The fixtures have officially been released for the 2025-26 Champions League league phase, but how kindly have they fallen for the record six Premier League entrants?
Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle United have learned their fate for the league phase, with eight games before the knockout stages that run up until late January.
Navigating European commitments with the week-to-week league action is demanding, particularly on thinner squads.
It’s something that Tottenham struggled with in the Europa League last season, while the step up to UEFA’s premier competition will ask even more of their squad.
Ange Postecoglou took Spurs all the way to silverware in Europe last season, but poor league form ultimately cost the Australian his job. Successor Thomas Frank will be aiming to juggle the two fronts more successfully this time around.
Chelsea also lifted European silverware last season, but Enzo Maresca was afforded the luxury of forgiving opponents in the Conference League and was able to rest and rotate accordingly. His senior first-team regulars will have to adapt much more to the midweek-weekend grind this season.
No European distraction looked a big reason behind Newcastle United’s strong 2024-25 campaign, which saw them end their long trophy drought and end up in the top five.
But two years ago, Eddie Howe’s Magpies exited the Champions League in the group stage and the squad buckled under the extra gametime.
Liverpool topped the league phase last time, sealing their spot in the seeded top two with a game to spare after winning the first seven outings.
Ultimately, that didn’t do them a lot of good as they were drawn against eventual champions PSG in the first knockout stage.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Arne Slot puts less focus on the early Champions League outings this time around to help keep their powder dry for the spring.
Arsenal’s Premier League campaign stuttered with injuries last time out, but Mikel Arteta has a deeper squad this time around.
While they never really kept the pace with title-winners Liverpool, they did enjoy a strong Champions League campaign, getting all the way to the semi-finals after beating the holders Real Madrid home and away in the quarters.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City juggernaut came to a sudden halt last season. They suffered dismal form in the winter months and looked in danger of missing out on the knockout stages entirely.
Poor results in the league phase resulted in them getting drawn against Real Madrid in an added play-off round. They struggled to hold a candle to Los Blancos and were soundly beaten.
We’ve broken down how the Champions League fixtures fall alongside their league commitments for the six Premier League clubs in the competition:
Liverpool
17 September – Atletico Madrid (H)
20 September – Everton (H)
30 September – Galatasaray (A)
4 October – Chelsea (A)
22 October – Eintracht Frankfurt (A)
25 October – Brentford (A)
4 November – Real Madrid (H)
8 November – Manchester City (A)
26 November – PSV Eindhoven (H)
29 November – West Ham United (A)
9 December – Inter Milan (A)
13 December – Brighton (H)
21 January – Marseille (A)
24 January – Bournemouth (A)
28 January – Qarabag (H)
31 January – Newcastle United (H)
Arsenal
16 September – Athletic Bilbao (A)
21 September – Manchester City (H)
1 October – Olympiacos (H)
4 October – West Ham United (H)
21 October – Atletico Madrid (H)
25 October – Crystal Palace (H)
4 November – Slavia Prague (A)
8 November – Sunderland (A)
26 November – Bayern Munich (H)
29 November – Chelsea (A)
10 December – Club Brugge (A)
13 December – Wolves (H)
20 January – Inter Milan (A)
24 January – Manchester United (H)
28 January – Kairat Almaty (H)
31 January – Leeds United (A)
Manchester City
18 September – Napoli (H)
21 September – Arsenal (A)
1 October – Monaco (A)
4 October – Brentford (A)
21 October – Villarreal (A)
25 October – Aston Villa (A)
5 November – Borussia Dortmund (H)
8 November – Liverpool (H)
25 November – Bayer Leverkusen (H)
29 November – Leeds United (H)
10 December – Real Madrid (A)
13 December – Crystal Palace (A)
20 January – Bodo/Glimt (A)
24 January – Wolves (H)
28 January – Galatasaray (H)
31 January – Tottenham (A)
Istanbul, Turkey. 10th June, 2023. Josep Guardiola coach of Manchester City with the trophy after the UEFA Champions League Final match at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul.
QUIZ: Can you name every manager to have won the Champions League?
Chelsea
17 September – Bayern Munich (A)
20 September – Manchester United (A)
30 September – Benfica (H)
4 October – Liverpool (H)
22 October – Ajax (H)
25 October – Sunderland (H)
5 November – Qarabag (A)
8 November – Wolves (H)
25 November – Barcelona (H)
29 November – Arsenal (H)
9 December – Atalanta (A)
13 December – Everton (H)
21 January – Pafos (H)
24 January – Crystal Palace (A)
28 January – Napoli (A)
31 January – West Ham United (H)
Newcastle United
18 September – Barcelona (H)
21 September – Bournemouth (A)
1 October – Union Saint-Gilloise (A)
4 October – Nottingham Forest (H)
21 October – Benfica (H)
25 October – Fulham (H)
5 November – Athletic Bilbao (H)
8 November – Brentford (A)
25 November – Marseille (A)
29 November – Everton (A)
10 December – Bayer Leverkusen (A)
13 December – Sunderland (A)
21 January – PSV Eindhoven (H)
24 January – Aston Villa (A)
28 January – PSG (A)
31 January – Liverpool (A)
Tottenham
16 September – Villarreal (H)
20 September – Brighton (A)
30 September – Bodo/Glimt (A)
4 October – Leeds United (A)
22 October – Monaco (A)
25 October – Everton (A)
4 November – Copenhagen (H)
8 November – Manchester United (H)
26 November – PSG (A)
29 November – Fulham (H)
9 December – Slavia Prague (H)
13 December – Nottingham Forest (A)
20 January – Borussia Dortmund (H)
24 January – Burnley (A)
28 January – Eintracht Frankfurt (A)
31 January – Manchester City (H)
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