Champions League: a tough draw for OM in 2025-26!

OM knows its European slate for the 2025–26 season. And what a slate! Between historic heavyweights and clubs on the rise, Roberto De Zerbi and his players will have to bring their A-game to make their mark in the Champions League’s new format.

The new format, explained

Since 2024, the classic groups are gone: make way for a single 36-team phase. Each club plays 8 matches against 8 different opponents (2 from each pot). The top 8 go straight to the round of 16, places 9 to 24 go through play-offs. In other words, you have to pick up points everywhere!

OM’s full draw

• Pot 1: Real Madrid (Away), Liverpool (Home)
• Pot 2: Atalanta (Home), Club Brugge (Away)
• Pot 3: Ajax Amsterdam (Home), Sporting CP (Away)
• Pot 4: Newcastle (Home), Union Saint-Gilloise (Away)

Marquee fixtures like Real and Liverpool at the Vélodrome, but also tricky clashes against Brugge, Union SG, and Newcastle, who are on the rise.

What’s at stake for OM

The goal is clear: finish in the Top 24 to stay in Europe in 2026. That will mean:

• capitalizing on the Vélodrome atmosphere (4 home games 🔥)
• picking up precious points away from home
• testing the progress of our marquee signings (Ceballos, Traoré, Palmieri, etc.) against high-caliber opponents

A campaign that already makes you dream

Between the magic of the Bernabéu, Liverpool’s return to the Vélodrome, and intense duels against Ajax or Newcastle, this campaign promises to be memorable. Fans are already looking forward to wild nights at the Vélodrome, where the Olympian flame will have to sweep all before it.

So, Team OM: how are you feeling about this UCL? Which fixtures get you buzzing the most? And above all: what are we aiming for? Top 16 or higher? Drop your predictions in the comments!