The UEFA Champions League might have a brand new format however the luck of the draw is a continuing, as Thursday’s first-of-its-kind league part draw proved for the 36 groups participating on this season’s competitors.

The brand new format means each staff may have a minimum of one marquee matchup through the league part however even then, some groups got here out of the draw happier than others. A handful of European heavyweights got here out of the draw pretty unscathed, together with two groups who arguably didn’t want the assistance — Actual Madrid and Manchester Metropolis, the favorites to win this season’s competitors.

For many, although, the draw provided up a mixture of must-win video games and ones through which the percentages are stacked towards them, the steadiness extra harsh for some than others. That features Paris Saint-Germain, who drew a number of the greatest groups in each Pot 1 and Pot 2 and may have a lot to show as they start to chart life after Kylian Mbappe.

As the beginning of the league part nears, here is a rating of every staff’s path to the Champions League knockout levels.

Piece of cake

• Arsenal
• Barcelona
• Juventus
• Manchester Metropolis
• Actual Madrid

These groups are poised to be the oddsmakers’ favorites in every of their video games, which comes much less as a shock for Metropolis and Actual Madrid and extra so for the remaining for the reason that new format makes a troublesome schedule an actual chance for each staff within the competitors. Actual Madrid’s conflict with Liverpool will draw loads of consideration however it’s nonetheless the reigning champions’ sport to lose. As for Arsenal, their video games towards PSG and Inter would possibly pose some challenges however they need to be capable to deal with them, whereas Barcelona shall be grateful their hardest match may come towards a Bayern Munich staff underneath new management. Juventus return to the Champions League with a faceoff towards Metropolis however in any other case have some very winnable video games.

May break a sweat

• Bayern Munich
• Borussia Dortmund
• Liverpool

This trio will largely be proud of their attracts, however a few robust video games may complicate issues as they eye a spot within the knockouts. Bayern’s hardest matches will come towards PSG and Barcelona, which is able to mark critical exams of Vincent Kompany’s managerial talents in his first high-profile job. Liverpool are in related terrain — a matchup with Actual Madrid shall be robust whereas many of the different video games are winnable, however a conflict towards Bayer Leverkusen may function a serious evaluation of Arne Slot’s managerial expertise. Borussia Dortmund may also be proud of nearly all of their schedule, however their video games towards Barcelona and Actual Madrid will supply some challenges.

Toss-up central

• Atletico Madrid
• Bayer Leverkusen
• Inter
• RB Leipzig

These groups completely have the flexibility to crack the highest 24 spots within the league part, however they had been drawn into video games that might go both means and shall be actual showcases of their present kind. What’s distinctive about this group of groups, too, is that they must take factors off each other — most of them play two groups on this class, whereas Leverkusen must play three. Leverkusen’s schedule specifically will function a litmus take a look at after their record-breaking season, however every staff on this group shall be keen to interrupt into the elites quite than being labeled a midtable Champions League staff.

Time to fret

• AC Milan
• Atalana
• Benfica
• Membership Brugge
• Paris Saint-Germain
• Shakhtar Donetsk

These groups land right here although a mixture of questions on their very own qualities, in addition to the tough attracts they had been handed. PSG will little question really feel essentially the most arduous performed by after the draw, which reads extra like a listing of Champions League hopefuls than early stage clashes — Manchester Metropolis, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid. AC Milan, in the meantime, would be the underdogs towards Actual Madrid and Liverpool however amidst a poor begin to the season, they might want to show they’ve what it takes towards the likes of Leverkusen and Girona. The opposite 4 merely might not have sufficient to advance, particularly since their schedules embody video games towards three of Europe’s prime groups.