In the absence of Scottish giants Rangers and Celtic, the 2025-26 Champions League proper is now edging closer into view, as the league phase draw was conducted on Thursday afternoon.

Executives representing all 36 teams - from champions Paris Saint-Germain to minnows Kairat and Pafos - were in attendance in Monaco to witness the automated draw for the league phase, as the new-look UCL enters its second year.

The 2024-25 revamp was met with mixed reviews, but few can deny that the tournament threw up some fascinating early battles, and there are some high-profile encounters to look out for this time around too.

Here, Sports Mole picks out the five best fixtures to look out for in the 2025-26 Champions League league phase.

2025-26 Champions League league phase: Five be

See Full Page