Manchester City will have a brief reunion with Kevin De Bruyne as the English team begins their Champions League campaign with a home match against the Belgian's new team, Napoli. The opening matchday of this season's league phase spans three days, and on Thursday, September 18, City will host Italian champions Napoli at the Etihad Stadium.
After ten incredibly successful years at Manchester, including winning the Champions League with Pep Guardiola's team in 2023, De Bruyne joined Napoli in June.
"I'm delighted that he [Kevin De Bruyne] will return here, and of course, we have to beat the teams Napoli and Galatasaray [with Leroy Sane]." Pep Guardiola had previously stated.
They deserve a warm welcome; therefore, I do not doubt that the populace will extend it to them.
The 36-team league round of the competition's draw was held on Thursday, but the whole schedule was only made public by UEFA, the organization that oversees European football, on Saturday.
Winners of the Club World Cup, Chelsea, will play Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, where they overcame the German team in the 2012 Champions League final, on Wednesday, September 17.
Newcastle United will make their comeback to Europe's top club tournament by hosting Spanish champions Barcelona at St. James' Park the next day, while Premier League winners Liverpool will kick off their campaign at home against Atletico Madrid the same evening.
On Tuesday, September 16, Arsenal, the season's semi-finalists, will travel to Athletic Bilbao for their first away game.
Tottenham Hotspur, who defeated Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao last season to earn a spot in the Champions League, will play Villarreal at home to begin the season.
In the French capital, reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain kick off with a match against Atalanta. Other noteworthy opening games include Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid vs. Marseille, and Ajax vs. Inter Milan, the previous season's beaten finals.
