And … breathe. After a flurry of massive moves resulted in nearly €6 billion being spent on new talent across Europe, theScore picks out the winners and losers from a lavish summer transfer window.

Winners: Arsenal

Keeping up with Manchester City is an enormous task. Pep Guardiola’s well-oiled side, on the back of a historic treble, arguably got even better this summer, throwing down the gauntlet once more to the chasing pack by adding the likes of Josko Gvardiol and Matheus Nunes.

If Arsenal are going to take another step in their development and establish themselves as a legitimate, longstanding threat to City’s dynasty after last season’s intoxicating title challenge, they need significant investment in their burgeoning squad. Mikel Arteta, backed by the brass, got precisely that, as the Gunners beat City to the £105-million signing of Declan Rice. They were terribly unlucky to see versatile young defender Jurrien Timber suffer a torn ACL so early into his Arsenal career, and the jury is still out on just how Kai Havertz fits into Arteta’s squad. However, the team is objectively more talented than last season, to say nothing of internal growth.

Losers: Liverpool

By the time the window slammed shut, Liverpool had achieved their primary objective in the transfer market by totally overhauling a midfield that was desperately screaming out for reinvention. Dominik Szoboszlai could end up being the single best deal of the summer in England, Alexis Mac Allister has settled quickly, and Wataru Endo provides solid depth. If deadline-day acquisition Ryan Gravenberch can rediscover the form that made him so desirable during his Ajax tenure, he could become a steal.

But getting to that point was anything but smooth. The process, especially in the eyes of supporters, matters. Liverpool were publicly scorned by both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia as both midfielders, in quick succession, turned down the chance to join the Reds in favor of free-spending Chelsea despite the Blues’ lack of European football this season. Jurgen Klopp’s men also lost captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabia in surprising moves that weren’t foreseen at the start of the window. And with the Saudi window remaining open for nearly three more weeks, Al-Ittihad’s pursuit of Mohamed Salah will have Liverpool and their fans sweating.

Winner: Saudi Pro League

Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival was only the beginning, as it turns out. Saudi Arabia’s unprecedented effort to take over world football – and cleanse its global image in the process – continued unabated this summer. The likes of Karim Benzema, Neymar, Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Jordan Henderson, and N’Golo Kante, to name a few, followed the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to the Middle East.

But it’s the captures of players like Ruben Neves and, especially, rising Spanish star Gabri Veiga that’ll have many around Europe a little nervous if not yet outright frightened. Signing aging stars near the end of their respective careers is one thing – if anything, it actually aids European clubs who are looking to rid themselves of burdensome contracts. But if Saudi Arabia continues to lure blossoming talents like Veiga from under the noses of traditional European powers, we could be in for a legitimate dynamic shift.

Losers: Inter Milan

Aside from the capture of impressive young midfielder Davide Frattesi and the signing of Marcus Thuram on a free transfer, last season’s Champions League finalists endured a frustrating summer riddled with unfruitful pursuits. Inter wanted to bring back Romelu Lukaku, but he tried to engineer a move to bitter rivals Juventus before ultimately ending up at Roma. They were keen on Folarin Balogun, but they didn’t have the financial muscle to meet Arsenal’s demands. They wanted Gianluca Scamacca, but he ended up at Atalanta instead. They were linked with Mehdi Taremi, too. Instead, the Nerazzurri, who lost Edin Dzeko and Joaquin Correa, ended up with a pair of familiar faces in the form of 34-year-olds Marko Arnautovic and Alexis Sanchez.

Inter also spent much of the summer chasing Lazar Samardzic, only for the deal to collapse after it was on the one-yard line. Meanwhile, the arrival of long-time Juventus stalwart Juan Cuadrado on a free transfer was met with fury by supporters. The deadline-day signing of Davy Klaassen doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, either, while Simone Inzaghi’s team is objectively worse between the sticks following Andre Onana’s move to Manchester United. Contrast that with city rivals AC Milan, who used the windfall from Sandro Tonali’s sale to rejuvenate their entire squad, and Inter had a summer to forget.

