New Champions League structure that could impact Celtic and Rangers in revamped draw

UEFA has announced a new format for the Champions League draw, which will now feature 36 teams in the revised league phase, formerly known as the group stage.

Under the new system, each team will play eight matches against eight different opponents, a change from the previous format where teams played three teams twice. The teams will be seeded into four pots based on their individual club coefficient at the start of the season, with Celtic expected to be in the bottom pot. Old Firm rivals Rangers will be looking to join their neighbours in the hat but will have to negotiate two rounds of qualifying in order to do so.

The draw will pair each team with two opponents from each pot, with one match at home and one away. UEFA has also stipulated that teams cannot face opponents from their own country during the league phase and can only be drawn against a maximum of two sides from the same nation.

The revamped draw, scheduled for August 29, will involve 36 teams being manually drawn using physical balls. For every team drawn, an automated software will randomly select eight opponents across the four pots, which will be revealed on screen in the draw hall and on television. The software will also determine which matches will be played at home and which ones away.

The draw will commence with Pot 1, assigning eight opponents to each of the nine teams in succession, and will continue with the remaining pots in descending order until all teams have their eight opponents. UEFA assures that the software will ensure complete randomness within the parameters set by the regulations, while also ensuring that the draw can be completed for all teams without leading to a deadlock situation at any point.

Although the teams will know all