sports
Arsenal 'banned' from one Champions League fixture as teams separated in draw
Arsenal will shortly discover their opponents for the league phase of the Champions League as they look to improve on last season's final heartbreak, but they already know one fixture they cannot be handed. Mikel Arteta and his squad are aware they will encounter two opponents from each seeding pot. Last season, the top-seeded adversaries from pot one were Bayern Munich at home and Inter Milan away.
TL;DR
- Arsenal cannot be drawn against Inter Milan at home in the Champions League league phase for the third consecutive year due to UEFA regulations.
- This rule is part of the new league phase format introduced before the 2024/25 season.
- Liverpool and Real Madrid also face a similar restriction, unable to play each other at Anfield for a second consecutive year.
- Arsenal reached the Champions League final last season, losing on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain.
- The Gunners are one of five Premier League clubs in this season's competition, alongside Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Liverpool.
- The league phase of the Champions League begins on September 8.