Pep Guardiola will return to former club Barcelona after Manchester City were paired with the Spanish champions in the Champions League group stages.
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Teams from associations ranked five and six in the UEFA associations coefficient list will each receive two automatic group stage places with another team entering the qualification phase.
Currently, the highest-ranking divisions in Europe are Spain, Germany, England and Italy, meaning that the new rules will apply to clubs in those countries should they maintain their positions.
Under the present system, England, Germany and Spain have three places each while their fourth-placed teams must win a play-off to qualify.
Uefa confirmed, too, that financial distribution to clubs will be increased significantly for the Champions League and the Europa League.
The changes came after Europe’s top club football officials met to discuss the competition’s format in Monaco on Thursday. Italy only have two places guaranteed (plus one play-off position).
Club secretary David Miles said: “This is our 19th consecutive season in the Champions League and of those 19 years we have qualified from the group stage 16 times”.
“Historical success in the competition will also be acknowledged in coefficient calculation (points for previous European titles)”, UEFA said.
The top four clubs from the four top-ranked national associations will now qualify automatically for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
The threat of a breakaway European Super League had appeared significant earlier this year, and Press Association Sport reports that the biggest push for change has come from Spain and Italy, the nation that looks set to benefit the most from the adjustment.
Celtic winger Scott Sinclair is looking forward to finally taking centre stage in a Champions League game at the Etihad Stadium after being drawn against his former club, Manchester City.
“A lot of players have left and they have many new ones, but what won’t have changed is their spirit and desire”.
“It s not a nightmare draw at all because we are in a wonderful competition and we are really happy to be here, but in Barcelona, Borussia Monchengladbach and Celtic we know it won t be easy”, said City s director of football Txiki Begiristain.
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Meanwhile, Real Madrid star, Cristiano Ronaldo had won the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award after a phenomenal 2015-2016 season which saw him won his third Champions League title.
