The 2024-25 Champions League campaign launches this week under an expanded new 36-team format.
Here we take a look at some of the major talking points.
Does bigger mean better?
European football's elite competition has been revamped for the first time since 1992. Instead of 32 clubs in eight groups of four, 36 will now compete in a single league. Each team will play eight games, four home and four away, with the top eight automatically qualifying for the last-16 knockout stage and the clubs finishing from ninth to 24th place then facing a two-legged play-off to determine who will join them.
More clubs, more fixtures
The new league system will see an extra 64 matches played – an increase from 125 to 189. Each team will play at least eight fixtures, instead of six, and a maximum of 17 and the extra workload for Europe's top players is expected to raise the issue of burn-out. Some Champions League weeks will see games played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, meaning head coaches will be more inclined to rotate their squads. It remains to be seen what effects this might have on domestic leagues.
Battle of Britain
All teams were allocated eight computer-generated opponents based on four seeding pots. Champions League debutants Aston Villa face a battle of Britain against Celtic and a nostalgic visit from Bayern Munich, who they beat in the 1982 European Cup final. Manchester City's eight league fixtures include clashes with Inter Milan, Juventus and Paris St Germain, Liverpool have a home game against holders Real Madrid and will also face AC Milan, while PSG, Atalanta and Inter Milan lie in wait for Arsenal.
Who is first up for the Brits?
Villa will help launch the new Champions League in an early Tuesday evening kick-off at Swiss champions Young Boys and on the same night Liverpool travel to AC Milan, who they have met in two previous finals. On Wednesday, City will face Inter Milan, who they beat in the 2023 final in Istanbul, and Celtic start at home against Slovan Bratislava. Arsenal play their first match on Thursday at Europa League holders Atalanta.
Something for everyone
UEFA has moved to spice up its premier club tournament in the wake of the failed breakaway European Super League. Critics argued there were too many meaningless fixtures in the previous group stage, which was dominated by the major clubs, and the new format certainly throws up some heavyweight clashes. An expanded format also provides opportunity for the smaller clubs, with the likes of Girona, Bologna and Brest among others joining Villa in competing in the Champions League for the first time.
