PSG draws Barcelona and Manchester City again in Champions League league phase

The draw has spoken, and the defending champion landed a tough group. PSG now knows the eight opponents it will face in the league phase of the 2024-25 Champions League, and among them are old acquaintances that will jog the memory of Willian Pacho and his teammates.

The schedule brings back two protagonists from last season: Barcelona and Manchester City. That's no small thing. Against Barça, PSG will play host this time at the Parc des Princes, after winning 2-1 at Camp Nou a year ago with a patchwork lineup due to a wave of injuries. Pacho started that night and walked away with all three points on Catalan soil.

The history with City carries even more weight. Two seasons ago, Luis Enrique's PSG pulled off a comeback that eliminated the club then coached by Pep Guardiola. Pacho himself had a standout performance that night, scoring authoritatively against Erling Haaland in a match that ended 4-2 in favor of the Parisians and sent them through to the next round. This time, the rematch will be on the road.

Another round with Aston Villa

The fixture list also echoes last year's script when it comes to English football. Just as Tottenham was the opponent last season, this time PSG will meet Aston Villa, a side it already knocked out in the UEFA Super Cup final. The clash will now be played in England and serves as a measuring stick for the reigning European champion, which will look to prove that result was no fluke.

The rest of the group is rounded out by Roma and Slovan Bratislava at home, along with Villarreal, Galatasaray and Como split between home and away fixtures as scheduled. It's a varied slate with a bit of everything: big names, surprises from other leagues, and a few old rivals who already know what it costs to take on this PSG side.

For Willian Pacho, the challenge is twofold: not only defending the title with his club, but also facing down opponents he has already gotten the better of in key moments. The Ecuadorian arrives with the confidence of having been decisive in the very matchups now repeating on the calendar, something not every defender can claim at this stage of the competition.

With the draw settled, all that's left is to wait for the exact match dates. What's already clear is that the road to a third straight title runs, once again, through names PSG knows by heart.