European football officials and club executives gathered in Monaco on Thursday for the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 draw.
Footage captured on Thursday shows officials and representatives of Europe’s leading clubs arriving at Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum for the UEFA Men’s Club Competitions Season Kick-Off, with fans gathering outside the venue for a glimpse of football royalty, with Luis Figo, Javier Zanetti seen arriving.
After two consecutive wins, President of French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain Nasser Al-Khelaifi said the club is targeting glory once again.
“We want to make history as well. We’ll see how it goes,” Al-Khelaifi said, when asked about the club’s objectives in the coming season. “It’s step by step, match by match. We’ll take it day by day.”
Meanwhile, Lille President Olivier Letang said the draw inevitably presented formidable opposition.
“We don’t forget everything we put in place together to get here and now be competitive in this competition,” Letang said. “I’m not going to say it’s difficult — this is the Champions League draw, with great opponents. We have the 36 best clubs in Europe.”
Italian club Como 1907, under the guidance of Arsenal, Barcelona and Spain legend Cesc Fabregas, is looking ahead to its inaugural campaign in Europe’s premier competition, after securing a fourth place finish in Serie A after a barnstorming rise from Italy’s fourth tier in 2019.
Sporting director Carlalberto Ludi described the occasion as a significant moment for both the club and the northern Italian city.
“We are actually part of a wonderful chapter in the club’s history, but I think also in the history of the Como community and the entire city,” Ludi said.
“We certainly have a tough schedule — I like to call it challenging — and a very exciting one,” he added. “These huge challenges will definitely motivate us.”
The Champions League is being played under UEFA’s 36-team league-phase format, with clubs facing eight different opponents before the knockout stages.
The draw produced a series of blockbuster matchups, with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain facing Barcelona and Manchester City.
Last season’s beaten finalist Arsenal face a tough test, including matchups with Real Madrid, as well as German heavyweights Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
Fifteen time winners Real Madrid will also meet Italian side Inter Milan, while Lille welcomes Bayern Munch and face a tough visit to Arsenal.
After a three-year absence, Manchester United look forward to a home clash against Bayern Munich and away trips to Atletico Madrid and Como, while the Italian side will also face FC Barcelona and PSG.
UEFA will announce the full schedule of the league phase on Saturday, August 29.
Source: Viory
