Players and clubs that used to play together but are now on other teams are expected to reunite during the Champions League tournament, as the group stage matches have already been decided.
Consider Manchester City, who will take on Napoli, the current home of the Etihad’s legendary Kevin De Bruyne. When his contract with the Premier League winners expired, the 33-year-old Belgian signed a two-year contract with the Italian champions on a free transfer.
Borussia Dortmund and Haaland
Erling Haaland and Borussia Dortmund, the team where the striker initially gained worldwide recognition, will also reunite. The Norwegian, who is now a vital member of Manchester City, will face the Bundesliga team at the Etihad Stadium.
The forward will be playing his old team for the second time. In their first match after moving to City, he scored against Dortmund during the 2022–2023 Champions League season.
Liverpool and Real Madrid have Trent Alexander-Arnold
However, Liverpool will play Real Madrid in their first meeting with Trent Alexander-Arnold since the full-back departed Anfield twenty years ago. At the end of his contract, he left on a free transfer.
Some people at the Merseyside club were disappointed by his departure. The player’s choice to leave disappointed Arne Slot, the new Reds manager.
After joining Liverpool’s junior system at age six, Alexander-Arnold went on to make over 350 professional games and win eight major awards. He passed up a lucrative new contract at Anfield that would have placed him among the highest paid full-backs in the world of football, according to ESPN.
“I believe that everyone is unhappy, but Trent was the first to express that he doesn’t want this announcement to divert us as a team and as a club. Slot remarked at the time, “I hope all the energy goes to the players.”
Monaco and Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappé first gained international recognition at AS Monaco before going on to become a household name at Paris Saint-Germain and now Real Madrid. Despite having already played against his old team in Ligue 1 while at PSG, this will be his first Champions League match against Monaco, who is currently wearing Real Madrid’s colours.
Romelu Lukaku, David Luiz and Chelsea,
The manager of Napoli, Antonio Conte, will also face Chelsea, a previous team. The Blues will face Romelu Lukaku again, but from the opposite dugout, on the same Italy–England axis.
Before being traded to Napoli, the Belgian striker played for Chelsea in the 2021–22 season. This will be his first Champions League matchup with his old team.
Controversy surrounded his exit from Stamford Bridge. Following his transfer, Lukaku attacked the club’s organisational system, saying, “Chelsea is a business.” They exhaust you and won’t let you go.”
The Brazilian centre-back David Luiz is another well-known opponent for Chelsea. After six seasons with the west London club, the 38-year-old currently plays for Pafos FC, a Cypriot team preparing to make their Champions League debut. This summer, Luiz joined the team after playing for Fortaleza.
PSV and Malik Tillman
In their matchup with Bayer Leverkusen in the BayArena, PSV Eindhoven will also face a well-known opponent. After three years with the Dutch team, Malik Tillman will play in the Champions League for the first time for Leverkusen. The midfield player moved to the Bundesliga winners for €35 million, or about £30 million.
Benfica, David Neres, and Alvaro Carreras
In other news, former Benfica teammates David Neres and Alvaro Carreras will also meet up. The Brazilian winger has joined Napoli ahead of the Azzurri’s first Champions League season, while Carreras, 22, will now wear the Spanish team’s shirt after being signed by Real Madrid for a hefty price after two successful seasons in Portugal.
