The draw for the League Phase will take place tomorrow (Thursday, August 28), following the conclusion of the qualifying rounds. Barcelona will be keeping a close eye on the teams they could face when the competition kicks off in September and continues through the winter months.
While the league phase has somewhat dulled the excitement of the draw, with no real "Group of Death" to worry about for Barcelona and no complaints about Real Madrid getting an easy route to the knockout stages, the format still promises intriguing matchups. Each team will face opponents from all four pots, meaning Barcelona could potentially go up against a European heavyweight in both home and away fixtures.
One of those encounters could take place on Matchday 1. UEFA has granted Barcelona’s request for their opening game to be scheduled away, as the Spotify Camp Nou will not be ready in time to host the match.
All teams will be confirmed this evening with Rangers, Club Brugge, Benfica, Fenerbahce, Copenhagen, Basel, Qarabag FK and Ferencvárosi all to decide their European fate this evening.
Where and When?
The draw will take place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, and will be streamed live on UEFA's website at 6pm CET, 5pm UK and 12 ET.
We’ll soon find out where Barcelona fans will be heading this winter, with potential trips to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Athens, and Monaco, amongst others, all up for grabs.
Last year, the first draw under the new league phase format took 75 minutes, with UEFA also presenting the 2024-25 awards as part of the ceremony. PSG will likely dominate the award categories, but Barcelona’s star players certainly have a shot at claiming some honors. Could this be a preview for the Ballon d'Or race?