Champions League is back — get your Road to Madrid special now

Grab your copy of the Road to Madrid special edition here and get set for Champions League nights.

The nights are drawing in, the rain is back — and with it comes the annual feast of Europe’s best club sides slugging it out to be crowned continental top dogs as the Champions League returns.

The special edition Road to Madrid is the perfect companion for every midweek matchnight. Inside, you’ll find in-depth profiles of all 36 teams in the league phase — so you can tell your Sabah from your Viking — plus the stories, stats and standout names that will shape this season’s competition.

We look back at the greatest Champions League finals, study the stars set to light up the tournament, and lay out a complete list of fixtures so you can plan your viewing from the first whistle to the final in Madrid.

There’s no shortage of intrigue across the continent. PSG are chasing history after making it two in a row last season, but they’ll face serious competition from familiar heavyweights — including Barcelona and Real Madrid — and a Bayern Munich side led by a Harry Kane-inspired attack.

English interest is strong once again. Arsenal will be determined to go one better after last season’s near-miss, Manchester United return to Europe’s top table, and Manchester City begin a new era under Enzo Maresca. Liverpool are back among the elite too, with Aston Villa completing the Premier League line-up.

Elsewhere, Spain’s contenders come loaded with storylines, Italy’s giants will be desperate to go deep, and there’s always room for new names to make themselves known — including debutants and dark horses who could become the surprise package of the league phase.

And of course, it wouldn’t be the Champions League without that familiar