Few love stories in sports are as legendary as that of Real Madrid and the Champions League. The Merengues are the undisputed kings of Europe’s premier club competition, boasting 15 titles in their trophy cabinet.

👉 Real Madrid’s Opponents in the Champions League:

From Pot 1: Manchester City, Liverpool

From Pot 2: Juventus, Benfica

From Pot 3: Olympique Marseille, Olympiacos

From Pot 4: AS Monaco, Kairat Almaty

However, in the 2024/25 season, the Merengue team fell short of expectations. The arrival of Kylian Mbappé to the Santiago Bernabéu sparked hopes of securing a 16th Champions League title, but in the quarterfinals, Declan Rice and Arsenal stunned the European giants, knocking them out.

With Xabi Alonso now at the helm, Real Madrid’s mission is clear: challenge Barcelona in Spain and, above all, reclaim their dominance in Europe. Much of the success of his first season will hinge on their performance in the Champions League 2025/26.

All Qualified Teams and the Leagues Dominating the Competition

In the inaugural edition of the new league format, the Champions League 2025/26 has already identified most of its contenders. Last season, Inter Milan reached the final after finishing fourth in the regular phase, while Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), who qualified 15th, had to navigate the play-off round to reach the round of 16 before clinching the title with a dominant 5-0 victory in the Munich final.

The English and Spanish leagues lead the competition due to their dominance in the UEFA rankings. England will have six clubs directly qualified: Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Newcastle. Spain will be represented by five: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Athletic Club, and Villarreal.

Athletic Club returns to the Champions League after a decade, having finished fourth in LaLiga, while Villarreal makes a comeback to Europe’s top competition after securing fifth place, their last appearance being in 2022 against Liverpool.

Italy and Germany will each have four teams. From Serie A: Napoli, Inter, Atalanta, and Juventus; from the Bundesliga: Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Borussia Dortmund. France rounds out the field with three representatives: PSG, Marseille, and Monaco.

Seven spots remain to be decided through the play-offs. Notable surprises include Kairat Almaty from Kazakhstan, who knocked out Celtic Glasgow on penalties, as well as debutants Bodø/Glimt from Norway, who eliminated Sturm Graz, and Pafos from Cyprus, who ousted Red Star Belgrade.

In total, 17 teams return to the league phase, including seven of last season’s eight quarterfinalists: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, and PSG. The notable absence is Aston Villa, managed by Unai Emery, who were eliminated by PSG and relegated to the Europa League.