Jump directly to the content
Dates for your diary

Champions League draw: Barcelona v Man City, Arsenal v Paris Saint-Germain and all of the other group stage thrillers

Leicester's first home game in tournament will be against Porto, while Tottenham will play their matches at Wembley

THE Champions League is finally back with us.

The group stage draw was made today and the current format has brought about some tasty encounters.

New rules brought about last season mean only league winners and the competition’s holders make up pot A.

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry drew the Gunners into Group A
8
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry drew the Gunners into Group ACredit: Reuters

It means the likes of Atletico Madrid, Arsenal and Manchester City could face one of the elite — who line up alongside Leicester.

SunSport looks at the six group stage dates to put in your diary.

Sep 13 — Le battle

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 08: AS Monaco coach Arsene Wenger looks on before the 1991 French Cup Final between Marseille and AS Monaco at Parc de Princes on June 8, 1991 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Rondeau/Allsport/Getty Images)
8
Arsene Wenger hasn't taken a team to Parc des Princes since his days as Monaco bossCredit: Getty Images

Arsene Wenger’s 177th Champions League match in charge of Arsenal — and first of this campaign — will be against Paris Saint-Germain.

Parc des Princes will the venue as the Gunners look to put down a marker.

Paris will also be reminder of Arsenal's worst night in football, with their 2006 final loss.

Wenger has never faced PSG as Gunner boss.

Barcelona will host Celtic on the same night.

Sep 14 — Football’s coming home

19 Oct 1999: Barcelona celebrate Rivaldo's opening goal during the Champions League Group B match against Arsenal played at Wembley Stadium, London. The game finished in a 4-2 win for Barcelona. Mandatory Credit: Shaun Botterill /Allsport
8
Arsenal lost 4-2 against Barcelona last time Champions League games were at WembleyCredit: Shaun Botterill /Allsport
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 20: Mauricio Pochettino, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace at White Hart Lane on August 20, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images)
8
Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping to do Wembley proud in Champions LeagueCredit: Getty Images

Wembley will once again host Champions League matches.

Arsenal used the venue with little success during the 1999-2000 edition.

And Tottenham will be hoping for better this time around.

They start off by facing Monaco — a side they hammered last season — in their opening match.

Sep 26 — Grudge match

MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 14: Head coach Diego Simeone (R) of Atletico Madrid shakes hand with head coach Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final First Leg match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid CF at Vicente Calderon Stadium on April 14, 2015 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Evrim Aydin/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
8
Diego Simeone and Carlo Ancelotti will go head-to-head again in Champions LeagueCredit: Getty Images

The first heavyweight clash of the season will be at the Vicente Calderon as Atletico host Bayern Munich.

It is a rematch of last season’s fiery semi-final which Diego Simeone’s men won.

But, in the previous two seasons, it was Carlo Ancelotti — now managing Bayern — who KO’d Atletico with Real Madrid.

Celtic will host Champions League group stage football again — with City as visitors.

Sep 27 — Foxy football

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 07: Captain Wes Morgan and manager Claudio Ranieri of Leicester City lift the Premier League Trophy after the Barclays Premier League match between Leicester City and Everton at The King Power Stadium on May 7, 2016 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
8
Premier League champions Leicester will make Champions League debutCredit: Getty Images

Premier League champions, Leicester City, will play their first Champions League home game.

Claudio Ranieri’s men travel to Club Bruges for their opener — but the King Power will be rocking 13 days later for the visit of two-time winners, Porto.

The Dragons dismantled Roma in the play-offs, but Leicester will fancy their chances.

There is also the slightly less glamorous clash between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid on the night.

Oct 19 — Guard of honour

FC Barcelona's head coach Pep Guardiola gives a speech during celebrations of Barcelona's victory in UEFA Champions League final in Rome against Manchester United, at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on May 28, 2009. Barcelona won 2-0. AFP PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANO (Photo credit should read JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images)
8
Pep Guardiola won Champions League as Barcelona player and managerCredit: Getty Images

Pep Guardiola will return to the club with which he won the Champions League three times — once as a player and twice as manager.

But on his last visit, his Bayern side went down 3-0 to a Lionel Messi masterclass.

City have twice been eliminated by the Catalans.

But will have been invigorated by last season’s journey to the semi-finals.

Nov 22 — Ron the way home

Cristiano Ronaldo of Sporting Lisbon in action on July 10, 2002 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
8
A 17-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo in action during his Sporting Lisbon daysCredit: Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo goes back to where it all began.

The Portuguese superstar made his name at Sporting Lisbon — and will return with Real Madrid.

He showed no mercy in 2008, when he scored winners home and away for Manchester United.

Ronaldo won his second Champions League trophy in Lisbon, with Real Madrid in 2014.

Topics