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UEFA Champions League (2024/25)

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Everything you need to know about the new format of Europe's most prestigious club competition

The Champions League has undergone a drastic revamp ahead of the 2024/25 season which sees the number of matches in the new format increase from 125 to 189.

The league phase will now be completed at the end of January instead of during December, while there will be weeks exclusively dedicated to the Champions League in the football calendar when no other European competitions are played.

The winners will have played 17 games across the competition, while matches played across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in Europe's premier club competition will become the new normal.

At least 10 of next season's 36 clubs participating in the new league phase will come from Italy and Germany. Sky Sports provides you with a comprehensive guide to how the new format will work...

When is the draw for the league phase?

The draw for the league phase will be held on August 29.

How does the new Champions League format work?

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said qualification will be 'based on sporting merit'

Taking the total number of teams from 32 to 36 in the Champions League, the biggest change will see a transformation from the traditional group stage to a single league phase including all participating teams.

Every club will now be guaranteed a minimum of eight league-stage games against eight different opponents (four home games, four away) rather than the previous six matches against three teams, played on a home-and-away basis.

The top eight sides in the league will qualify automatically for the knockout stages, while the teams finishing in ninth to 24th place will compete in a two-legged play-off to secure a place in the last 16 of the competition.

Teams ranked 25-36 are eliminated from all competitions.

OK, but how does the draw work in practice?

First of all, why the change? Well, if the old draw concept for the group stage were to be applied to the new league phase format, nearly 1,000 balls would be required with at least 36 bowls on stage.

Even those who love a draw will realise that would be unbearably long. So UEFA is going to use a supercomputer to generate most of the work.

First, all 36 teams will be manually drawn with a physical ball on stage.

Then, for every team manually drawn, a designated automated software will randomly draw eight opponents across the four pots - to be shown on screen and on stage at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo for all to see.

The software will then decide which fixtures are home and away.

The draw will start with Pot 1 (containing the strongest teams and current holders of the Champions League) and work down through the four pots.

Then what?

The 36 clubs will be seeded into four different pots based on their individual club coefficient at the start of the season.

Each team will be drawn against two different teams from each pot, playing one team at home and one away.

Teams will play eight matches against eight different teams.

When will fans know the fixture dates?

The finalised fixture list will be released on Saturday August 31.

How many teams can you face from any one nation?

In the league phase, teams cannot face opponents from their own country and can face a maximum of two sides from the same country.

Which teams have qualified for the league phase?

Shakhtar Donetsk and Benfica have qualified by virtue of the Champions League and Europa League winners having already qualified via their domestic league performance or as a result of their country's collective performance in Europe this season.

We are still in the midst of the qualifying rounds, but here are the teams guaranteed to enter the league phase:

UEFA Europa League winners: Atalanta

England: Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa

Spain: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, Atletico Madrid

Germany: Leverkusen, Stuttgart, Bayern, Leipzig, Dortmund

Italy: Inter Milan, AC Milan, Bologna, Juventus

France: Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco, Brest

Netherlands: PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord

Portugal: Sporting CP

Belgium: Club Brugge

Scotland: Celtic

Austria: Sturm Graz

Champions League winner rebalancing: Shakhtar Donetsk

Europa League winner rebalancing: Benfica

Based on UEFA coefficients, what do the projected pots look like?

Pot One - Man City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, PSG, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Barcelona

Pot Two - Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Atlanta, Juventus, Benfica, Arsenal, Club Brugge, Shakhtar Donetsk, AC Milan

Pot Three - Feyenoord, Sporting CP, PSV, Lille*, PAOK*, Young Boys*, Celtic, Galatasaray*, Union SG*

Pot Four - Midtylland*, AS Monaco, Sparta Prague*, Aston Villa, Bologna, Girona, Stuttgart, Sturm Graz, Stade Brestois

* Clubs yet to advance through qualifying rounds - clubs with highest UEFA coefficients included here

What about the qualifying rounds?

