Man City and Aston Villa to face champions PSG

What the report says

European champions Paris St-Germain will meet Premier League sides Manchester City and Aston Villa in the league phase of this season’s Champions League, according to the draw reported by BBC Sport Football. PSG were also paired with Barcelona, while the article noted they will travel to Manchester and Villa Park and host the Spanish club in Paris.

The BBC said Arsenal will face Real Madrid at home and Bayern Munich away, after coming up against PSG in last season’s competition. Manchester City were drawn to host PSG and visit Barcelona, while Aston Villa, back in the Champions League after a season away, will host PSG and Borussia Dortmund and travel to Barcelona and Galatasaray. Liverpool and Manchester United also learned their opponents in the expanded league-phase format.

The report highlights several eye-catching matchups involving former players and major European clubs, reflecting the competition’s new structure and the growing number of games in the opening phase. It also places the draw in the wider Champions League calendar, with the first league-phase matches set for 8 September and the final round scheduled for 27 January 2027. The final this season will be played in Madrid on 5 June, while the exact match schedule is due later. For Premier League clubs, the draw sets up a demanding start against some of Europe’s most successful sides.