Bayern Munich have made reaching the quarter-finals their target after being drawn against a demanding group of opponents in the Champions League league phase.
The German club will play Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Betis, Manchester United, Bodø/Glimt, Lille, Slavia Prague and Viking. Bayern Munich Sporting Director Max Eberl said the club’s immediate objective was to finish among the competition’s top eight, while acknowledging the quality of several teams in their schedule.
“We are very much looking forward to the new Champions League season. We will play away against Atletico Madrid, Manchester United, Lille, and Viking. At home, we have opponents we can beat, as well as strong teams like last season’s Champions League runner-up, Arsenal. In the league phase, we want to reach the top eight, which is a clear goal.”
Bayern Munich will begin their away programme with trips to Atletico Madrid, Manchester United, Lille and Viking. Their home fixtures will include meetings with Arsenal, Betis, Bodø/Glimt and Slavia Prague.
The draw combines some of Europe’s most established clubs with opponents Bayern Munich’s leadership described as less familiar. Arsenal are identified as last season’s Champions League runners-up and Premier League champions, while Atletico Madrid and Manchester United represent particularly demanding away assignments.
Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said the club would need to approach every fixture with respect, highlighting the atmosphere expected at Old Trafford and the difficulty of facing Atletico Madrid on their own ground.
“These are definitely not easy opponents. We will face some truly tough tests, including away games against Atletico Madrid, who are always a difficult team to play against, and the challenging trip to Manchester United at Old Trafford, where we will face passionate fans.”
Dreesen also pointed to the appeal of the home match against Arsenal and Bayern Munich’s trip to Norway to face Viking. The club will additionally welcome Bodø/Glimt, who he said had produced a number of surprises during the previous season.
“At home, we will host last season’s Premier League champions and Champions League runners-up, Arsenal. In addition, we will face some relatively unfamiliar opponents, such as Viking, and I am very much looking forward to this match and the trip to Norway. We will also host Bodø/Glimt, who provided many surprises last season. Overall, all these opponents deserve our great respect, but we hope to defeat them.”
Eberl’s comments set a clear performance benchmark for Bayern Munich during the league phase. The club want to secure a place in the top eight, while the wider ambition identified by the draw’s main talking point is a run through to the quarter-finals.
The new Champions League season will therefore give Bayern Munich a varied test: difficult away fixtures against Atletico Madrid and Manchester United, a high-profile home meeting with Arsenal, and games against Viking and Bodø/Glimt that will offer a different challenge from the club’s more familiar European opponents.
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