Champions League draw: Liverpool to host Real Madrid in new format - ESPN

Liverpool have been drawn to face Real Madrid as part of the Champions League's revamped 36-team league format, while Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will return to Germany to face his former employers Bayern Munich.

Bayern will face Barça in the competition for the third time in the last four seasons. The German club have won the last six meetings, including an 8-2 quarterfinal victory on their way to lifting the Champions League in 2020 under Flick.

The draw, which was conducted by a combination of Gianluigi Buffon, Cristiano Ronaldo and UEFA's supercomputer, also produced heavyweight clashes including Manchester City against Paris Saint-Germain and a repeat of last year's final: Borussia Dortmund vs. Madrid.

Arsenal managed to avoid some of the most daunting teams from Pot 1 as they were drawn to play against PSG and Inter Milan. Aston Villa will face Bayern for the first time since they beat the Bundesliga giants in the 1982 European Cup final.

As well as hosting Real Madrid, Liverpool will also be reunited with former midfielder Xabi Alonso when he takes his Bayer Leverkusen team to Anfield. Alonso was heavily linked with the manager's job at Liverpool after Jürgen Klopp's shock resignation from the role in January.

In the new system, each team will play eight games before the knockouts — two more than previous years — with the final round of matches taking place on Jan. 29.

Each team was drawn against eight different opponents — four matches at home, and four away — two from each of the four seeded pots.

Teams from the same league could not be drawn against each other and a club can play no more than two teams from one country.

✅ Home and away opponents for Pot 1 teams