Seven teams will enter via winning a two-legged play-off.

Rangers are entering the third qualifying round, and have been drawn to face Dynamo Kyiv. The first leg is on Tuesday August 6 with the return a week later on August 13.

Philippe Clement's side are one of the seeded clubs along with Slavia Prague, Red Bull Salzburg and Lille. Should Rangers prevail, they will have their sights set on the play-off round.

The first legs of those take place on August 20-21 with the return legs on August 27-28.

Which nations gained the extra places?

Two leagues - Italy and Germany - have been rewarded with an extra place in next season's Champions League based on performance in Europe this season.

This was based around the best average coefficient of all teams participating in Europe for each country. The two leagues with the best score received an extra place.

Atalanta have secured at least a fourth-placed finish in the Italian top flight following a 3-0 victory over Torino last weekend.

The result also ruled out the possibility of a sixth Serie A spot qualifying for the Champions League next season.

When are the 2024/25 Champions League league-stage matches?

Matchday 1: September 17-19, 2024

Matchday 2: October 1/2, 2024

Matchday 3: October 22/23, 2024

Matchday 4: November 5/6, 2024

Matchday 5: November 26/27, 2024

Matchday 6: December 10/11, 2024

Matchday 7: January 21/22, 2025

Matchday 8: January 29, 2025

When are the 2024/25 Champions League knockout stages?

Knockout round play-offs: February 11/12 and February 18/19, 2025

Round of 16: March 4/5 and March 11/12, 2025

Quarter-finals: April 8/9 and April 15/16, 2025

Semi-finals: April 29/30 and May 6/7, 2025

Final: May 31, 2025

Where is the Champions League final being held in 2025?

The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League season will take place in Munich at the Allianz Arena on May 31, 2025.

SOURCE:https://www.skysports.com/football/...-of-europes-most-prestigious-club-competition
 
The format seems money driven with random matches thrown here and there, who knows the viewership might decline this way
 
Did I miss something with the UCL? I know they have changed the format but I can see there are a bunch of fixtures on Thursdays?

Arsenal are Away on a Thursday and then away in Pl on the Sunday?

Does anyone know what thats about?
 

'Unbelievable we lose to Forest if we can play like this'​


Liverpool manager Arne Slot says it is unbelievable his side lost to Nottingham Forest on Saturday when you consider the Reds' ruthless performance against AC Milan three days later in the Champions League.

After conceding early, goals from Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai helped Liverpool kick off their Champions League campaign with a dominant 3-1 win in Milan.

Their assured performance was a fine response to their shock "honeymoon-ending" 1-0 loss at home to Forest which Slot said at the time was a "big setback".

"Losing Saturday was a blow and to be 1-0 down early tonight, you are wondering how we react," Slot, who was taking charge of his first European match as Liverpool manager, told Amazon Prime.

"But if you can play so good it is - I won't say a disgrace - unbelievable you lose to Forest at home if you can play like this today."

Former Newcastle and England striker Alan Shearer, who was on commentary duties for Amazon Prime, said he was "impressed" by Liverpool's performance.

Playing in their first Champions League match for 18 months, the visitors had a shaky start in Italy with Christian Pulisic hammering the hosts in front after three minutes.

Some Liverpool supporters may have been worrying about the start of a slump, but the Reds were soon back to their high-pressing best, catching Milan out in dangerous areas.

Mohamed Salah looked lively, hitting the bar twice in the first half, and AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan did well to twice keep out Cody Gakpo.

Konate and Van Dijk turned things around with towering first-half headers, before Szoboszlai tapped in following an electric Gakpo run.

Their goals meant Liverpool recorded their first win in Europe without Jurgen Klopp as manager since Brendan Rodgers' side beat Besiktas 1-0 in the first leg of a Europa League last-32 tie in February 2015.

"[There was] no panic [from Liverpool]," added Shearer. "They believed in themselves and believed in their gameplan. A good night's work."

