All you need to know about the new-look Champions League

The Champions League has returned with Europe's biggest football clubs bidding to win the famous trophy.

British sides Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Celtic are all involved - but there's a new twist this season.

That's because there's a new format to the men's competition this season.

The number of clubs taking part has increased from 32 to 36 and there won't be a group stage anymore.

Instead, Europe's top clubs will form a single league - with each team initially playing eight fixtures in the 'league phase'.

Keep reading to find out how the new competition will work as well as which teams each British club will face.

How does the new Champions League format work?

Football legend Ronaldo pressed the all-important computer button to decide the fixtures

The new tournament sees each of the 36 teams play eight games – four at home and four away.

After all games have been played, the top eight teams in the league will qualify automatically and go straight into the last-16 phase of the the competition.

The final eight places will be up for grabs for teams who place ninth to 24th in the league.

They will compete in play-offs to decide who goes through.

Whoever finishes 25th or lower will be eliminated and will not be entered into the Europa League.

The new Champions League format means that each team will play a minimum of eight games - instead of six - and a maximum of 17.

The action begins 17-19 September, and the league phase will run until the end of January rather than finish before Christmas, as was the case in previous years.

Who will Arsenal play in the Champions League?

Arsenal have never won the Champions League - their best finish was runners-up in 2006

Arsenal's first game is away to Italian side Atalanta on Thursday 19 September.

They will also face:

Paris St-Germain

Inter Milan (A)

Shakhtar Donetsk (H)

Dinamo Zagreb (H)

Sporting Lisbon (A)

Monaco (H)

Girona (A)

Who will Aston Villa play in the Champions League?

Aston Villa have qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history

Aston Villa are in the competition for the first time and travel to Swiss side Young Boys on Tuesday 17 September.

They will also face:

Bayern Munich (H)

Leipzig (A)

Juventus (H)

Club Bruges (A)

Celtic (H)

Bologna (H)

Monaco (A)

Who will Celtic play in the Champions League?

For the past two seasons Celtic have finished bottom of their Champions League group, with just one victory

Celtic have a home tie for their opener, against Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday 18 September.

They will also face:

Aston Villa (A)

Leipzig (H)

Borussia Dortmund (A)

Club Bruges (H)

Atalanta (A)

Young Boys (H)

Dinamo Zagreb (A)

Who will Liverpool play in the Champions League?

Liverpool have made it through to the Champions League final three times in the last seven seasons

Liverpool have been champions of Europe six times in their history. They travel to Italy to face AC Milan on Tuesday 17 September.

They will also face:

Real Madrid (H)

Leipzig (A)

Leverkusen (H)

Lille (H)

PSV Eindhoven (A)

Bologna (H)

Girona (A)

Who will Manchester City play in the Champions League?

Manchester City beat Inter Milan 1-0 to win the Champions League trophy in 2023

Premier League champions Man City are in action on Wednesday 18 September, hosting Inter Milan of Italy.

The will also face:

Paris St-Germain (A)

Club Brugge (H)

Juventus (A)

Feyenoord (H)

Sporting Lisbon (A)

Sparta Prague (H)

Slovan Bratislava (A)