Winners: Paris Saint-Germain

Paris Saint-Germain lost the greatest footballer of all time and the most expensive player in history in the same summer. Against that backdrop, it seems asinine to suggest they “won” the transfer window. But the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar were, ultimately, in the best interest of all parties. The Argentine was clearly not content in the French capital, as he made clear after his switch to Inter Miami, while PSG were more than happy to rid themselves of the frustrating Brazilian star.

More importantly for PSG, they were able to keep hold of Kylian Mbappe after another protracted saga. Even if it’s only for one more season before he inevitably joins Real Madrid, PSG are an infinitely better team after retaining Mbappe than they would be without him. They also went on a rampage during the summer window, splashing significant sums to sign 11 players, including several rising young stars. PSG have rebuilt their attack with Randal Kolo Muani, Goncalo Ramos, Ousmane Dembele, and Bradley Barcola, while Manuel Ugarte should be a midfield mainstay for some time. PSG, after a dizzying Galacticos era that didn’t yield the expected results, are changing their approach in the hopes of building a more cohesive, sustainable squad with long-term potential.

Losers: Everton and Wolves

Another relegation battle beckons for Everton. After narrowly avoiding the drop the last two seasons, they needed an impressive summer to get away from the throes of the bottom three this campaign. Instead, the Toffees only mustered a handful of signings that ranged from underwhelming to downright confounding. Is Beto going to cure their scoring woes? What, exactly, is 38-year-old Ashley Young going to provide? Is Jack Harrison healthy? One of the flimsiest backlines in the Premier League didn’t get addressed, while Alex Iwobi, one of the team’s better performers, departed on deadline day. Not great.

Wolves, meanwhile, are in a similar boat. Aside from bringing Matt Doherty back to the club, the Midlands outfit’s summer was blighted by departures; Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins, and Raul Jimenez were sold, while Joao Moutinho and Adama Traore left on free transfers. Their business was so underwhelming that it was the primary reason a disgruntled Julen Lopetegui decided to leave the club on the eve of the Premier League season. It was fitting, actually, that Matheus Nunes was shipped out on deadline day and the club didn’t sign a suitable replacement.

Winners: Brighton & Hove Albion

There’s perhaps no savvier operator in the transfer window than Brighton. In selling Moises Caicedo, Robert Sanchez, and Mac Allister for a combined £175 million, the Seagulls turned a monstrous profit on three players that cost them a combined £11 million to acquire. Caicedo’s move to Chelsea, a British record, was more expensive than the cost of Brighton’s stadium.

Brighton, as always, reinvested wisely, relying on their superb scouting department to unearth young players who can deliver immediate results while also keeping the conveyor belt churning. Of the players Brighton spent a fee to sign this summer – versatile veteran James Milner and midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud arrived on free transfers – only one of them, Igor, was older than 21 years old. Carlos Baleba profiles as a future star who will command a hefty fee at some point very soon, while the stunning deadline-day acquisition of Ansu Fati on loan was one of the most eye-catching moves of the entire window.

Loser: Mauricio Pochettino

Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital continued their spending spree this summer, taking their total expenditure on new players to over £1 billion since acquiring Chelsea. Of their 11 new recruits over the past few months, none are older than 25. The strategy is clear. It should pay off handsomely down the line as their superlative crop of youngsters flourish together in the coming years. There’s risk in that approach, and some of the players may yet turn out to be busts, but it’s worthwhile for a club trying to get back to the upper echelons of European football.

The issue in the immediate term, though, is making all the pieces fit. That task now falls squarely on the shoulders of Mauricio Pochettino. By virtue of Chelsea’s inability to trim their squad further on deadline day, it’s a big undertaking for the Argentine tactician. The Blues did well to ship out several unwanted players, but Marc Cucurella, Trevoh Chalobah, Ian Maatsen, and Conor Gallagher, all close to departing Friday, stayed put. Pochettino has to figure out a way to keep everyone happy without the benefit of European football to give his players minutes this season.

Winners: MLS, Inter Miami, and Lionel Messi

No matter the hoops you have to jump through, no matter how many league rules need to be finessed or altered to make it happen, when you have a legitimate opportunity to sign Messi, you do it. Inter Miami owners Jorge Mas and David Beckham, as well as Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber – with the financial backing of league partner Apple – figured out a way to make it work, and they’re already reaping the benefits. Every time Messi steps on the pitch for Inter Miami, it’s been a must-see event. Celebrities are flocking to Inter Miami’s matches, subscriptions to the league’s streaming service are skyrocketing, and people, many of whom had never even considered tuning in to North American soccer before, are glued to the screen. A masterstroke.

