Champions League Group Stage Fixtures Ranked from Easiest to Hardest for All 36 Teams
The Champions League returns on September 8, with Paris Saint-Germain aiming for a third straight title. They face strong competition from clubs like Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Real Madrid.
This season’s league phase is in its third year, offering an early snapshot of which teams might challenge for the trophy. Yet some clubs have drawn tougher groups than others.
Easiest Fixtures (Ranks 36-28)
VfB Stuttgart has the easiest schedule based on opponents' average elo rating at -48, though they still face tough sides like the Italian champions, Atletico Madrid, and Galatasaray. Inter Milan comes in at 35th (-36), followed by Real Madrid and Shakhtar Donetsk, both at -28. Shakhtar faces an extra challenge, playing all matches away due to arrangements to host games at Chelsea.
Others with smoother runs include LASK (-21), Fenerbahce and Porto (both -18), along with newcomers Slovan Bratislava and Viking, the latter making their first group stage appearance.
- Rank 36: VfB Stuttgart -48
- Rank 35: Inter Milan -36
- Rank 34: Real Madrid -28
- Rank 33: Shakhtar Donetsk -28
- Rank 32: LASK -21
- Rank 31: Fenerbahce -18
- Rank 30: Porto -18
- Rank 29: Slovan Bratislava -17
- Rank 28: Viking -16
Mid-Tier Fixtures (Ranks 27-19)
Real Betis and AEK Athens sit in the easier mid-range, with AEK cruising into the group stage after a 4-0 playoff win over Levski Sofia. Liverpool boasts the easiest path among English clubs with an opponent average of -9, easing new coach Andoni Iraola into European competition.
Barcelona matches Liverpool's rating, while Roma (-8) and PSV (-6) face somewhat tougher schedules. Borussia Dortmund, despite recent struggles, see Arsenal and Inter as their only stronger opponents.
Sporting CP stands in the middle of the pack at zero, confronting top sides like both Manchester clubs and Barcelona but also facing less daunting foes like RC Lens and LASK.
- Rank 27: Real Betis -14
- Rank 26: AEK Athens -10
- Rank 25: Liverpool -9
- Rank 24: Barcelona -9
- Rank 23: Roma -8
- Rank 22: PSV -6
- Rank 21: RB Leipzig -2
- Rank 20: Borussia Dortmund -1
- Rank 19: Sporting CP 0
Moderate to Difficult Fixtures (Ranks 18-10)
Lille and Napoli share a +3 opponent rating, while Europa League winners Aston Villa face the 16th toughest schedule. Recent form and transfer struggles make their road challenging after a heavy opening loss.
Galatasaray and Arsenal both rate +7. Arsenal, the most settled English side, aim to build on last season’s run and finally claim a major European trophy under Mikel Arteta.
Feyenoord, Villarreal, and Bayern Munich all have +11 ratings. The holders, PSG (+12), must host Spanish, Turkish, and Slovak champions, plus travel to Manchester City, Aston Villa, and underdog Como.
- Rank 18: Lille +3
- Rank 17: Napoli +3
- Rank 16: Aston Villa +5
- Rank 15: Galatasaray +7
- Rank 14: Arsenal +7
- Rank 13: Feyenoord +11
- Rank 12: Villarreal +11
- Rank 11: Bayern Munich +11
- Rank 10: Paris Saint-Germain +12
Most Challenging Fixtures (Ranks 9-1)
Slavia Prague ranks ninth with a +12 rating, relying on passionate home fans. Atletico Madrid (+13), led by Diego Simeone, will try to repeat their recent semi-final run. Bodo/Glimt, the surprise package last season, face a much tougher draw this time.
Manchester United (+16), Como (+25), and Club Brugge (+26) are expected to struggle given their limited recent experience. RC Lens holds the third hardest fixture list (+33), while Manchester City comes second (+39). At the very top, Sabah, debutants from Azerbaijan, face the steepest challenge with a +42 rating.
- Rank 9: Slavia Prague +12
- Rank 8: Atletico Madrid +13
- Rank 7: Bodo/Glimt +13
- Rank 6: Manchester United +16
- Rank 5: Como +25
- Rank 4: Club Brugge +26
- Rank 3: RC Lens +33
- Rank 2: Manchester City +39
- Rank 1: Sabah +42
