PSG get tough slate of Champions League opponents, as Real Madrid are going to Liverpool and Almaty

PSG’s easiest opponents, in theory, in the league phase will be Newcastle and Athletic Bilbao
Liverpool fans will welcome Trent Alexander-Arnold back to Anfield with Madrid

MONACO: Paris Saint-Germain were handed a tough start to the defense of its Champions League title with games against Bayern Munich and Barcelona, and Thursday’s draw also served up opponents from England and Spain from the pot of lowest-ranked teams.

PSG’s easiest opponents, in theory, in the league phase will be Newcastle and Athletic Bilbao.

Tottenham, the Europa League champion, also will play PSG in a repeat of their Super Cup game two weeks ago. PSG’s eight-game schedule is completed by Bayer Leverkusen, Atalanta and Sporting Lisbon.

Real Madrid also got a challenging draw, including a trip far east to play Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan — 6,420 kilometers (4,000 miles) from the Spanish capital.

Record 15-time champion Madrid got two English opponents from the pot of highest-ranked teams.

Madrid will host Manchester City, which they beat in the knockout playoffs last season, and return to Liverpool after losing 2-0 at Anfield in the league phase last year.

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

Liverpool fans will welcome Trent Alexander-Arnold back to Anfield with Madrid, and have away trips to the vibrant stadiums of Inter Milan, Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille and Galatasaray.

Bayern Munich will have rematches of two recent finals – at home to Chelsea where the German champion lost the 2012 title game on home turf, and away to PSG, which they beat in the 2020 final. Bayern also will go to Cyprus to face Pafos.

Manchester