On the pitch, it’s been a rousing success thus far, too. Messi led Miami to its first-ever trophy and got the team to the U.S. Open Cup final, often performing some kind of jaw-dropping moment of magic that almost seemed scripted. The iconic Argentine seems genuinely happy in the United States with his family by his side while also getting to enjoy his new experience with close friends Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. What more could you ask for?

Loser: Harry Maguire

Nobody – seriously, nobody – needed a transfer more than Harry Maguire. Unfortunately, he didn’t get it. Erik ten Hag can publicly state that he has faith in Maguire all he likes and that he’ll contribute at points this season, but that’s quite clearly not going to be the case, at least not in a meaningful way, for the much-maligned center-back. His deterioration from Manchester United captain to a punchline – fair or not – has been stark.

A prospective move to West Ham United, which would’ve benefitted all parties, didn’t come to fruition, which means the most expensive defender ever needs to wait until January, at least, to get his career back on track.

Winner: Harry Kane

On the flip side, here’s a Harry who actually got the move he desired. Kane, who gave every last ounce trying, unsuccessfully, to lead Tottenham Hotspur to a trophy, was finally given the opportunity to chase silverware at Bayern Munich. With Bayern, he’s all but guaranteed to lift some kind of hardware barring some cruel twist of fate.

This may be a rare transfer that works out for everyone involved. Kane obviously wanted to move on, but he didn’t force his way out, and the amicable departure didn’t sully his status as a club legend. Spurs, meanwhile, recouped €100 million for a 30-year-old. And Bayern, one year later, found a proper replacement for Robert Lewandowski. Everybody wins.

Losers: Europe’s other leagues

The almighty Premier League pound remains undefeated. England’s top 20 clubs splashed a record £2.36 billion this summer, smashing the previous mark of £1.92 billion that was established last year. That eye-watering figure accounted for 48% of total spending across Europe’s top five leagues. On its own, the Premier League nearly matched the combined outlay of Serie A, La Liga, the Bundesliga, and Ligue 1.

Of the top 10 most opulent spenders this summer, PSG are the only non-English or Saudi club to crack the list. If anything, the gap is only widening.

Another deadline day is in the books. Below, we provide quick-hit analysis of the biggest stories from a frantic final day of the summer transfer window.

Chelsea couldn’t move everyone

Chelsea moved out 22 players during the summer transfer window, an astonishing number that would’ve left most clubs with the bare essentials. But Chelsea aren’t most clubs. Even after undertaking such a massive clear out, the Blues still have a bloated squad of 29 first-team players. Deadline-day moves for Conor Gallagher, Ian Maatsen, Marc Cucurella, and Trevoh Chalobah all disintegrated, leaving Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino with future selection headaches. Good luck keeping all these young and eager players happy without any European football to offer. And none of this is new. Thiago Silva warned the club in April the squad was too big to manage, revealing to reporters’ astonishment that Chelsea needed a bigger dressing room to accommodate everyone. “We need to stop and put a strategy in place, otherwise next season we could make the same mistakes,” Silva said at the time. Though the club generated an estimated £295 million in sales and loan fees this summer, it wasn’t enough to cancel out the wave of new signings.

DONE DEAL: PSG land Kolo Muani after U-turn ?

Details: Transfer reportedly worth up to €90M (Read more)

What a difference a few hours can make. Just when it seemed like Paris Saint-Germain’s dream of signing Eintracht Frankfurt star Randal Kolo Muani had well and truly died, PSG somehow convinced Frankfurt to sell him. Frankfurt signed off on a reported €90-million package even though Germany’s transfer deadline had passed, leaving them without time to find a replacement. But for a minute, PSG appeared ready to throw in the towel. Club officials reportedly believed the deal hinged on their own Hugo Ekitike accepting a move to Frankfurt. So they reportedly blamed Ekitike, accusing his camp of negotiating a potential transfer to Crystal Palace without their knowledge. In the end, it didn’t matter. Frankfurt sold Kolo Muani to PSG without getting Ekitike in return. And what a signing he is. Joining fellow up-and-comers Manuel Ugarte, Goncalo Ramos, and Bradley Barcola, Kolo Muani, 24, represents the kind of forward-thinking signing PSG are now prioritizing.

