Champions League: Five key talking points for the 2026-27 season

What the report says

Paris Saint-Germain enter the new Champions League campaign as the team to beat, with Al Jazeera reporting that the two-time defending champions are trying to become only the third club to win the competition three years in a row. The league phase begins Tuesday, and PSG’s draw includes matches against Barcelona, Manchester City and Aston Villa. Coach Luis Enrique has kept much of the squad intact after the club’s recent success, while making a few changes in the summer market.

Several challengers are hoping to stop PSG’s run. Al Jazeera highlighted Arsenal, last season’s runners-up, and Bayern Munich, who pushed PSG in the semifinals. Bayern arrive after another dominant Bundesliga title and with Harry Kane in top scoring form, while the report says the club’s main task may be fine-tuning game management rather than rebuilding. Real Madrid also remain in the conversation after appointing Jose Mourinho for a second spell and adding several high-profile players, as they look to return to the top tier of European football.

The piece also focused on Como’s first-ever Champions League appearance. The Italian club reached the competition after a rapid rise through the lower divisions under Cesc Fabregas and the ownership of Indonesia’s Hartono family. Al Jazeera said their qualification underlines how quickly the club has grown. The report also pointed to Villarreal and Real Betis as signs of Spain’s depth beyond its biggest names, with both clubs entering the tournament on the back of strong domestic seasons.