The New CL Format Explained

This season’s CL will start off on the 17th of September and there is a new look to the elite European competition this season. After much debate and discussion, it was decided the old format needed revamping and the result is a very different format with an increase in teams participating up to 36. Read up on the new format below!

Gone are the group matches and the home and away clashes and this time each team will play eight games against eight different opponents. The result of this is that the total number of tournament matches will rise to 189 from 125, a somewhat ironic turn of events given the amount of fuss generated about player burnout over recent years. The initial group phase will conclude on the last Wednesday in January with the knockout matches starting in mid-February, so there isn’t really any break in European action, as there used to be.

League Phase replaces Group Stage

The draw for the CL took place on Thursday 29th August in Monaco and it was an automated draw, another change from recent years. Rather than each team being drawn in separate groups as has been the case in past years, this year the draw will throw up eight opponents for each club from the overall 36-team league. The 36 teams will be split into four pots of nine teams, with two opponents being drawn from each of those pots and the seeding for those pots depending on each club’s coefficient ranking.

Another big change will come in how the draw is made, with the old format of notable former players choosing balls from a bowl, and all of the preamble that comes with it, no longer the sole determining factor. The governing body calculates that an entirely-manual draw could take up to four hours to complete given that almost 1,000 balls would need to be drawn, so instead it will be down to automated software to randomly allocate each team’s eight opponents.

Starting with Pot A, teams will still be manually selected from a bowl, but the computer then takes over to allocate that team their eight fixtures, as well as determining which ones will be at home and away.

Until last season, the group stage had 32 clubs divided into eight groups of four, with the top two from each progressing to the post-Christmas knockout rounds. From 2024-25 onwards, though, a total of 36 will participate within a single league, which sees all competing clubs ranked together, earning three points for a win, one for a draw.

Under this new format, each team plays eight matches, and rather than playing three opponents twice like before, they will instead face fixtures against eight different teams: half are at home; half away. Every club will be placed in one of four seeding pots – based on their ranking – then drawn to play against two different teams from each of those pots, making a total of eight.

The top eight teams in the final league table, after eight games played, qualify automatically for the last 16 with teams finishing from 9th to 24th in the rankings must compete in a two-legged playoff to join them.

As for the teams that finish 25th to 36th in the table, they will all be eliminated, with no second-chance entry into the EL, another change when compared to previous seasons. Clubs that finish between 9th and 16th are to be seeded in the playoff draw, so they are guaranteed to meet a team placed between 17th and 24th. Furthermore, they will benefit from having the second leg at home.

The eight playoff winners then progress to the last 16, where they will each face one of the top eight teams from the league stage. From the last 16 onwards, the existing format of two-legged knockout rounds is unchanged.

The Contenders

Rather than simply looking at who is likely to win their respective groups, as in the past, this time we can try to predict who might finish in the top ten of the new table. This is not only reliant on the team itself but whether the draw has been kind to them or not.

Bayern Munich

The draw has been kind to the Bavarian giants and their pedigree in the competition as well as their strong squad strength. Matches against Dinamo Zagreb, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Slovan Bratislava offer strong opportunities for points. Despite challenging away fixtures against Barcelona and Aston Villa, Bayern’s firepower, led by Harry Kane, and their tactical prowess provide an advantage in single-match scenarios. Hosting Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica at home also plays to their strengths.

Real Madrid

The defending champions are back to defend their crown again and will be aiming to be the first team to win the competition in its new format. As always, it is tough to bet against them winning overall so they are one of the favourites to win the league phase too, understandably. Despite some challenging fixtures, their dominance in European football makes them a formidable opponent. Hosting Stuttgart, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, and RB Salzburg should favour Madrid, while away trips to Lille, Liverpool, Atalanta, and Brest present tougher tests. However, with their wealth of experience and quality, they will be a very difficult team to beat.

