Changes to the format of the Champions League this year allowed the top four teams from England, Spain, Germany and Italy direct access to the group stage. With only six sides now battling through the qualifiers, the draw will have a slightly different feel this time around.
We’ve analysed the situation for the UK’s nine potential representatives across the Champions League and Europa League to determine the best- and worst-case scenarios as things stand...
Champions League
Manchester City
As champions of England, City will avoid some of the tournament’s big dogs in Pot 1, where they’re joined by the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Potential landmines in Pot 2 include Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and last year’s semi-finalists Roma, while Monaco and Schalke are better avoided in Pot 3 and Inter or Galatasaray would make for tricky away trips as bottom seeds.
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A path to the knockout rounds would appear to be clearest with difficult but winnable ties against Porto, CSKA Moscow and AEK Athens.
Best draw:Porto, CSKA Moscow, AEK Athens
Worst draw: Borussia Dortmund, Monaco, Inter
Manchester United and Tottenham
Both of these sides will be placed in Pot 2 and could therefore face one of the European giants; Russian champions Lokomotiv Moscow are without doubt the team to hope for from the top pool.
Should that happen, CSKA Moscow will be out of the picture as a potential Pot 3 opponent, so Ajax could be the next-best option. A trip to Switzerland would undoubtedly be more welcome than Milan or Istanbul.
Best-case scenario: Lokomotiv Moscow, Ajax, Young Boys
Worst-case scenario: Barcelona, Monaco, Inter
Liverpool
Last year’s runners-up now know that they'll be in Pot 3 after Benfica’s comprehensive 5-2 play-off win over PAOK on Wednesday night.
Worst-case scenario: Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Inter
NEXT: All in for the Europa?
Europa League
Lots of ifs and buts remain ahead of Friday’s Europa League draw, with three of the five potential British entrants facing decisive second-leg play-off clashes on Thursday.
But, FourFourTwo being eternal optimists, this is how things will look once Burnley, Celtic and Rangers are all thrown into the mix with Chelsea and Arsenal.
Pot 1: Chelsea and Arsenal
The Premier League giants are guaranteed to be top seeds during Friday’s draw, with the four Europa League pots being decided based on club coefficients over the last five years.
Dangers in Pot 2 could include Lazio, Milan, Sporting CP or Marseille, while Fenerbahce, Spartak Moscow and Real Betis may be among the teams in Pot 3. Although Pot 4 looks relatively harmless as it stands, Steven Gerrard’s Rangers would line up there if they make it through, and a trip to Ibrox would make for one of the most daunting tasks of the bottom pool.
Best draw: Genk, FC Zurich, Spartak Trnava
Worst draw: Lazio, Fenerbahce, Rangers
Pot 2: Celtic
Play-off first leg: Suduva 1-1 Celtic
The Europa League isn’t where Brendan Rodgers’ side were hoping to end up this season after two years in the Champions League proper, but as a Pot 2 club they will stand every chance of a decent draw if they get past Suduva in Glasgow.
They had the beating of Anderlecht away from home last term, so the Belgians could be the ideal top seed opponent if they’re placed there, but there’s also a chance of facing Sevilla – competition winners three times in the last five years. Bundesliga side RB Leipzig and Rennes, who finished fifth in Ligue 1 last season, would both be best avoided meanwhile.
Best draw: Anderlecht, FC Zurich, Spartak Trnava
Worst draw: Sevilla, RB Leipzig, Rennes
Pot 3: Burnley
Play-off first leg: Olympiakos 3-1 Burnley
Sean Dyche’s men still have it all to do in their second-leg qualifier against Olympiakos, but should they overturn a 3-1 first leg defeat at Turf Moor, they’ll be rewarded with their first ever group stage appearance.
Glamour trips to Seville and Milan would excite fans but wouldn’t be kind on the Clarets, while Celtic and Rangers could also be among their potential Pot 2 and 4 opponents if all three British sides get through on Thursday night.
Rangers’ low coefficient would leave them in the bottom pot, where they could face the daunting challenge of drawing Sevilla, Chelsea or Arsenal from Pot 1, Serie A giants Milan in Pot 2, and a hostile trip to Fenerbahce in Pot 3.
A kinder draw is possible, though, with the likes of Anderlecht, Ludogorets Razgrad and PAOK still possibly lining up in Pot 1. Meanwhile, Russian side Krasnodar and Ukrainian outfit Vorskla Poltava could be bumped up to Pots 2 and 3 respectively if other results go their way.
Joe was the Deputy Editor at FourFourTwo until 2022, having risen through the FFT academy and been on the brand since 2013 in various capacities.
By weekend and frustrating midweek night he is a Leicester City fan, and in 2020 co-wrote the autobiography of former Foxes winger Matt Piper – subsequently listed for both the Telegraph and William Hill Sports Book of the Year awards.