Liverpool were at their best when they pressed, although there were moments in the game where they sat deep, and also spells where they maintained large periods of possession.

Former Liverpool full-back Stephen Warnock warned fans will need time "to get used to" Slot's style of play.

"Under Jurgen Klopp it was a little bit gung-ho at times, a little bit more chaotic," Warnock told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I think Slot wants the team to have more patience and play very much like Arsenal and Manchester City play."

Liverpool skipper Van Dijk said there are not "too many changes" between Slot and Klopp's football philosophies.

"We all know what Jurgen meant for the club and what he brought to the city and the Premier League," Van Dijk told Amazon Prime.

"The new manager has his ideas but I don’t think too many changes. We all enjoy it.

"We had an amazing time with Jurgen Klopp and hopefully we can have an amazing time for Arne Slot as well.

"We need all the guys to be ready, they might be disappointed to be sub, but we need everyone to be in the best shape. We need everyone to be respectful."

 
Almost 20 mins done...no goal yet for city. Bit worried.

Remember its Champions league, where normally Haaland goes missing. Come weekend he will bully the minnows from North London.

:kp
 
Ugh...75 mins done....no goal yet. Brother Haaland missing again. Milan's defence has been awesome though.
 
Manchester City's Champions League campaign opened in frustrating fashion as they were held to a draw by impressive Inter Milan at Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola's side were never at their most fluent, not helped by an injury to Kevin de Bruyne that forced him off at half-time - the City boss says he will have to speak to the club's doctors to find out the extent of the injury.

But City's Italian opponents were well worth their draw.

In a repeat of the 2023 Champions League final won by City in Istanbul, Inter showed superb organisation and attacking threat despite facing increased pressure in the second half.

Erling Haaland, seeking his 100th goal for the hosts, was largely kept quiet, and both sides had chances to make the breakthrough but were unable to capitalise.

Phil Foden, on as a second-half substitute for the injured De Bruyne, saw a shot saved by Inter keeper Yann Sommer, who also thwarted Josko Gvardiol.

Inter wasted many good situations, with former Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian choosing a flamboyant backheel when the shot was on, while another one-time Old Trafford star, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, fired over the top from close range, leaving coach Simone Inzaghi on his knees beating the turf in frustration.

But City went close to a dramatic late winner as Foden fired straight at Sommer after a delightful move and Ilkay Gundogan had two headed chances in the box.

"We faced a really difficult team," said Guardiola, whose side failed to score in a Champions League match for the first time since October 2022.

"I'm still really, really satisfied for the game we played, especially with how [Inter] defended, they are masters of that, so big, they help each other unbelievably. So you cannot expect to create a lot of chances."

City suffer rare home blank on difficult night

The new long-winded Champions League group stage reduces some of the jeopardy in this blank scoreline but there is no doubt it will be a disappointment to Guardiola and City that they could not start their quest for a second triumph in the tournament with a victory.

This was the first time in 40 Champions League home group games City have failed to score – and only the second time in two and half years they have not scored at Etihad Stadium, the other being the goalless draw against Arsenal last season.

They certainly had their chances in the second half, with substitute Gundogan unable to convert two late opportunities, first sending a header into the arms of Inter keeper Sommer, then heading over from substitute Jeremy Doku's cross with the goal at his mercy seconds from the end.

Sommer was in fine form throughout as Inter justified their status as Champions League dark horses having reached the final against City in 2023.

There was concern for City before Sunday's vital league meeting with Arsenal at Etihad Stadium with De Bruyne unable to come out for the second half after picking up an injury late in the first period. Guardiola will hope this was a minor knock and his removal precautionary as he will not want to lose the Belgian midfielder's influence for a game of such significance between first and second in the table.

City did have the consolation of the return of Foden after illness, looking sharp and almost making the breakthrough only to be denied by the excellent Sommer.

