manageable pool |
| Man City | Real Madrid, Napoli, Dortmund, Leverkusen… | Reunion with De Bruyne’s Napoli at Etihad |
| Chelsea | Barcelona, Bayern, Benfica, Atalanta, Ajax… | Return to UCL with a blockbuster group |
| Tottenham | PSG, Dortmund, Villarreal, Frankfurt… | High-profile European return |
| Newcastle | PSG, Barcelona, Benfica, Leverkusen… | Another challenging group |
Let me know if you’d like a deeper breakdown of any team’s schedule, key matchups, or how these draws might influence their Champions League campaign.
