Real Madrid has landed one of the toughest possible set of fixtures in the Champions League’s new league phase, drawing Liverpool, Manchester City, and Juventus, along with a daunting away trip to Kazakhstan — the longest journey in this year’s competition.
The Spanish giants will play eight games in the first stage, four at the Santiago Bernabéu and four on the road. Here’s a look at their opponents:
Liverpool
What was supposed to be a transitional season turned into a Premier League title-winning campaign for Liverpool. New head coach Arne Slot hit the ground running, though early domestic cup exits and a Champions League disappointment meant the Reds had to settle for England’s top prize alone.
This year, the ambition is clear: win in Europe. Liverpool has already spent over $325 million on new signings, with a move for Alexander Isak still possible before the transfer window closes. One of the big arrivals, Hugo Ekitiké, has impressed immediately, scoring and assisting in his first two league outings. Despite a penalty shootout loss to Crystal Palace in the Community Shield, Liverpool opened the Premier League season with seven goals in its first two matches.
Manchester City
Last season was one to forget for Pep Guardiola, as his squad struggled with injuries, inconsistency, and a loss of confidence. Now in his 10th year at the Etihad, Guardiola has reshaped both his roster and backroom staff, ushering in a new cycle without some of the pillars of his past successes.
Summer signings Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki are already finding the net, while midfield anchor Rodri is on track to return in time for City’s Champions League opener. But back-to-back defeats to Al Hilal in the Club World Cup and Tottenham in the Premier League have tempered expectations. The quality is there, but the work is far from finished.
Marseille
Olympique Marseille is back in the Champions League, a competition it won in 1993 but that has often delivered heartbreak in the modern era. Under Roberto De Zerbi, Marseille has tried to steady years of instability, spending heavily this summer to bring in Facundo Medina, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Angel Gomes, and Emerson Palmieri, among others.
The pressure in Marseille is always intense, and whether the squad can handle it will be decisive. Mason Greenwood is expected to be the team’s star, supported by center-back Leonardo Balerdi and midfielder Pierre-Emile Højbjerg. To go deep, all three will need to perform at their peak.
Monaco
Every season Monaco is tipped as a dark horse to challenge Paris Saint-Germain at home and make noise in Europe. But a lack of fan support and recurring defensive problems have kept the club from taking the next step. This summer, however, they shocked the market by signing Ansu Fati and Paul Pogba, though both come with fitness concerns.
Defensively, they added veteran Eric Dier and goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký, while the biggest victory was keeping hold of playmaker Maghnes Akliouche, who was wanted by PSG and Manchester City. Monaco’s Champions League hopes hinge on him, along with striker Mikkel Biereth and midfield enforcer Denis Zakaria.
Juventus
Juventus is trying to climb back to the top after narrowly avoiding a disastrous season that nearly left them out of European competition altogether. Coach Igor Tudor has been confirmed, but many questions remain about the starting XI and how far this team can really go.
The constants are goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and defensive leader Bremer, who returns from nearly a year out with injury. In midfield, João Mário is a candidate for minutes alongside captain Manuel Locatelli. The spotlight will be on rising star Kenan Yildiz, while Jonathan David looks set to lead the attack unless Dušan Vlahović stays, in which case the two will battle for minutes and goals.
Benfica
Benfica had to sweat through two qualifying rounds against Nice and Fenerbahçe to secure a place in the group stage. The Portuguese champions then lost key veterans Ángel Di María and Álvaro Carreras, but moved quickly to reinforce the squad. Midfielder Richard Ríos, a revelation at the Club World Cup, and Enzo Barrenechea have come in to stabilize the midfield.
Up front, new striker Vangelis Pavlidis is expected to carry the scoring load, with teenage forward Ivanovic waiting in the wings. The defense remains anchored by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin and veteran Nicolás Otamendi. The big question is whether Benfica will hold on to prized midfielder Florentino Luís before the window shuts.
Olympiacos
José Luis Mendilibar is a hero in Athens after leading Olympiacos to a league and cup double last season. Two years removed from winning the Europa Conference League, the Greek side is looking to pull off more surprises in Europe.
New arrivals include Rémy Cabella and Italian forward Gabriel Strefezza, but the key was keeping their core intact — especially striker Ayoub El Kaabi. The club is also excited about a crop of homegrown talents fresh off a UEFA Youth League title, particularly teenage forward Andreas Mouzakitis.
Kairat Almaty
Real Madrid’s longest road trip of the season will be to Kazakhstan, where Kairat Almaty is making history as the easternmost club ever to appear in the Champions League. The nearly 4,000-mile trek to the Chinese border might be as daunting as the opponent itself.
Still, Kairat is no pushover. They knocked out both Dynamo Kyiv and Celtic in the qualifying rounds, with 17-year-old prodigy Satpaev — already signed by Chelsea — the standout. The squad is packed with Brazilian and Portuguese imports like Edmilson, Elder Santana, and João Paulo, while veteran defender Aleksandr Martynovich marshals the back line. In goal, penalty-saving specialist Anarbekov is battling for the No. 1 spot despite his heroics against Celtic.