CL League Phase Draw 2025/26 | Fixtures (pg 32)

[TheGhost]

It can't look easier for a top seed as everybody plays two from each pot.
The reason we are seeing harder draws than we are used to is because five of our last six draws under the old system were as champions so we didn't face any teams from pot 1.

There’s a much bigger margin for error now.

You can lose a couple of games and still finish in the top 8.

 

[East Level 2]

There’s a much bigger margin for error now.

You can lose a couple of games and still finish in the top 8.

You'd progress under the old system if you lost two and won four, often as group winners.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

There’s a much bigger margin for error now.

You can lose a couple of games and still finish in the top 8.

And you can be mostly dog shit and finish top 16.

 

[johnnytapia]

Looking at 400 from Edinburgh but probably low cost carrier options

Don’t worry, the club will put something on…

 

[M18CTID]

Given that Bodo tickets will be like rocking horse shit and Villarreal is quite awkward to get to despite being in Spain, I'm beginning to think Monaco might be the best one, assuming the date is doable for me. I didn't go in 2017 but I'm guessing staying in Nice and getting the train in from there is the most viable option for Monaco?

 

[aka blue jambo]

Given that Bodo tickets will be like rocking horse shit and Villarreal is quite awkward to get to despite being in Spain, I'm beginning to think Monaco might be the best one, assuming the date is doable for me. I didn't go in 2017 but I'm guessing staying in Nice and getting the train in from there is the most viable option for Monaco?

Accommodation wasn't that expensive in Monaco

 

[Man_City_Loyal]

2016 (pre-Pep.. our first Semi of the CL ever)

2020 (Ramos got a red, We WON)

2022 (lost on Cancelo offside trap fuckup, we got 93:20'ed),
2023 (KDB 1-1, 4-0 at the etihad, We WON),
2024 (lost on Kovacic's missed pen),
2025 (lost on Kovacic's braindead mistake, we got 93:20'ed AGAIN),
2025-26 now again so 5th season in a row.

mental aint it

 

[cyan]

Since everyone plays 2 random teams from each pot seeding is irrelevant, there is zero benefit from being in pot 1.

The benefit of the seeding system is not to create an easier path for a Pot 1 team, but to ensure that there is a fairly balanced draw for everyone. If everyone is looking at the draw thinking they have no advantage - then it’s probably worked.

If there was no seeding but it was totally random then a Pot 1 strength team could end up playing 8 pot 4 strength teams. There are anomalies of course - Newcastle are probably stronger than most other Pot 4 teams - as Villa were last year - and are used to playing the other PL teams - whereas for Bodo, it’s a whole new experience. So Villa last year performed better than their seeding suggested they should.

Perhaps the benefit of being an English team in Pot 1 is that we don’t have to play the English teams in Pot 3 or 4 whereas Barcelona, Dortmund & PSG(twice) do.

 

[Ctidpaul]

The benefit of the seeding system is not to create an easier path for a Pot 1 team, but to ensure that there is a fairly balanced draw for everyone. If everyone is looking at the draw thinking they have no advantage - then it’s probably worked.

If there was no seeding but it was totally random then a Pot 1 strength team could end up playing 8 pot 4 strength teams. There are anomalies of course - Newcastle are probably stronger than most other Pot 4 teams - as Villa were last year - and are used to playing the other PL teams - whereas for Bodo, it’s a whole new experience. So Villa last year performed better than their seeding suggested they should.

Perhaps the benefit of being an English team in Pot 1 is that we don’t have to play the English teams in Pot 3 or 4 whereas Barcelona, Dortmund & PSG(twice) do.

Not that new for bodo,they’ve played spurs and the rags in recent years,reaching the europa league semi final last year,don’t under estimate them

 

[mcfc315]

All the home games could be a bit rowdy especially Galatasaray, they took over United's ground a couple of years ago and based on the last few years of City Champions League home games and how they've been ticketed it could happen again. Hopefully City price all the home games fairly and stop the chance of any away fans getting into home areas, won't bet on it though

 

[jrb]

All the home games could be a bit rowdy especially Galatasaray, they took over United's ground a couple of years ago and based on the last few years of City Champions League home games and how they've been ticketed it could happen again. Hopefully City price all the home games fairly and stop the chance of any away fans getting into home areas, won't bet on it though

Not a chance.

There will be hundreds, if not thousands of match tickets available via City’s 9 official ticket touting resale partners.

 

[TheGhost]

Given that Bodo tickets will be like rocking horse shit and Villarreal is quite awkward to get to despite being in Spain, I'm beginning to think Monaco might be the best one, assuming the date is doable for me. I didn't go in 2017 but I'm guessing staying in Nice and getting the train in from there is the most viable option for Monaco?

I was thinking that. Take in a second Champions League game in Juventus or Marseille; or in the Europa at Lyon or Nice.

 

[Sebi]

Vinicius vs Lewis again can’t wait

Or Khusanov vs. Vinicius ;-)

 

[LangleyBlue1970]

Or Khusanov vs. Vinicius ;-)

See, like many others, that poster instantly went for the negative view about something concerning City, rather than actually use some thought and remember that Khusanov had Vini Jnr in his back pocket.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Madrid (A) first up, then, smack dab between United & Arsenal!!

Or, maybe they save it for right before the Liverpool game in early November?

30/21 January bound to be another big CL game, not to mention the last one on Jan 28, right before Spurs (A)…for both teams!!

 

[King Jay]

See, like many others, that poster instantly went for the negative view about something concerning City, rather than actually use some thought and remember that Khusanov had Vini Jnr in his back pocket.

Maybe because Khusanov who doesn’t play now is most likely not playing against him

 

[cptaidan88]

Given that Bodo tickets will be like rocking horse shit and Villarreal is quite awkward to get to despite being in Spain, I'm beginning to think Monaco might be the best one, assuming the date is doable for me. I didn't go in 2017 but I'm guessing staying in Nice and getting the train in from there is the most viable option for Monaco?

We stayed in Monaco and wasn't particularly pricey but there were definitely trains running after the game as well back to Nice.

 

[bridgeno1]

Not that new for bodo,they’ve played spurs and the rags in recent years,reaching the europa league semi final last year,don’t under estimate them

Plastic pitch as well.

 

[M18CTID]

We stayed in Monaco and wasn't particularly pricey but there were definitely trains running after the game as well back to Nice.

Cheers mate. I'm torn between Villarreal and Monaco. Will weigh both up when the dates are out tomorrow

 

[Gingers Dad]

That draw was tougher than I expected given that we were a top seed. However, there are some very exciting ties.

We should qualify. Last season our season was destroyed by injury and the decline in form of ageing key players. It is an open question as to whether they have been replaced. I would say not. I hold out more hope for our academy players (Bobb and O'Reilly) than I do our signings. For City to be successful, Pep is going to have to give players like O'Reilly opportunities. O'Reilly might continue to develop in attacking areas of the pitch.

Does it actually matter what seed you are now? Every team gets two teams from each pot.