Barcelona will discover who they will face in the league phase of the2026-27 Champions League when the draw is made in Monaco on Thursday, August 27th. The full list of teams and Pots can be found right here.
The Catalans will be hoping for a kind draw but the competition’s new format means there are likely to be at least a few tasty ties for Hansi Flick’s side to contend with over the next few months.
With the competition coming after a busy summer for many players, Barca would surely prefer to avoid
any trips to far-flung places, while also saving the biggest names until 2027 when the business end of the competition rolls around.
Barca will be in Pot 1 for the draw along with the highest ranked teams. However, the Catalans can’t play La Liga rivals Real Madrid and Atletico due to country protection and there are a few more sides they will want to avoid.
The prospect of facing Luis Enrique and PSG again is enticing, particularly the chance to come up against Ferran Torres and Dro Fernandez, but Barcelona would probably rather avoid taking on the defending champions so early on in the competition.
Last season’s beaten finalists Arsenal and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich may also be best saved until later but Barcelona will fancy the remaining teams in Pot 1.
Manchester City and Liverpool are both under new management heading into the new season, with Enzo Maresca having taken charge of the Cityzens and Andoni Iraola replacing Arne Slot at Anfield.
If there’s ever a good time to face either Premier League club, it may just be right now. Barca will also fancy taking on Inter and gaining revenge for their semi-final defeat at the hands of the Nerazzurri back in 2024-25.
Pot 2 contains more Premier League teams and Barcelona may just relish a glamour tie with Manchester United and the chance for a swift reunion with Marcus Rashford.
The Red Devils are back in the competition after Michael Carrick revived their fortunes last season and pulled off an impressive third-placed finish. However, that’s been followed by a quietish summer in the transfer window and an opening day defeat to Hull City that hardly inspires confidence for the season ahead.
Europa League winners Aston Villa may also hold few fears for Barcelona. Unai Emery’s side have sold Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa and Youri Tielemans this summer and may lose a few more key players before the transfer window closes in Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez.
Barcelona will also be happy to be paired with Dortmund, Club Brugge or PSV again. The Catalans have enjoyed wins over all three teams in recent seasons in the Champions League and will feel confident if drawn against them again.
If there’s one team that may give Barcelona nightmares it could be Roma. A trip to Italy would bring back memories of the 2018 collapse when Ernesto Valverde’s side threw away a 3-0 lead in the Italian capital and crashed out.
Pots 3 and 4 are still yet to be fully confirmed but already contain some new faces and potentially intriguing encounters to look out for in Thursday’s draw.
Former Barcelona star Cesc Fabregas has led Como into the competition for the first time in their history and the Serie A side will be desperate to make a mark in the tournament in their debut campaign. Como may therefore prove to be tricky opponents along with Lens. The Ligue 1 side pushed PSG all the way in France last season and are no pushovers.
Victor Osimhen’s Galatasaray are another team likely to cause problems. The Turkish side beat Liverpool home and away last season and Barca will know that Istanbul is never an easy place to go in the Champions League. A trip to the Arctic Circle to face Bodo/Glimt may also be one to avoid along with an away trip to Azerbaijan to face Sabah.
Elsewhere, Feyenoord and Lille will hold few fears for Barcelona, along with teams such as LASK, Stuttgart and Slavia Prague.
Who would you like to see Barcelona face in the Champions League and which teams are best avoided? Share your thoughts, opinions and answers in the comments section below!