DONE DEAL: Spurs retool attack with Johnson ?

Details: Transfer reportedly worth £47.5M

Brennan Johnson is Tottenham’s first major signing of the post-Harry Kane era, and he’s a good one. The Welsh attacker, who joined Nottingham Forest at the age of eight, developed into an indispensable starter for his boyhood club, scoring 18 goals and 10 assists during its promotion-winning campaign. He continued to produce when it mattered most last season, giving Forest the lead or turning a game on its head with a well-timed equalizer. But, like Spurs, he’s not yet the finished article. He has as much room to grow as the club does. What’s unclear is where exactly Johnson will play. Will he supplant Dejan Kulusevski on his favored right wing? Could James Maddison play deeper to accommodate Johnson’s more attacking qualities? What about up top? Johnson played as a center-forward during his formative years, and he can use his pace to take on defenders.

DONE DEAL: Man United finally land Amrabat ?

Details: Loan deal with reported €20M buy option (Read more)

It took long enough. Manchester United hemmed and hawed for months before finally landing the midfielder they always wanted: Sofyan Amrabat. Arriving on a loan-to-buy deal worth a reported €30 million, Amrabat possesses the ball-carrying ability and physicality United have long been missing in the center of the park. Scott McTominay isn’t that kind of midfielder, Christian Eriksen tends to drift out of games, and Bruno Fernandes is better served in an attacking role. Amrabat is the all-action midfielder head coach Erik ten Hag needs to carry out the high-tempo football he desperately wants to see. But if it weren’t for United’s penny-pinching tactics, Amrabat would’ve arrived earlier and earned precious minutes in preseason training. The Moroccan has a shallow learning curve ahead of him.

DONE DEAL: Gravenberch joins Liverpool’s rebuild ?

Details: Transfer reportedly worth £34M (Read more)

Liverpool got there in the end. After struggling to nail down several transfer targets – including Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, the pair Chelsea paid over and above their value to snatch from their rivals – the Reds completed their midfield overhaul with the signing of Ryan Gravenberch on Friday from Bayern Munich for a reported £34 million. Bayern were reluctant sellers, but Liverpool kept pushing for the fourth and final piece of their rebuild. They had already secured Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Wataru Endo but needed a player with Gravenberch’s versatility to fill gaps in Jurgen Klopp’s three-man midfield. Liverpool didn’t just settle on Gravenberch, either. The club scouted the 21-year-old heavily during his days at Ajax and missed out on signing the Dutchman when he joined Bayern Munich last summer. Liverpool made sure they wouldn’t look back on this window with similar regret. What looked like a costly rebuilding project actually proved relatively reasonable, with four starting midfielders arriving for a combined £147 million, or £30 million more than the cost of Caicedo.

DONE DEAL: Joao Felix gets Barca move ?

Details: Season-long loan deal (Read more)

Barcelona had to wait until the final day of the window to get clearance to sign Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid. The player issued multiple come-and-get-me pleas, waiting for Barcelona and no one else, but Blaugrana struggled to come up with the finances just to pay his wages. They couldn’t even think about including a buyout clause. So why bother to sign Felix at all? He’s shown few flashes of quality since leaving Benfica in 2019 for a mammoth €126 million, performing only in brief purple patches. While he wasn’t exactly a fit in Diego Simeone’s rigid lineup, Felix hardly gave Atletico a reason to play him week in, week out. He was ineffective at the World Cup and a non-factor on loan at Chelsea last season. Xavi doesn’t even have a natural place for Felix in his new 3-4-2-1 formation, with Gavi and Pedri better positioned behind Robert Lewandowski. One of the reasons Barcelona find themselves in financial ruin is that they continue to sign high earners with little prospective value. Felix looks like nothing more than that. The same could be said for compatriot Joao Cancelo, who joined on an identical loan deal Friday.