Even Haaland, with nine goals in his first four Premier League games this season, was unable to breach Inter's determined defence as he was well shackled, almost literally on occasions as he complained to the referee about the manner in which he was constantly manhandled.

"There were six players around him, three behind, three in front," said Guardiola. "That makes it difficult for any player.

"We tried to use the spaces, that is why Gundogan had a couple of chances. I knew Inter would play like that - credit to them. We created a couple of really clear opportunities but we didn't score."

It was a night when City, unusually for them, could not make the breakthrough but it is unlikely to cause any lingering damage to their Champions League aspirations.

Inzaghi much more than just a touchline act

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi made for compelling viewing throughout this tie as he cut an animated figure on the sidelines, constantly on the edge of rage – until the final whistle offered relief and the reward of a deserved point for his side.

He lived every moment at Etihad Stadium, engaging in constant dialogue with his backroom staff, often wandering yards out of his own technical area down the touchline and, on one occasion, ending up in City's designated section, not too far away from counterpart Guardiola.

Inzaghi was at his most dramatic when Mkhitaryan wasted Inter's best chance in the second half, the substitute blazing over and leaving his coach - a former striker - on his hands and knees, beating the turf in undisguised fury before clutching his head in anguish.

For all the touchline antics, Inzaghi is a coach of high quality, emphasised by the calm and ordered manner of Inter's defending in the face of City's all-conquering attack, and bolted on to a real threat on the counter.

"I said well done to them, they put in a giant performance," he said afterwards.

Inzaghi led the Italian champions to that showpiece final against City in Istanbul, and while they are very much outsiders to win the trophy for the first time since 2010, no-one will face an easy task against them.

BBC
 
Tuesday

Arsenal v PSG (20:00 BST)
Borussia Dortmund v Celtic (20:00 BST)
Slovan Bratislava v Manchester City (20:00 BST)
 
Night of upsets against the heavyweights:

Villa beating Bayern and Lille beating Real Madrid are shock results.

Juventus also beat Leipzig with 10 men.
 
Lol...Harry Kane effect...Bayern losing 4-1 to Barcelona after 9 years at the moment.
 
With this kamikaze format , CL being turned into a micky mouse league shame $$$$ are eating up the credibility of professional sports.

Abi تک is tournament ka na sar ha na paer
 
Man city bad form continues.

3-1 down to sporting Lisbon

Gyökeres looks excellent on tonight's showing
 
Robert Lewandowski became the third player to score 100 Champions League goals as Barcelona overcame Brest in a dominant display.

Only Cristiano Ronaldo with 141 and Lionel Messi with 129 have scored more times than the 36-year-old in Europe's elite competition.
 
View attachment 148417

@Mamoon @shaz619

Spot the current premier league table all European cup winners , with one imposter 😅

I had to double check this table, was surprised to see us 6th after a horrible run, but a couple of confidence boosting wins again! (Though I have maintained we competing against Arsenal this season for the top 4 so it will be tough :yk)The imposter still thinks they a ‘big’ club :yk3 If only being managed by Arteta alone equated to success :(

Also, imagine imposter is knocked out the UCL & we get a KO game between AVFC and LFC, a certain 🤡 will probably take his gussah out on some poor sod on the operating table
 
I had to double check this table, was surprised to see us 6th after a horrible run, but a couple of confidence boosting wins again! (Though I have maintained we competing against Arsenal this season for the top 4 so it will be tough :yk)The imposter still thinks they a ‘big’ club :yk3 If only being managed by Arteta alone equated to success :(

Also, imagine imposter is knocked out the UCL & we get a KO game between AVFC and LFC, a certain 🤡 will probably take his gussah out on some poor sod on the operating table
Unai Emery after Aston Villa finish 6th in the league and get knocked out in the R16 in the UCL.

IMG_6916.jpeg
 
^ That is Unai Emery after finishing 4th in the prime of his coaching career. When you are small, you are small.
 
