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.
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
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
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
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
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
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 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.