Bayern whiff on just about everyone

Bayern Munich were finally ready to sign the players they wanted when the transfer window slammed shut. However, they lost out on Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha, Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah, and Southampton center-back Armel Bella-Kotchap after being heavily linked with all three in the final 24 hours of the window. Bayern’s transfer campaign ended without them securing a replacement for either Ryan Gravenberch, who’s off to Liverpool, or Benjamin Pavard, who joined forces with Inter Milan earlier this week. For a club so accustomed to doing business smoothly, Bayern had a difficult time getting deals done this summer. They needed nearly two months to negotiate Harry Kane’s eventual arrival and seemed hell-bent on keeping Gravenberch until relenting down the homestretch. Thomas Tuchel’s squad now feels lighter than it did last season in defense and midfield.

Liverpool reject monster Salah offer

Put simply, Al-Ittihad gave Liverpool an escape route, a chance to reinvest a substantial amount of money into defence and midfield. They chose not to take it. By rejecting a potential £150-million payday for a player over 30 with an onerous contract, Liverpool have missed an opportunity to truly kick-start a new era. While Mohamed Salah remains a sort of totem for Jurgen Klopp’s side, he’s reportedly on £350,000 per week, and they’d struggle to find another suitor who’d take on those wages and pay Liverpool a premium. As a winger who relies on pace, the 31-year-old isn’t going to be effective for much longer. There wouldn’t have been any need to scramble for a replacement, either. Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, and Darwin Nunez are raring to go and deserve to start regularly.

DONE DEAL: Chelsea snatch Palmer ?

Details: Transfer reportedly worth £40M (Read more)

What’s truly at the core of Chelsea’s transfer policy? Are they making bets on every youngster possible in the hopes at least one of them pays off? That’s not to say Cole Palmer is a massive gamble, but it’s worth asking whether Chelsea would’ve had any interest in the 21-year-old if he hadn’t had a great tournament for England at the Under-21 European Championship, or if he hadn’t scored in the Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup. It’s a move that screams recency bias. What Chelsea really needed was an out-and-out striker to replace the injured Christopher Nkunku and mentor 22-year-old Nicolas Jackson. Chelsea have to hope Palmer and the freshly inspired Raheem Sterling can keep up their recent scoring form.

DONE DEAL: Fati’s stunning Brighton move ?

Details: Season-long loan (Read more)

Finally, a move that makes complete sense for everyone involved. Ansu Fati, the injury-ravaged wunderkind who’s plateaued in the most devastating way possible, has a real chance to find his feet again at Brighton & Hove Albion, a club with a tremendous track record of promoting and developing talent. Brighton get a player on the cheap who embodies head coach Roberto De Zerbi’s attack-first ethos, and by avoiding an outright sale, Barcelona get to keep a hold of a prized academy graduate who has plenty of time to recapture the magic he showed in his teenage years. Fati, now 20, will fill the void left by another fleet-footed youngster, Julio Enciso, who’s out with a long-term injury.

DONE DEAL: Man City add Nunes ?

Details: Transfer reportedly worth £53M (Read more)

Manchester City had to move quickly. After learning of Kevin De Bruyne’s injury-related setback and transfer target Lucas Paqueta’s potential betting-related violations, City homed in on Matheus Nunes, a midfielder Pep Guardiola described as “one of the best players in the world” just last year. Nunes is indeed an excellent player, a game-breaking midfielder who can handle quick transitions and make good decisions on the fly. While he’s not prolific, the 25-year-old is an exceptional dribbler and capable of progressing play. With De Bruyne out for several months, Nunes will get a lot of game time, and it’ll make the £53-million fee City paid look like money well spent.

Transfers you may have missed

With the constant influx of big signings, rumors, and transfers being called off at the last minute, deadline day can be a whirlwind. Here are some notable deals you may have missed today.

Callum Hudson-Odoi ?? Nottingham Forest: There was a time when Chelsea could hardly keep a hold of Hudson-Odoi. In 2019, the English winger handed in a transfer request amid reported interest from Bayern Munich. Chelsea eventually rewarded him with a five-year contract worth £120,000 per week. Then the injuries happened. Hudson-Odoi lost his form, went out on loan to Bayer Leverkusen, and returned goalless in 14 Bundesliga appearances. Chelsea reportedly considered terminating his contract before finding a suitor in Nottingham Forest, who paid Chelsea a paltry £5 million to give Hudson-Odoi a second chance in England.

