Slavia Prague will find out its eight Champions League league-phase opponents when the draw takes place in Monaco on Thursday at 18.00. The Czech champion is in the fourth pot, and the new format means every club will face eight different opponents in the league phase.
The draw will set the full schedule for Slavia Prague, which will play four home matches and four away matches against teams from across the competition. In this format, the goal is to finish among the best eight teams to reach the round of 16 directly, while clubs in positions 9 to 24 move on to play off.
What the format means
Slavia Prague qualified directly as Czech champion, and the full 36-team field is now complete. Each team draws two opponents from each pot, making the league phase a broad test against different levels of opposition rather than a traditional group stage.
That also means the draw will shape the club's path immediately. Last season, Slavia Prague finished 34th with three points in the Champions League large table, so the new league phase gives it a fresh chance to improve on that result when the first Champions League matches are played on Tuesday, 8 September.
Thursday's draw in Monaco is the first major step. Once the eight opponents are known, Slavia Prague will know exactly what stands between it and a place in the knockout rounds.
