Who was given the toughest fixtures in the Champions League draw?
An analysis of the new Champions League draw reveals varying levels of difficulty for Premier League teams based on Opta power rankings. While Liverpool and Arsenal received relatively favorable paths, other clubs face significantly tougher assignments in the league phase.
Why it matters
Understanding the competitive balance of the Champions League is essential for sports fans and analysts tracking European football performance.
The prize on offer for the 36 teams./Getty Images The prize on offer for the 36 teams./Getty Images Guardian Sport Network Champions League Who was given the toughest fixtures in the Champions League draw? The draw was kind to Liverpool and Arsenal, but Manchester City and Aston Villa do not have it so good
Prefer the Guardian on Google T he 36 clubs in the Champions League know who they will play in the league phase , but which team has the kindest draw and who has the toughest assignment? Each side knows their eight opponents but, given that no two teams face the same set of opponents, this is not a level playing field. We have used the Opta power rankings – which rank 16,000 teams from across the world on the same scale – to find out who did best in the draw.
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