Champions League draw: Real Madrid face Liverpool, Man City - ESPN

Record 15-time Champions League winners Real Madrid have been given a daunting draw for this season's competition after being handed matchups against Premier League giants Liverpool and Manchester City on Thursday.

Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain also face a tough journey to reach the knockout phase with matchups against the champions of Spain, Barcelona, and German champions Bayern Munich as well as Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.

Madrid will visit English champions Liverpool in what could be a first return to Anfield for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who joined the Spanish giants this summer after 20 years at his boyhood club.

— UEFA Champions League draw as it happened

Madrid, who got two English opponents from the pot of highest-ranked teams, lost 2-0 at Anfield in the league phase last year. Xabi Alonso's side will host 2023 winners Man City, whom they beat in the knockout playoffs last season.

Madrid also will face Juventus in a repeat of their 2017 final win, and two Ligue 1 opponents, Marseille and Monaco — where superstar forward Kylian Mbappé started his career.

If that wasn't enough, they also face a 4,000-mile journey to Kazakhstan's Kairat Almaty.

Other high-profile league-phase fixtures drawn in Monaco on Thursday include two-time winners Chelsea hosting Barcelona, while Arsenal, who were semifinalists last year, will face the beaten finalists in May, Inter Milan.

As well as welcoming back Alexander-Arnold and Madrid, Liverpool face away trips to the vibrant stadiums of Inter Milan, Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille and Galatasaray.

The draw offered another chance of a notable return, with Man City legend Kevin De Bruyne set to head back to the Etihad with his new club Napoli.