The rule applies specifically to home advantage. Therefore, the draw on Thursday may still pair Liverpool and Real Madrid, but only with the Spanish club as the home team. In practice, any future match between the two teams would have to be played at the Santiago Bernabéu, as the previous two encounters took place at Anfield.
The UEFA Club Competitions Committee introduced this measure as an additional condition for the draw. The aim is to diversify group stage matches and prevent the same teams from meeting at the same stadium for three consecutive seasons. This rule also affects other group stage matches, including Benfica and Juventus, and Inter Milan and Arsenal, who will have to reverse their home advantage if they meet again this season.