Every Champions League Club’s Fixtures for 2024/25 Ranked by Difficulty

The first edition of a new look Champions League is upon us, with the most elite clubs around the continent all finding their opponents out in what is an unprecedented time for UEFA’s new format – and whilst some huge sides have escaped a tough fixture list, others have not been so fortunate.

Holders Real Madrid will be hoping to win their 16th title – the competition’s record tally – at the final in Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena in May, whilst the Bavarian outfit will be looking to shake the ghosts of 2012 where they lost to Roberto Di Matteo’s Chelsea on home soil in the final.

Meanwhile, minnows such as Sturm Graz, Girona and Brest – with the latter two competing in their first-ever Champions League or European Cup campaigns – will all be hoping to upset the apple cart and leave an impression on the biggest sides on the continent. And, to help us determine who could have the best chance of success or heartbreak, OptaAnalyst have used their ‘Opta Power Rankings’ to work out the difficulty of each club’s fixtures for the league phase – with Liverpool coming off as one of the most unfortunate teams in the tournament.

1-9: Paris Saint-Germain Have The Toughest Run

Liverpool are ranked third in a nightmare start for Arne Slot

Starting with the team with the toughest draw, we have perennial Champions League underperformers in Paris Saint-Germain. The French outfit are always billed as one of the favourites to win the trophy, but they have fallen short almost comically in recent seasons – and this year has not favoured them at all.

They have drawn both Bayern Munich away and Manchester City at home, as well as tough tests in Pot 2 against Arsenal in London prior to the visit of Atletico Madrid to the French capital. Rounding their group stage off with RB Salzburg away, PSV Eindhoven at home, Girona at home and Stuttgart away, Opta have given them an average opponent rating of 92.4 – more than anyone else.

Liverpool are in third, and their run looks equally tough. They have RB Leipzig away, while Real Madrid visit Anfield as their toughest Pot 1 opponents. Xabi Alonso’s return to Merseyside with Bayer Leverkusen is also facing and a San Siro visit vs AC Milan means the Reds are up against it. They also have away trips to PSV and Girona, and welcome Lille and Bologna to their own fortress.

10-18: Arsenal Face Tough Ties

Meanwhile, Douglas Luiz returns to Villa

The Gunners have qualified for their second consecutive Champions League campaign after an eight-year hiatus prior to that – but their journey could be made difficult.

Inter Milan away pits two European giants against each other, and they also have a home tie against PSG, an away trip to Europa League winners Atalanta creates a trio of tough ties – and despite being in Pot 3, Sporting Lisbon away is never going to be easy. They do have some favourable home ties with Shakhtar Donetsk, Dinamo Zagreb and Monaco coming to the Emirates with a trip to Girona to squeeze in too.

Meanwhile, Douglas Luiz – who joined Juventus in the summer from Aston Villa – is set for a return to the West Midlands after he was drawn against the Villans, who are in Pot 4.

19-27: Real Madrid Could Struggle

Manchester City also have a couple of banana skins

Manchester City fans will be hoping that they can avenge their quarter-final loss to Real Madrid from last season to win the Champions League once again, though they will have to navigate some potential slip-ups.

Inter Milan, Club Brugge, Feyenoord and Sparta Prague at home should be somewhat straightforward, though away trips to PSG, Juventus and Sporting are never easy and they will need to avoid ignominy there.

Meanwhile, holders Real Madrid have tough ties against Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool, Atalanta and AC Milan but their other fixtures should be easy to avoid embarrassment.

28-36: Celtic Have Easiest Fixture List

Aston Villa also have quite a low score

If ever there was a time for Celtic to advance through to the knockout rounds of the Champions League after five repeated failed attempts, it is now – with Opta giving them the lowest score in terms of opponent ranking.

Whilst there are tough ties away at Dortmund, Atalanta and Aston Villa, home games against Leipzig, Club Brugge, Young Boys and Slovan Bratislava are as easy as they could opt for and Brendan Rodgers will look to seize the initiative.

Villa, meanwhile, face Bayern Munich and Juventus at home with Villa Park certain to be rocking, especially against Celtic in an all-British clash. With trips to Monaco, Young Boys in Bern, Club Brugge and RB Leipzig ranking them fifth bottom, they could be an underdog.