Nicolas Dominguez ?? Nottingham Forest: Forest cut bait on Remo Freuler after just one season and summoned another Serie A-based player to take up his place. Argentinian midfielder Dominguez joins from Bologna for a reported €10 million and promises to balance Forest’s squad with smart, unassuming play in the middle of the park. Dominguez is primarily a ball-winning midfielder who does the things that go unnoticed, acting as a link between defense and his forward-thinking teammates.

Divock Origi ?? Nottingham Forest: After a season to forget at AC Milan, former Liverpool striker Origi returns to the Premier League hoping to resuscitate his career. The Rossoneri reportedly waited all summer for a club to take the Belgian and his apparently high wages off their hands. And Forest, enjoying a night out on the town after selling Brennan Johnson for a club-record fee, happily obliged. Origi only scored two goals in 27 appearances for Milan last season.

Ibrahim Sangare ?? Nottingham Forest: Forest didn’t just think about discovering Sangare on deadline. The club reportedly spent the last 18 months scouting the Ivory Coast midfielder at PSV Eindhoven, where he became an analytics darling. The reported £32-million fee eclipses Forest’s previous club-record outlay for Morgan Gibbs-White, who cost them an initial £25 million last summer.

Altay Bayindir ?? Manchester United: It’s difficult to find a goalkeeper with considerable top-flight experience who’s both cheap and willing to serve as a backup. Bayindir ticks every box. The 25-year-old collected nine clean sheets in 26 Super Lig appearances for Fenerbahce last season while helping the Istanbul-based outfit win the Turkish Cup. Signed for a reported £4.3 million, Bayindir replaces Dean Henderson, whose sale to Crystal Palace allowed United to book a reported £20 million in transfer income.

Sergio Reguilon ?? Manchester United: Luke Shaw’s untimely injury left Manchester United scrambling for a low-cost replacement with just days remaining in the transfer window. Reguilon wasn’t their first pick – United reportedly pushed to sign Marc Cucurella on loan from Chelsea before running into a dead end – but options were limited. The Red Devils may not even use Reguilon all that much when Shaw and deputy Tyrell Malacia return to fitness. But the 25-year-old is a capable substitute who has Champions League experience.

Luka Jovic ?? AC Milan: Milan scoured Europe for a cost-effective striker who could give Olivier Giroud a rest every now and then. Porto’s Mehdi Taremi seemed to be the right candidate for the better part of a week. But a deal collapsed Thursday, leaving the Rossoneri with less than 24 hours to sign a backup striker. After attempting to sign Leicester City’s Patson Daka and Sevilla’s Rafa Mir, Milan convinced Fiorentina to let Jovic join them on a free transfer. Signed to a one-year deal, the former Real Madrid player is an acquisition of convenience with little risk.

Davy Klaassen ?? Inter Milan: Klassen, who may be best remembered for his torrid spell at Everton, joined Inter on a free transfer from Ajax in one of the most random deals of the window. Inter had been looking to strengthen their midfield following a breakdown in talks with Udinese’s Lazar Samardzic. But having spent €30 million to acquire defender Benjamin Savard from Bayern Munich, the Nerazzurri had to fetch what they could from the bargain bin. While good enough to make up the numbers in a squad with title aspirations, Klassen is hardly the man to give Inter a refresh.

Hirving Lozano ?? PSV Eindhoven: Lozano was one of the only players Napoli could afford to lose in the transfer window. Largely a passenger during the Partenopei’s Serie A-winning campaign, the Mexican international returns to PSV a shell of the player they sold to Napoli in 2019 for a reported €45 million. He scored just eight league goals over the past two seasons, compared to the 34 he scored for PSV between 2017 and 2019.

The road to Wembley has been paved. The draw for the 2023-24 Champions League group stage was completed Thursday, as the 32 clubs involved learned their opponents for the opening round.

