Liverpool and Arsenal received relatively favourable Champions League league-phase draws, according to Opta power rankings, while Manchester City and Aston Villa face tougher schedules. The analysis matters because each of the 36 clubs has eight different opponents, making the draw’s difficulty uneven and potentially influential in the race for direct last-16 qualification.

Liverpool’s opponents average a 90.0 Opta rating, the ninth-easiest schedule overall, with Atlético Madrid and Inter their most manageable pot-one draws. Arsenal must face Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund but benefit from meetings with the competition’s two lowest-ranked clubs, Sabah and Slovan Bratislava; City’s 91.7 average is the hardest among Premier League sides, while Villa also drew Barcelona, PSG, Club Brugge and Dortmund. Stuttgart have the easiest overall draw at 88.9, ahead of Inter on 89.5.