I see a club that has only won 1 league title in 32 years and two others who have not won the league in 40-50 years.


lol

Is the European cup for the first time ever in …..the bag this year ? 😅
 
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Today's Fixtures (21-1-2025)​

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Man city losing to brugge and going out 🤣. Huge 2nd half for them now
 
They managed to turn it around but they looked far from convincing

Also looks like they will play either Real or Bayern in the play offs
Yeah just been looking at draw format before

Arsenal would be on opposite side of draw to Barca and Liverpool

But would have Real, City, bayern, Atletico all possibly in their half of draw

ucl_ko_bracket.webp
 
So Celtic or Manchester City will play Real Madrid - with the other taking on Bayern Munich. The winner of those ties will take on Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16.

Liverpool will play Monaco, Brest, PSG or Benfica in the last 16.

Arsenal will play Feyenoord, Juventus, AC Milan or PSV.

Aston Villa will take on Sporting, Club Brugge, Atalanta or Borussia Dortmund.

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Man City draw Real & Celtic face Bayern in play-offs​


Manchester City will play 15-time European Cup winners Real Madrid and Celtic will face Bayern Munich in the Champions League play-off round.

City, the 2023 Champions League winners, will host Madrid at Etihad Stadium on 11 or 12 February before travelling to Spain for the second leg the following week.

Celtic, the first British club to win the trophy when they did so in 1967, will face Bayern Munich at Celtic Park before the Bundesliga club host Brendan Rodgers' side at Allianz Arena in the second leg.

The winners of City's tie against Madrid and Celtic's meeting with Bayern will face either German side Bayer Leverkusen or Spanish club Atletico Madrid in the last 16.

The draw for the last 16 is on 21 February, following the conclusion of the play-off ties, but some elements of that draw are pre-determined.

Champions League play-off draw in full

Brest v Paris St-Germain
Club Brugge v Atalanta
Manchester City v Real Madrid
Juventus v PSV Eindhoven
Monaco v Benfica
Sporting v Borussia Dortmund
Celtic v Bayern Munich
Feyenoord v AC Milan

Play-off draw explained

Clubs that finished in the top eight of the 36-team Champions League group table progressed directly to the last 16. The teams in the bottom eight were eliminated.

The remaining 16 teams that finished between ninth and 24th place progressed into the play-offs.

Of those 16 teams, the clubs that finished ninth to 16th in the league phase were seeded into four pairs for the play-off draw.

Those that finished from 17th to 24th were put into four unseeded pairs.

Unseeded teams were drawn against one of two seeded teams, with seeded teams hosting the second leg of the play-off as they finished higher in the first phase table.

City finished 22nd in the league table while Celtic finished 21st.

It meant the two sides would face one of Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, who finished 11th and 12th respectively in the group stage.

What does it mean for Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa?

Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa progressed straight to the last 16 after finishing in the top eight of the league phase.

The draw to finalise the last-16 ties is made on 21 February, when the eight winners of the play-off ties will be known.

Some elements of the last-16 draw are already decided because teams in the top eight of the league phase were split into four seeded pairs based on their position in the table.

Teams in the seeded pair will face the winners of one of the two play-off ties they have already been bracketed with.

Liverpool finished top of the league phase and are paired with second-place Barcelona. Those teams will play either the winners of the Brest v Paris St-Germain tie or the team that progresses from Monaco's meeting with Benfica.

Arsenal were third and are paired with Italian club Inter Milan, who were fourth. The Gunners or Inter will play either the winners of Juventus v PSV Eindhoven or Feyenoord against AC Milan.

Villa were eighth and are paired with seventh-placed Lille and those teams will face the winners of Club Brugge v Atalanta or Sporting v Borussia Dortmund.

 
'I was loving every minute, another 30 would have been amazing'

With 90 minutes of normal time played in the second leg of Celtic's Champions League play-off tie against Bayern Munich, the Scottish champions were on course to take the Bundesliga leaders to extra time in their own backyard.

