Today the draw for the Champions League League Phase was held in Monaco. Thirty-six teams battle to take home Ol' Big Ears. These are our eight opponents.
FC BARCELONA - POT 1 (HOME)
FC Barcelona won the Champions League five times and La Liga twenty-eight. The Spanish powerhouse usually play their home fixtures at the iconic Camp Nou, but have temporarily relocated to the Estadio Olímpic Lluís Companys as their stadium is being renovated. This stadium has a 55.926 seat capacity and will, as it goes, be used until February 2026.
Club Brugge and Barcelona met once earlier when FC Barcelona won both group stage fixtures in the 2002-03 season with the smallest of margins. On September 18 Barcelona won 3-2 and 0-1 in Brugge on October 29.
Barcelona is the reigining champion of La Liga, while also lifting the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Supercup.
BAYERN MUNICH - POT 1 (AWAY)
FC Bayern München are the dominant force in German football, with an incredible 34 league titles and six Champions League trophies to their name. In 2020, the Bavarian giants lifted the Champions League again after defeating Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
Led by Vincent Kompany, Bayern reclaimed the Bundesliga crown in the 2024/25 season. They produced an outstanding campaign, winning 25 matches, drawing 7 and losing just 2, to finish on 82 points.
Club Brugge have met Bayern twice before in European competition. Back in 2005, the Belgian side earned an impressive home draw thanks to a goal from Portillo. Bayern play their home matches at the iconic Allianz Arena, a stadium once shared with TSV 1860 München. Today, it lights up in bright red on matchdays, a symbol of Bayern’s power and passion, whereas in the days of 1860 it would shine in blue.
ARSENAL - POT 2 (HOME)
Arsenal, the Premier League top team from London, have been crowned English champions 13 times and hold a record 14 FA Cup triumphs. The Gunners have yet to win the Champions League, though they did reach the final in 2006, where they were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Barcelona.
Nicknamed “The Gunners”, Arsenal play their home matches at the Emirates Stadium and are renowned for their attacking style of football.
ATALANTA - POT 2 (AWAY)
Serie A powerhouse Atalanta have in recent years established themselves as one of Italy’s most exciting teams, renowned for their attacking football. The club has also built a reputation as a springboard for talented players moving on to Europe’s biggest sides.
Club Brugge and Atalanta met recently in the Champions League Knockout Phase. At home, Brugge claimed a 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Jutglà and Nilsson. In the return leg, FCB secured a 3-1 win, with Talbi scoring twice and Jutglà once.
In the 2023-24 season, Club Brugge academy graduate Charles De Ketelaere made the move to Atalanta. Charles had played no fewer than 120 matches for FCB, scoring 25 goals. Since his arrival in Bergamo, CDK has gone on to make 101 appearances and find the net 27 times.
MARSEILLE - POT 3 (HOME)
Marseille, with one Champions League and ten Ligue 1 trophies, are one of the most iconic clubs in France. The club boasts a rich history with legendary names such as Jean-Pierre Papin, Didier Deschamps and Didier Drogba, and has also collected multiple Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue titles.
Papin, who previously played for Club Brugge, became a true icon at Marseille and even won the Ballon d’Or in 1991. Often regarded as the greatest foreign player ever to wear the Brugge shirt, the French striker returned to his homeland in 1986 to join Olympique de Marseille. The club went on to make history in 1993, lifting the very first edition of the UEFA Champions League.
SPORTING CP - POT 3 (AWAY)
Twenty-one time champions of Portugal Sporting CP, reclaimed the league title in 2025. The Lisbon club also lifted the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1964 and share a fierce rivalry with city neighbours SL Benfica - both of whom Club Brugge have been drawn against in European competition.
Abdoulay Diaby and Bas Dost are among the players to have represented both Club Brugge and Sporting CP.
MONACO - POT 4 (HOME)
AS Monaco, multiple-time French champions and Champions League finalists in 2004, are renowned for their attacking style of play and their tradition of developing young talent. Founded in 1924 and based in the Principality of Monaco, the club combines a rich footballing history with a strong emphasis on scouting and youth development. Over the years, Monaco have produced a string of stars who went on to shine at the highest level, including Thierry Henry, Kylian Mbappé, James Rodríguez and Fabinho.
Club Brugge and AS Monaco met in the 2018-19 Champions League. At the Jan Breydel Stadium, Brugge claimed a resounding 4-0 victory, before the return fixture in Monaco finished in a 1-1 draw.
KAIRAT ALMATY - POT 4 (AWAY)
Kairat Almaty is a team from Kazachstan who have finished first in the national league four times. For this away fixture, Club will record an astounding 12.000 kilometer.
It is the first time a team from Kazachstan enters the Champions League, after they beat Slovenian side Olimpija, the Finish outfit KuPS Kuopio and Celtic from Scotland.