From Arsenal vs Real Madrid to PSG VS Barcelona: UCL blockbusters to watch

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The Champions League draw has produced several high-profile fixtures, with Europe’s biggest clubs set to face each other during the league phase.

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With 144 matches scheduled, here are 10 fixtures that stand out as the ones to watch as reported by Planet Football on Friday

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Barcelona vs Como

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Cesc Fabregas will return to the Camp Nou when Como face Barcelona in their first Champions League campaign.

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Barcelona will be strong favourites, but Fabregas’ return to his former club adds an interesting storyline to the fixture.

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The former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder has also earned praise for his coaching work and will hope to cause an upset against his old side.

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Manchester United vs Bayern Munich

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Manchester United will welcome Bayern Munich to Old Trafford in a fixture that has the feel of a traditional Champions League heavyweight clash.

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The two clubs met in the group stage in 2023, with Bayern winning both matches.

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United will hope home advantage can help them produce a different result this time, particularly given the importance of the fixture in the league phase.

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Bodo/Glimt vs Atletico Madrid

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Bodo/Glimt established themselves as one of Europe’s difficult teams to beat last season and also managed to defeat Atletico Madrid in their previous meeting.

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This time, Atletico will travel to Norway and face the challenging conditions in Bodo.

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The Norwegian side will see the fixture as another opportunity to prove that their impressive European form was no fluke.

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Real Madrid vs Inter Milan

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Real Madrid and Inter Milan will meet at the Santiago Bernabeu in another heavyweight European encounter.

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Both clubs have reached Champions League finals in recent years, while Inter enjoyed an impressive domestic campaign last season.

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Real Madrid have the better historical record, having won 10 of the previous meetings compared with Inter’s seven victories. Madrid have also won six of their last seven encounters.

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Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona

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PSG and Barcelona have developed one of the most entertaining rivalries in European football in recent years.

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The two sides were involved in the famous Remontada and have continued to produce dramatic encounters.

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Their head-to-head record is evenly matched, with both teams recording six victories, while four meetings have ended in draws.

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The fixture is also expected to feature several of Europe’s biggest attacking stars, including Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

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Fenerbahce vs Liverpool

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Liverpool face a difficult trip to Turkey when they take on Fenerbahce.

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The Turkish club have several players with Premier League experience, including N’Golo Kante, Romelu Lukaku and Mason Greenwood.

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The atmosphere in Istanbul should provide Liverpool with a major test, while the additional travel could make the fixture more demanding during a busy period of the season.

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Arsenal vs Bayern Munich

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Arsenal will face Bayern Munich in another clash between two clubs expected to compete deep into the competition.

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The Gunners have not won in Munich since 2013, although they defeated Bayern 3-1 in their most recent meeting.

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Manchester City vs Barcelona

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Manchester City will travel to the Camp Nou to face Barcelona in one of the most intriguing fixtures of the league phase.

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The two clubs have met six times in recent years, with Barcelona winning five and City winning once.

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City have never won at the Camp Nou, while Barcelona’s strong record against Guardiola’s side adds further intrigue.

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Rodri’s connection with both clubs will also provide an additional storyline to the fixture.

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Arsenal vs Real Madrid

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Arsenal’s meeting with Real Madrid promises to be one of the most anticipated fixtures of the league phase.

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The Spanish giants boast one of Europe’s most dangerous attacks, while Arsenal have developed a reputation for having one of the continent’s strongest defences.

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The fixture also carries memories of Arsenal’s previous meeting with Madrid and offers another opportunity for the Premier League side to measure themselves against one of Europe’s most successful clubs.

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With both teams possessing the quality to go deep into the competition, the match could prove to be one of the defining fixtures of the league phase.

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