Champions League Group Stage Fixtures: Difficulty Ranking of All 36 Teams

After the league phase draw on Thursday evening, every one of the 36 Champions League teams now has their first eight fixtures ranked by difficulty. The competition returns on September 8, with Paris Saint-Germain seeking a third consecutive title as they continue to assert themselves among Europe's elite.

Their rivals include last season’s finalists and Premier League winners Arsenal, along with Manchester City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and Spanish powerhouses Barcelona and Real Madrid. Now in its third year, the new league format quickly reveals which clubs have the strongest start in pursuit of continental glory. Some squads face tougher schedules than others early on.

Ranking the Easiest Group Stage Runs (Ranks 36-28)

• 36. VfB Stuttgart: Opponents' average Elo rating -48
• 35. Inter Milan: -36
• 34. Real Madrid: -28
• 33. Shakhtar Donetsk: -28
• 32. LASK: -21
• 31. Fenerbahce: -18
• 30. Porto: -18
• 29. Slovan Bratislava: -17
• 28. Viking: -16

VfB Stuttgart stands out with the easiest slate, boasting a 12-point advantage over Inter Milan in terms of opponent strength. Yet even Stuttgart must face tough foes like Italian champions Inter, Atletico Madrid, and Galatasaray. Real Madrid, under José Mourinho, ranks third easiest, aiming to end their trophy drought despite opponents with an average Elo matching Shakhtar Donetsk's. Shakhtar faces extra adversity playing all games away after arranging to host matches at Chelsea.

Mid-Tier Fixtures from Easiest to Moderate (Ranks 27-19)

• 27. Real Betis: -14
• 26. AEK Athens: -10
• 25. Liverpool: -9
• 24. Barcelona: -9
• 23. Roma: -8
• 22. PSV: -6
• 21. RB Leipzig: -2
• 20. Borussia Dortmund: -1
• 19. Sporting CP: 0

Liverpool enjoys the easiest schedule among English clubs, easing new coach Andoni Iraola into Champions League action. Barcelona shares the same rating. Teams like Roma and PSV face slightly tougher starts. Borussia Dortmund hopes to leverage a manageable draw with only Arsenal and Inter Milan rated stronger than them. Meanwhile, Sporting CP, with an average opponent rating of zero, faces a balanced challenge including two Manchester clubs and Barcelona.

More Challenging Fixtures Ahead (Ranks 18-10)

• 18. Lille: +3
• 17. Napoli: +3
• 16. Aston Villa: +5
• 15. Galatasaray: +7
• 14. Arsenal: +7
• 13. Feyenoord: +11
• 12. Villarreal: +11
• 11. Bayern Munich: +11
• 10. Paris Saint-Germain: +12

Aston Villa faces the 16th toughest run, returning to the top tier but confronting a daunting path after a rocky start to the season and limited summer signings. Galatasaray and Arsenal share a moderately difficult fixture list, with many expecting the Gunners, the most settled English side, to build on last season’s success. The holders PSG and Bayern Munich both encounter challenging groups, hosting top teams like the Spanish champions and traveling to tough venues such as Manchester City and Aston Villa.

Top 9 Hardest Group Stage Schedules (Ranks 9-1)

• 9. Slavia Prague: +12
• 8. Atletico Madrid: +13
• 7. Bodo/Glimt: +13
• 6. Manchester United: +16
• 5. Como: +25
• 4. Club Brugge: +26
• 3. RC Lens: +33
• 2. Manchester City: +39
• 1. Sabah: +42

Slavia Prague will rely heavily on home support to survive one of the toughest group phases. Atletico Madrid always has a chance under Diego Simeone, who steered them to last season’s semi-finals. Bodo/Glimt were surprise heroes last season but face a much harder test this time.

Manchester United, Como, and Club Brugge may struggle due to lack of recent Champions League experience. RC Lens ranks third hardest, while Manchester City comes second, facing a brutal set of opponents. At the very top stands Sabah, newcomers founded just nine years ago, confronting the toughest fixture list imaginable for their Champions League debut.