Group A

Instant analysis: Bayern Munich and Manchester United, who’ve faced each other 11 times previously, are the clear favorites to advance out of top-heavy Group A. Harry Kane will lead Bayern against United in his first match against English opposition since leaving Tottenham Hotspur. Galatasaray and Copenhagen had to trudge through qualifying, but with Mauro Icardi leading the line and a raucous fan base awaiting weary travelers from continental Europe, Istanbul-based Galatasaray are a legitimate wild card.

Group B

Instant analysis: Arsenal should fancy their chances of advancing as winners of Group B in their return from a seven-year hiatus. While Sevilla are the golden standard in the Europa League, having won the tournament for a record seventh time last season, they’ve struggled to make a similar impact in Europe’s top competition. RC Lens are full of exciting talent, headlined by summer signing Elye Wahi, and could cause an upset in their first Champions League appearance in 21 years.

Group C

Instant analysis: Napoli will put their title credentials on the line when Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid come to town. Ancelotti, who coached Napoli for one-and-a-half seasons, knows what it takes to succeed in the cauldron that is the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Napoli most recently met Madrid during the round of 16 of the 2016-17 Champions League, losing the tie 6-2 on aggregate. With Juventus star Leonardo Bonucci reportedly set to join Union Berlin, keep an eye on Germany’s up-and-comers.

Group D

Instant analysis: Last year’s Champions League finalists Inter Milan could have a trickier time navigating this group of dark horses than expected. Benfica are reigning Portuguese champions, Red Bull Salzburg continue to incubate young talent, and Real Sociedad are anchored by Martin Zubimendi, whom many regard as the next Sergio Busquets. Inter did well as underdogs last year; this time, they’ll have to cope with heftier expectations.

Group E

Instant analysis: Though Atletico Madrid may stand out as the kingpin of this quartet, Diego Simeone’s side lacks the steel that fortified runs in 2014 and 2016. Lazio play attractive football but lack consistent scoring. Feyenoord won the Eredivisie with relative ease, but a chunk of their players have never experienced the Champions League. Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi is a hidden treasure, but can he alone get them to the knockout stage for the first time in a decade?

Group F

Instant analysis: Where do we start? All four of these teams could anchor groups of their own. AC Milan and Newcastle United are far above the quality of teams you’d expect in Pots 3 and 4. Unfortunately, UEFA’s draw is notoriously uneven, and these four teams have to accept their places in this year’s group of death. PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma and Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali will face former side Milan and return to San Siro to both jeers and cheers.

Group G

Instant analysis: Titleholders Manchester City have every chance to emerge from Group G with a perfect 6-0-0 record. After beating RB Leipzig by a combined 8-1 score in the group stage last season, City will meet a team without Christopher Nkunku, Dominik Szoboszlai, or Josko Gvardiol, who – in what surely seems like a sick joke to fans of the German outfit – is now with the reigning European champions. With all due respect to Crvena Zvezda and Young Boys, they’re cannon fodder.

Group H

Instant analysis: It’s highly unlikely Barcelona will be eliminated from the group stage this season. The La Liga winners famously crashed out of the competition last year and fared just as poorly in the Europa League. But manager Xavi has them playing much more solid football than they did at any point of their previous European campaign. Keep an eye on Royal Antwerp, who are a blast from the past with Vincent Janssen, Toby Alderweireld, and Ritchie De Laet in their ranks.

Champions League schedule

This season’s group stage kicks off Sept. 19.

• Matchday 1: Sept. 19-20
• Matchday 2: Oct. 3-4
• Matchday 3: Oct. 24-25
• Matchday 4: Nov. 7-8
• Matchday 5: Nov. 28-29
• Matchday 6: Dec. 12-13

The full fixture list will be released by UEFA this week.

Other key dates

The round of 16 draw will take place on Dec. 18, with the quarterfinal and semifinal draws being conducted together on March 15, 2024.

• Round of 16, first legs: Feb. 13-14 and 20-21
• Round of 16, second legs: March 5-6 and 12-13
• Quarterfinals, first legs: April 9-10
• Quarterfinals, second legs: April 16-17
• Semifinals, first legs: April 30-May 1
• Semifinals, second legs: May 7-8

Champions League final

The showpiece match is slated for June 1, 2024, at Wembley Stadium. The iconic venue will stage the final for a record eighth time and third in the Champions League era.