Bayern draw Arsenal at home as Atlético Madrid and Manchester United headline away tests

Bayern Munich have been handed a Champions League league-phase draw featuring Arsenal at the Allianz Arena and demanding away trips to Atlético Madrid and Manchester United.

The German champions will play four of their eight fixtures in Munich, with Arsenal joined by Real Betis, Bodø/Glimt and Slavia Prague as visitors. Bayern’s away schedule takes them to Atlético Madrid, Manchester United, Lille and Viking.

Home — Allianz Arena

- Arsenal - Real Betis - Bodø/Glimt - Slavia Prague

Away

- Atlético Madrid - Manchester United - Lille - Viking

The Pot 1 allocation immediately provides one of the major fixtures of Bayern’s league phase.

Arsenal will travel to Munich, giving Vincent Kompany’s side home advantage against the reigning English champions, while Bayern must go to Madrid to face Atlético in what is likely to be one of their most demanding away assignments.

The Pot 2 pairing presents a similar split.

Real Betis head to the Allianz Arena, but Bayern travel to Old Trafford to meet Manchester United. United’s return to the Champions League therefore creates another high-profile European night between two clubs with substantial history in the competition.

Bayern’s draw becomes less glamorous in the lower pots, but not necessarily straightforward.

Bodø/Glimt will visit Munich after qualifying for the league phase for a second consecutive season. The Norwegian club’s own official draw confirmation lists Bayern as an away opponent, removing any ambiguity over where the fixture will be played.

Lille represent the corresponding Pot 3 away test. The French club have also officially confirmed that Bayern will travel to the Decathlon Arena-Stade Pierre Mauroy, giving Kompany another potentially awkward road fixture against a Champions League-level opponent.

Slavia Prague complete Bayern’s home programme, while Viking will host the German champions in Norway in the remaining Pot 4 assignment.

The structure leaves Bayern with a relatively balanced home schedule but a more complicated set of journeys. Atlético and Manchester United provide the obvious headline tests, while Lille adds another substantial away challenge and Viking brings the uncertainty of a less familiar opponent and environment.

Under the 36-team league-phase format, every club plays eight different opponents — one home and one away from each of the four seeding pots. The top eight teams qualify directly for the round of 16, while those finishing ninth to 24th enter the knockout play-offs.

That makes Bayern’s four matches in Munich particularly valuable. Arsenal are the strongest visitor on paper, but Betis, Bodø/Glimt and Slavia give the Bundesliga champions opportunities to build the points total required for a top-eight finish before considering the greater difficulty of their away schedule.

UEFA will confirm the precise dates, match order and kick-off times no later than Saturday, August 29.

For Bayern, however, the shape of the challenge is already established: Arsenal provide the marquee night in Munich, while trips to Atlético Madrid and Manchester United ensure Kompany’s side will have to produce some of their best football away from the Allianz Arena if they want a direct route into the last 16.