PSG Await Toughest Schedule, Liverpool Welcomes Former Player

MONACO, THURSDAY — The status of defending champion and being in pot one has proven to be completely disadvantageous for Paris Saint-Germain in this season's Champions League. Instead of being able to relax a bit in the group stage, the team coached by Luis Enrique is already faced with the toughest schedule.

The draw for the group stage of the Champions League was held at the Grimaldi Forum, Monaco, on Thursday (28/8/2025) evening WIB. PSG was represented by former player Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was tasked with drawing the balls from the pot. However, they remained unfortunate.

The toughest opponents for PSG are Barcelona and Bayern Munich, two teams that combine for eleven championship titles. From pot two, the dark horse teams Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen are ready to challenge. Unfortunately, they must face two representatives from England from pot three (Tottenham) and pot four (Newcastle).

Seven out of eight opponents of the French giant come from the five best leagues in Europe. Compared to other participants from pot one, PSG is the team that has faced the fewest opponents outside of the top leagues (1). The only team is Sporting CP, the defending champion of the Portuguese League.

The quality of Ousmane Dembele and his teammates was tested again from the start. Last season, they also faced a tough schedule since the group stage. PSG had to confront Bayern, as well as major English teams Arsenal and Manchester City. This made it difficult for them, and they finished in 15th place.

However, PSG was able to utilize the group stage as a place for growth. They continued to develop until they became unstoppable in the knockout stage. "(The Champions League) is always difficult. We must forget last season and focus on this season," said PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

Interestingly, according to the Opta supercomputer, PSG only ranks second on the list of teams with the most challenging schedules. According to Opta's team ratings, their opponents have an average rating of 92.7. That's slightly lower than Bayern's 92.9.

Bayern indeed faced five teams from outside the top five leagues, including two representatives from Belgium, Club Brugge and Union Saint-Gilloise. However, they must contend with Chelsea and PSG (pot one), as well as Arsenal (pot two). Bayern's opponents in pot two are considered more challenging due to the away match at Arsenal's home ground.

The meeting between Real Madrid and Liverpool is also in the spotlight. This classic duel will take place at Liverpool's home ground, Anfield Stadium. This means that Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold will face his former team for the first time since leaving this summer.

The departure of Alexander-Arnold has been criticized by many fans of "The Reds." In addition to being a native of Liverpool, he is also perceived to be deliberately running down his contract to move for free. "I am sure it will be a schedule anticipated by the whole world," said Liverpool coach Arne Slot.

Not only that, Madrid will also arrive with a new coach, Xabi Alonso, who is a former proud player of Liverpool. Alonso is sure to receive a warm welcome, but not for long. This is because Madrid has been one of Liverpool's most despised rivals in recent years.

Madrid and Liverpool have met three times in the knockout stage since 2021. All of those encounters were won by Madrid, including the final match in May 2022. Liverpool managed to respond with a 2-0 victory in their most recent meeting in November 2024, but only in the group stage.

Among the major teams, one that has the lightest schedule is Arsenal. The semifinalist from last season only needs to be wary of Bayern, Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid. The other five opponents are still below the level of "The Gunners," such as the debutant team from Kazakhstan, Kairat Almaty.

Inter poses the toughest challenge for Arsenal. The team, managed by Mikel Arteta, will visit the San Siro Stadium in Milan. The last time they visited for a group stage match last season, Arsenal returned home with a 0-1 defeat. That was their only loss in the group stage.

In addition to Arsenal, Inter President Giuseppe Marotta is also anticipating Liverpool. "Liverpool and Arsenal at San Siro? As a football fan, it is certainly interesting. The level of difficulty is very high, but we can compete, especially with the support of the fans," he stated.

Inter, last season's finalists, will embark on a new adventure with coach Cristian Chivu. They are no longer under the guidance of coach Simone Inzaghi, who successfully led "The Big Snake" to the final match twice in the last three seasons.

For the second time, the Champions League will adopt a "Swiss" tournament model. The 36 teams compete directly in a league format from the group stage. Each team plays eight matches. Teams ranked 1st through 8th qualify directly for the round of 16. Teams ranked 9th through 24th will compete in the playoffs.

The difference this season is that the team's finishing position in the group stage will affect home advantage during the knockout phase. Teams with higher rankings are entitled to host the second match of the knockout phase. The group stage will take place from September 16, 2024, to January 28, 2026. (AP/REUTERS)