Real Madrid, Liverpool to clash in revamped 36-team Champions League

IMAGE: Former Sporting Clube de Portugal, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored 140 Champions League goals in 183 appearances, poses with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin after receiving the all-time top scorer award during the Champions League Phase Draw 2024, at Grimaldi Forum, Monaco, on Thursday. Photograph: Manon Cruz/Reuters

Reigning champions Real Madrid will play Borussia Dortmund in the league phase of the Champions League in what will be a repeat of last season's final after the draw for the new-look 36-team tournament was held on Thursday.

The draw was conducted with the help of the competition's all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo and former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who were both given special awards by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.

IMAGE: Former Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who received the 2024 UEFA President's award, draws Real Madrid during the draw. Photograph: Manon Cruz/Reuters

Clubs will no longer playing three teams home and away in the group phase, but will face eight different teams with four games at home and four away which were picked with the help of a computer.

With clubs facing two teams each from the four pots, the draw threw up plenty of mouth-watering fixtures with Real also set to play former champions Liverpool and AC Milan in the league phase.

IMAGE: Cristiano Ronaldo and Gianluigi Buffon at the Champions League Phase Draw 2024. Photograph: Manon Cruz/Reuters

Premier League champions Manchester City will face Inter Milan -- a repeat of the 2023 final -- Paris St Germain and Juventus while Bayern Munich are up against PSG and Barcelona among others.

Apart from Real, Liverpool also take on RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan.

New Barcelona boss Hansi Flick has his hands full with the Spanish team set to face the two German giants -- his former club Bayern Munich and Dortmund.

Recommended by Rediff.com