Brendan Rodgers' side led 1-0 on the night thanks to Nicolas Kuhn's second-half strike, and it could have been more.

Several first-half chances came and went as Celtic pressed and pestered Bayern all over the pitch.

Bayern looked rattled, unable to find the answers against a team they were heavy favourites to beat.

And yet, in the final minute of four added on, Alphonso Davies scrambled home from close range after Kasper Schmeichel had clawed away Leon Goretzka's header to send the German side through.

"Frustration, disappointment... I thought it was a heroic performance, very brave," Schmeichel said in the wake of such a crushing blow.

Heroic was the word for most, if not all performers in green, but Schmeichel especially.

The Denmark goalkeeper, a veteran of big games, made eight saves as Celtic repelled everything Bayern threw at them, until they didn't.

"Football is a cruel game sometimes, that's the emotion at the moment," he added. "I was loving every minute so another 30 would have been amazing."

Manager Brendan Rodgers was effusive in his praise for how his side went toe-to-toe with one of European football's most prestigious outfits.

"We were outstanding, played without any fear," the Northern Irishman said. "Defended so well, with discipline, pressed at the right moments, gave them issues on that side, and were able to be compact and tight in the right moment.

"It never looked like we were going to concede the goal that we did. I can only take immense pride from the performance - the guys gave everything."

'Celtic proved people wrong'

Just over four months ago, the talk around Celtic in European football was very different.

They were dismantled by Borussia Dortmund, beaten 7-1 on a wretched night, seemingly out of their depth at the top table.

And yet, they regrouped and came up with answers.

Wins against RB Leipzig and Young Boys followed, along with respectable draws against Atalanta, Club Brugge and Dinamo Zagreb, which all set up a showpiece tie against Bayern.

Bayern, who sit 26 points and 10 places above Dortmund in the Bundesliga.

Bayern, who Celtic deservedly led in Munich until the dying stages.

Despite the heartbreak, it was telling evidence of how far Celtic have progressed in four months.

"There's so much disappointment but when we take a step back and analyse the fact we're away to Bayern and are disappointed in drawing, I think that says a lot when you think of where we started," Schmeichel said.

Former Scotland forward James McFadden echoed those thoughts: "Celtic suffered out there and they proved people wrong," he said on Sportsound.

"People watching that will go 'Celtic are a really good side'. Everyone involved will be gutted at the minute because they will feel they could have won this tie.

"That tells you how far they have come."

Moving forward, Rodgers sees the foundations that will allow Celtic to compete with Europe's top teams once again next season.

Only Aston Villa beat them in the league phase after the drubbing in Dortmund and the Celtic boss insists his players will be better for their continental experiences.

"We learned some valuable lessons along the way, played some amazing football," he said.

"It allows us to build. We've made the progress that made me want to come back and now we have to finish the season off strong.

"My unswerving plan is to make it a seasoned club at this level, where we can go and really hurt big opponents like Bayern Munich."

BBC
 
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Really looking forward to watching Real-Atleti

Simeone is going to absolute stink out the joint but he'll not care if they end up going through
 
Really looking forward to watching Real-Atleti

Simeone is going to absolute stink out the joint but he'll not care if they end up going through
Both teams are flying in la liga, so it should be two good ties
 
Madrid Derby been a high octane and fiesty game so far. 1-1
 
Amazing performance from Allison for Liverpool. PSG should have won that game 5 or 6 nil, instead lost 1-0

David Seaman level miracle saves from him, outstanding on the grandest stage of them all.
 
@KingKhanWC LFC should get into the QF now, I’d back you at Anfield even with a stalemate. Looks like we could have an all British QF 😅
 
@KingKhanWC LFC should get into the QF now, I’d back you at Anfield even with a stalemate. Looks like we could have an all British QF 😅

At Anfield we will be all over them unless we let them back in early, it may then be close.

Yep Villa v Liverpool should be a memorable affair. I think we will get 2nd leg at home, slight advantage
 
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