Manchester City

The dominant team from England over the past decade has only managed to win Europe’s top prize once and they will certainly be hoping to add to that haul. However, the fixture list hasn’t been kind to them and whilst it would be a big shock for them not to finish in the top eight, winning the league phase will provide difficult, despite them being the favourite. Key matches include away games against Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, both difficult challenges. City will also be competing deep in four competitions, and midweek away fixtures could take their toll on Pep Guardiola’s squad. The PSG match is where they might drop points, but City’s strength makes it hard to count them out entirely. Overall, they are the favourites to win the Champions League at a price of 3.25.

FC Barcelona

It has been a very positive start to the season for the Catalan giants under their new coach. They are still without the Nou Camp though and they do face a number of challenging away trips. They should have more than enough to finish in the top group and their attacking prowess will be crucial in tough fixtures against Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Benfica. With manageable fixtures like Young Boys and Brest, Barcelona have the balance to accumulate enough points to finish high in the standings.

Arsenal

The second best team in England over recent years have always underwhelmed in the CL and they were knocked out by Bayern Munich in last year’s quarter-final. Perhaps this new format will help them and if Arsenal can translate their domestic form into Europe, this could be their breakthrough year. Though their fixtures are tough, key matches like Paris Saint-Germain at the Emirates offer hope. With winnable games against Shakhtar, Dinamo, and Girona, it’s hard to see Arsenal outside the top eight automatic qualifying spots.

Bayer Leverkusen

Leverkusen had a hugely impressive season last year, with the only blot being their loss to Atalanta in the EL final. They stormed to the domestic double and the question now is whether they can back that up with another good year. The CL will be a big challenge no doubt but not many teams will look forward to facing them. While the Bundesliga champions haven’t started this season as strongly, their fixture list doesn’t suggest many clear losses. They have the strength to at least draw against most sides. Matches against Liverpool, AC Milan, and Atlético Madrid are tough, but Leverkusen’s resilience should help them secure vital points throughout.

Juventus

Juventus are predicted to qualify well in the CL league phase due to a challenging but balanced fixture list. Home games against PSV Eindhoven, Stuttgart, and Benfica present good opportunities for points, while away matches against Leipzig, Lille, and Aston Villa pose tougher challenges. Hosting Manchester City will be their hardest test, but Juventus are strong at home. While they may struggle away, their European pedigree should give Thiago Motta’s men a strong chance of qualifying. With a mix of difficult and winnable games.

Paris SG

Last on the list are perennial underachievers PSG, despite having never won the CL they possess the quality to make relatively easy work of the first stage. Historically they have done well in the group stages and there is no reason to suggest that run won’t continue this year. Their fixtures include winnable games against Girona, PSV Eindhoven, and Salzburg, which should help them accumulate crucial points. While challenging matches against Arsenal, Atlético de Madrid, and Manchester City will test their resolve, PSG’s squad depth and experience in European competitions could prove decisive.

The Best of the Rest

One cannot fail to mention Borussia Dortmund, last year’s finalists who are currently 25.00 to win the competition this year. Last season’s fairytale run to the final surprised many and it would certainly be a shock if they were to repeat that, but they certainly have the ability to make it into the top eight. Aston Villa finished fourth in the PL so they make it to the top table of European football for the first time in many years and the fact they have Unai Emery leading them is enough to make them a legitimate challenger to most opponents. Europa League winners Atalanta are at 50.00, they are a difficult opponent but the CL is likely to be too much of a challenge for them. AC Milan are always a tough team to play and they are back in the mix, with Bologna being the fourth Italian team. Some of the lesser teams that are looking to cause a few upsets include Crvena Zvezda, GNK Dinamo, Slovan Bratislava and Sparta Prague.

The jury is out on whether this new format will create more interest in Europe’s top competition, some might argue that there wasn’t much wrong with the old format. The idea is that there will be fewer ‘dead rubber’ matches. We will undoubtedly have a selection of many great clashes and there will be countless talking points and controversies along the way to finding out who will be this season’s number one team.

Last updated: 13.09.24