The greatest spectacle of football is back for another season – and there are huge some changes
The Champions League is back for a new season with a completely different format and we have explained how it works.
Teams will play eight matches (four of which at home and four away) – however no actual group will be drawn.
All teams instead will be in a 36-team league phase.
Teams who finish in the top eight of the league will then automatically qualify for the last 16.
Those teams who place ninth to 24th then will compete in a two-legged knockout play-off for the chance to join the top eight.
Those that finish 25th or lower will be instantly knocked out and won’t enter into the Europa League either.
From the last 16 onwards, the Champions League will continue to follow the classic knockout stages of football as we’ve seen before.
The number of matches in the new format has increased from 125 to 189.
The minimum amount of games played per team will be eight – and the maximum will be 17.
The league phase run until the end of January instead of ending before Christmas like the old-school group-stages.
Bring it on.
