The conventional group stage, which had been in place for the previous 21 years, has been replaced with a new model, which will be used for the first time for the 2024-25 season of the UEFA Champions League.
The 36 clubs participating in this new format are consolidated into a single league table, and each team competes in eight matches against various opponents. This represents a considerable change from the previous method, which divided teams into smaller groups.
Thursday was the day the season draw took place, and it was a day packed with excitement, especially for Real Madrid, the reigning champions. Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, and Atalanta are some problematic opponents they will play during the season.
Fans are already feeling excited as a result, particularly because they will be competing against well-known clubs in high-stakes matches.
While this is going on, Manchester City will play Inter Milan, a club that they beat in the final of the 2022-23 season, and Bayern Munich will play Paris Saint-Germain again, a match that will be a replay of the final from 2020.
In this new system, the eight teams that finish in first, second, third, and fourth place in the standings will automatically progress to the Round of 16 in March. This will be accomplished via a bracket similar to a tennis bracket, and there will be no more draws until the final.
Teams placed ninth through twenty-fourth will participate in a knockout round of the playoffs, while the teams ranked twelve through twenty-fourth will be eliminated.
Giorgio Marchetti, the deputy general secretary of UEFA, revealed that this new structure is intended to fulfill the clubs’ desire for regular European matches rather than be a necessity for UEFA.
Michel, Girona’s head coach, expressed his faith in his squad’s ability to participate in this important competition and urged the supporters to show their commitment to their team by cheering them on.
One of the clubs that stands out among those with difficult draws is Paris Saint-Germain. They will compete against formidable adversaries such as Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Arsenal. They will also compete against PSV, Salzburg, Girona, and Stuttgart.
A similar situation exists for Bayer Leverkusen, as they are scheduled to play matches against Inter, AC Milan, Liverpool, and Atletico Madrid in the upcoming schedule.