Barcelona discovered their opponents for the 2026-27 Champions League this week as Europe’s premier club competition prepares to kick off once again.
Hansi Flick’s side face some tough testing fixtures, with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City to come, along with games against Galatasaray and Como.
Barca’s fixture list certainly isn’t easy but it’s not the toughest, particularly as the Catalans will be confident when coming up against lower-ranked teams such as Feyenoord, Sporting
and Sabah.
Which Pot 1 Team Has the Toughest Draw?
Of all the top teams in Pot 1, it looks as though Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City have been handed the toughest draw.
The Cityzens play defending champions PSG, will travel to Barcelona for the Rodri derby and also face trips to Porto, RB Leipzig and Lens. Sporting and Napoli at home are City’s two other fixtures as they head into a season of transition following the departure of Pep Guardiola and a busy summer of ins and outs in the transfer window.
Barcelona fans won’t be at all sad to see that Atletico Madrid have been handed a testing draw after making it to the semi-finals last season. Diego Simeone’s side host Bayern, Man Utd, Fenerbahce and Viking and face trips to Liverpool, PSV, Bodo/Glimt and Stuttgart.
Manchester United have also been handed some daunting fixtures on their return to the Champions League. The Red Devils host Bayern, Roma, RB Leipzig and Sabah and will enjoy trips to Atletico, Sporting, Villarreal and Como.
Yet the toughest draw of all undoubtedly belongs to Sabah. The UCL debutants were only founded in 2017 but have enjoyed a rapid rise. They will now get to play among the elite and will take on some of the biggest name in the game. Sabah have been drawn against Barcelona, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Man Utd, Napoli, Villarreal, Slavia Prague and Viking
Must-Watch UCL Games Coming Up
PSG vs Barcelona
This game needs no introduction and will see plenty of familiar faces as Luis Enrique comes up against his former team once again. The match will also see Ferran Torres and Dro Fernandez take on their old team along with Ousmane Dembele. Barca lost 2-1 to PSG in the competition last season and will out be out for revenge after being paired together again.
Arsenal vs Real Madrid
Last season’s beaten finalists Arsenal were linked with a shock move for Vinicius Jr over the summer but Gooners then had to watch as the Brazilian penned a new deal at the Santiago Bernabeu. Vinicius Jr can therefore expect a hot reception when Arsenal host Madrid at the Emirates Stadium, while the Gunners would also surely love to get one over former Chelsea and Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho.
Barca vs Man City
Barcelona’s clash with Manchester City is another game not to be missed as Rodri makes a swift return to his former side. City waved goodbye to Pep Guardiola over the summer and replaced their legendary coach with Enzo Maresca. Key players have also followed Pep out of the exit door, although City have invested heavily in the squad once again. With Erling Haaland around City will always provide a real threat, and a fascinating match-up awaits at Camp Nou.
Man Utd vs Bayern
Manchester United’s match-up against Bayern will evoke memories of the 1999 final when the Bavarian giants thought they had won it but were undone by late, late goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Much has changed for both clubs since then, and Bayern will be favourites, but the Red Devils may fancy their chances under the lights at Old Trafford.
Barcelona vs Como
Cesc Fabregas has taken Como into the Champions League for the first time in their history and will relish the chance of returning to the Camp Nou. The club’s former midfielder has been tipped to be a Barcelona boss of the future and is certainly doing a fine job with the Serie A side. He’s now about to experience life as a manager in the Champions League and may learn a lot from a clash with Hansi Flick’s side.
Who do you think has the toughest UCL draw and which fixtures are you most looking forward to watching? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
