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2 months ago
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As the top seed in the draw for the brand new phase of the Champions League, PSG are now certain to come up against one or two tough opponents.
This is one of the positive changes brought about by the new Champions League formula. While the seeded teams in the group stage draw avoided each other before the knockout stage, the teams in the first pot, including PSG for France, will now meet in the new “league phase”. As a reminder, the 36 participants will know their eight opponents (for 4 home matches and as many away) this Thursday, as will be decided by a computer during the draw starting at 6pm in Monaco (live on Canal+).
PSG are in Pot 1 with Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Leipzig and FC Barcelona and will face one of these teams no matter what. So we could have many “early finals”, unless PSG draws BVB and RBL simultaneously…
PSG will not be spared
The second pot also offers very high-level opponents such as Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen, Diego Simeone’s Atlético de Madrid, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta, Thiago Motta’s Juventus and Paulo Fonseca’s AC Milan. Benfica, Club Bruges and Shakhtar Donetsk complete this second pot. It is in pot 4 that we will find last season’s surprises Aston Villa, Bologna and Girona.
Three other French clubs will know their autumn and winter schedule (the 5th and 6th days will be played in January). Losc, qualified on Wednesday evening after their return play-off against Slavia Prague, are in pot 3 and AS Monaco and Stade Brestois in pot 4. But that doesn’t change anything. All the teams will face two teams from the four pots. It takes a computer (and its AI) to avoid confrontations between teams from the same championship (Monaco is not part of France).
Written by:
Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team.
 
 As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers.
 
 When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans. Feel free to follow Manu on Twitter and interact with him as he shares his expert opinions, insights, and love for French football.
