New Champions League format draw- Whom will the Premier League clubs be facing in the group stage?

The Champions League returns this year with a radically different format, one that sees each team play EIGHT group games. The 8 will be split into four home games and four away ones, but you don’t play the same team home and away- instead there are 8 different group opponents.

The group stage in 24/25 has 36 teams this year (up from 32 in previous years), and the table will be one big, combined log. Teams that finish 1-8 will directly progress to the knockout stages, while 9-24 will face each other in a playoff. 25-36 will be eliminated from Europe altogether (no EL for them)

Premier League opponents in UCL this year (2024/2025)

Man City (Home): Inter, Brugge, Feyenoord, Sparta
Man City (Away): PSG, Juventus, Sporting Lisbon, Slovan Bratislava

Liverpool (Home): Real Madrid, Leverkusen, Lille, Bologna
Liverpool (Away): Leipzig, AC Milan, PSV, Girona

Arsenal (Home): PSG, Shakhtar, Dinamo Zagreb, Monaco
Arsenal (Away): Inter, Atalanta, Sporting Lisbon, Girona

Liverpool appear to have the toughest draw on paper, although City have some tricky fixtures away from home. Arsenal have a very winnable fixture list.

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Referee announced for Chelsea vs Crystal Palace- Same one who was in charge of epic 4-3 game v Man Utd

The referee for Chelsea’s weekend clash against Crystal Palace has been officially announced as Jarred Gillett. The 37-year-old Australian was in charge of Arsenal’s 2-0 opening day win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, and was also the man in the middle for the Community Shield clash between Man Utd and Man City earlier this month- a fixture the Citizens won on penalties.

Blues fans will remember him as the ref for their epic league clash against Manchester United last season- a seven goal thriller that the hosts won after Cole Palmer scored in the 100th and 101st minutes.

Chelsea have a pretty decent record under Gillett as referee- they’ve lost only once in 7 games with him in charge.

Jarred Gillett Referee

CFC games with Jarred Gillett as referee

Chelsea 4-3 Man Utd (2023/24)
Brentford 2-2 Chelsea (2023/24)

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Referee appointed for Arsenal vs Brighton- Gunners unbeaten in last 3 seasons under him

Chris Kavanagh has been appointed as referee for the crunch GW3 clash between Arsenal and Brighton this weekend (24/25 season). Both teams are unbeaten and are in the top four as of Week 2, which means one of the two could potentially lose that status this weekend. The Gunners are also yet to concede a goal in the PL this campaign (GS 4, GA 0)

Arsenal recent games under Chris Kavanagh as referee (2023/24, 2022/23 and 2021/22 seasons)

Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal (23/24)
Chelsea 2-2 Arsenal (23/24)
Newcastle 0-2 Arsenal (22/23)
Arsenal 3-2 Bournemouth (22/23)
Leeds 0-1 Arsenal (22/23)
Arsenal 2-1 Leeds (21/22)

Chris Kavanagh football referee

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