With European football back this week, football writer Ben Bloom previews the Premier League clubs’ ties and what to expect from their opponents.
The UEFA Champions League returns this week and it promises to be a campaign like no other for followers of English football, with an unprecedented SIX Premier League clubs involved.
In addition to last year’s Premier League top four of Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea, fifth-place finishers Newcastle United also secured a place in the competition by virtue of England’s top-two finish in the UEFA coefficient table.
That quintet have been joined by Tottenham Hotspur, who beat Manchester United in last season’s UEFA Europa League final to claim their spot.
While there have already been three qualifying rounds and a play-off round over the course of the summer, all six English clubs advanced straight to the league phase of this year’s competition.
Introduced for the first time last campaign, the expanded league phase features 36 teams. Each club will play eight matches against opponents from other nations – fixtures were decided in last month’s draw – to determine the overall league standings.
The top eight teams will advance straight to the round of 16, the teams ranked ninth to 24th will contest the knockout phase play-offs, and those who occupy 25th to 36th will be eliminated.
Fixtures will take place in their traditional Tuesday and Wednesday slot (ahead of the Europa and Conference Leagues on Thursday), although this opening week has exclusivity over all other European competitions, with matches spread across three days and also taking place on Thursday.
Following Tuesday's opening Champions League matches for Arsenal and Spurs and Chelsea and Liverpool's encounters on Wednesday night, we're previewing this week's fixtures for our other two clubs in the competition.
Manchester City v Napoli
Thursday 18 September, 20:00 (BST)
Man City’s opening Champions League fixture will be notable for the hasty return of club legend Kevin De Bruyne, who joined Napoli in the summer after a decade in Manchester.
De Bruyne won this competition – and six Premier League titles – during that time, and has been signed as a crucial component of Napoli’s Champions League return following their Serie A win last year.
Watch De Bruyne's best Premier League goals
Former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay played a key role in that title triumph and he has now been joined by fellow Old Trafford departee Rasmus Hojlund, who scored on his loan debut last weekend.
City will be hoping to improve their disappointing Champions League performance last season, when they scraped through the league phase on goal difference, but fell to Real Madrid in the knockout phase play-offs.
With 49 Champions League goals in 48 appearances, Erling Haaland has 13 matches to beat Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record as the fastest player to score 50.
Newcastle United v Barcelona
Thursday 18 September, 20:00 (BST)
The last time Newcastle played in the Champions League, in 2023/24, they had the daunting task of a group including Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund.
It was going to be tough to progress, but this return in an expanded league phase format should offer a far better opportunity.
Newcastle's quest will begin against one of the toughest opponents though. Barcelona have scored 13 times in four LaLiga games this season and are unbeaten in second place. They warmed up for Thursday's encounter with a thumping 6-0 win over Valencia on Sunday, with Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Fermin Lopez all netting two goals each.
That victory came despite the absence of young prodigy Lamine Yamal, who is a doubt for this match with a back problem. Man Utd loanee Marcus Rashford could feature.
Nick Woltemade should lead Newcastle’s line again after scoring the winner on his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend.