Psg set to learn Champions League fate as they aim to defend title

Paris Saint-Germain will discover their path to defending their Champions League crown on Thursday, as the draw for the expanded 36-team league phase takes place in Monaco.

Last season, PSG claimed their first-ever Champions League title in spectacular fashion, thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 in the final in Munich. The victory capped a historic campaign under the competition’s revamped format, which replaced the traditional group stage with a single league table featuring all 36 teams. Each club now plays eight matches against eight different opponents.

Despite finishing just 15th in the league phase, Luis Enrique’s side stunned the football world by knocking out top-ranked Liverpool on penalties in the last 16, then charging on to lift the trophy. Their win made them only the second French club to triumph in the competition, after Marseille in 1993.

PSG now aim to achieve what only Real Madrid have managed in the past 35 years: win back-to-back Champions League titles.

“Last season we fulfilled the dream everyone at the club had,” said coach Luis Enrique. “But we want to keep making history. Winning two in a row is our new goal. We know it will be difficult, but it’s a dream worth chasing.”

PSG’s win ended a two-decade streak where champions came solely from England, Spain, Germany, or Italy. Those four nations still dominate, providing 19 of the 36 clubs in this year’s league phase, with England contributing six, including Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur.

France has three clubs in the mix, while the rest of Europe’s smaller leagues face tougher odds of representation. Only 16 countries are represented among UEFA’s 55 members.

This season also welcomes several debutants. Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty shocked Celtic in the playoffs to become just the second Kazakh team ever in the Champions League, following Astana in 2015/16. From the Norwegian Arctic, Bodo/Glimt reach the tournament proper for the first time, ending Norway’s long absence since Rosenborg in 2007/08.

Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise are making their debut after claiming a first national title in 90 years, while Cypriot champions Pafos also join the competition, with 38-year-old Brazilian veteran David Luiz in their squad.

“We’re the black sheep of the Champions League,” said coach Juan Carlos Carcedo. “People expect us to lose, but we will fight and enjoy every moment.”

Last season’s top finishers in the league phase, Liverpool, failed to reach the final, while Barcelona, Arsenal, and Inter Milan – who finished just behind them – all made the semi-finals.

UEFA projects prize money for this season’s Champions League will approach €2.5 billion. The eventual winners could earn over €100 million in prize money, with total earnings – including television rights and coefficient bonuses – potentially exceeding €150 million, as PSG reportedly did last season.