Real Madrid vs. Barcelona: Which Rival Got the Better Champions League Draw?

The 2026–27 Champions League league phase draw unfolded on Thursday in Monaco, where Real Madrid and Barcelona learned their first eight opponents on the long road to the Metropolitano.

Rules prevent the two Spanish giants from playing one another in the league phase, as two teams from the same nation cannot meet until the knockout rounds. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t already a Clásico divide bleeding through the league phase.

Finding out their respective opponents was of course the first priority for Real Madrid and Barcelona. Just behind that, though, is looking to see who their arch rivals matched up with—and most importantly, which team got the better draw.

Real Madrid’s 2026–27 League Phase Draw

Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham — Real Madrid avoided a gauntlet run to the knockout stage. | Guillermo Martinez/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Real Madrid were the first team drawn out of Pot 1. Los Blancos are the kings of Europe’s premier club competition, with a record-15 Champions League titles in their trophy cabinet. In the last decade alone, they topped the tournament five times.

Except they have struggled to make their mark since the introduction of the expanded format. In the last two seasons, Real Madrid finished outside of the top eight in the league phase and were forced to compete in the knockout phase playoffs. They then crashed out in the quarterfinals in both 2024–25 and 2025–26.

The club’s path back to the mountaintop is now set—and looks rather favorable.

Home Opponents

Inter
PSV
RB Leipzig
LASK

Away Opponents

Arsenal
Roma
Shakhtar Donetsk
AEK Athens

Barcelona’s 2026–27 League Phase Draw

Raphinha, Fermín López — Barcelona are hoping to finally get over the line in the Champions League. | Francisco Macia/Getty Images

Barcelona were the fourth team out of Pot 1. The Spanish champions have been quite vocal about their Champions League ambitions after 11 years without even an appearance in the final.

The Catalans have dominated Spanish soccer since Hansi Flick took charge ahead of the 2024–25 season, winning back-to-back La Liga titles and Spanish Super Cups, along with the 2024–25 Copa del Rey.

They were agonizingly close to facing off with Paris Saint-Germain in the 2024–25 Champions League final, but were eliminated by Inter 7–6 on aggregate. Now, the two will meet in the league phase for the second straight season—perhaps as an appetizer for a future knockout tie.

Home Opponents

Manchester City
Aston Villa
Feyenoord
Como

Away Opponents

PSG
Sporting
Galatasaray
Sabah

Comparing Real Madrid and Barcelona’s Draws

Hansi Flick has already won five trophies with Barcelona. | Sports Press Photo/Getty Images

Both Real Madrid and Barcelona each drew last year’s finalists. The former have to take on Arsenal, while the latter have a date with PSG. The difficulty is relatively even, though the defending cup holders pose a slightly larger threat than the Gunners.

That’s about where the even comparisons end. It’s quite fair to say Los Blancos got the better draw than their bitter rivals. The second Pot 1 team José Mourinho’s men matched up with is Inter, who were shockingly eliminated in the playoffs last season by Bodø/Glimt.

In comparison, Barcelona got Manchester City, a team that has pure Champions League pedigree ... when they’re not playing Real Madrid. The Cityzens also are splashing cash for fun this summer, most recently welcoming Ayyoub Bouaddi and could still sign Enzo Fernández before the window closes.

The Catalans also have to take on the reigning Europa League champions Aston Villa, along with the always challenging Sporting CP. Galatasaray away is a formidable feat as well—just ask Liverpool, Atlético Madrid and Juventus, three teams that failed to win at Rams Park last season.

Even newcomers Como could prove to be a tall task considering they are led by former Barcelona man Cesc Fàbregas. Nico Paz also knows a thing or two about embarrassing opponents.

José Mourinho is hoping to get Real Madrid back to European glory. | IMAGO/SOPA Images

Real Madrid, meanwhile, get newcomers LASK at home, as well RB Leipzig, whose best player last season, Yan Diomande, is now wearing white. Reigning Dutch champions PSV are more daunting, but they did not even make it out of the league phase last season. In 2024–25, Arsenal put nine goals past them in the round of 16.

Roma away is arguably the biggest test for the 15-time European champions apart from Arsenal and Inter, and the Italian side only managed a third-place finish in Serie A last season.

Of course, any of these games can unfold in the exact opposite manner than anticipated, but on paper at least, Real Madrid will be happier than Barcelona after Thursday’s proceedings.

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