The first matches of the new Champions League: Real Madrid – Dortmund or Barcelona

The ‘new eraThe UEFA Champions League is now underway. Just as promised by the highest authority in continental football: much more excitement and grandeur for the top competition in Europe. This is exactly what it was referring to; confrontations that, from the first minute, will hook the spectators to your TV. No wonder.

Among the summit meetings They will be the Real Madrid CF – Borussia Dortmundwho will relive last year’s Champions League final, as well as the 2023 Champions League final being played again (although no Spanish clubs are mentioned: Manchester City vs Paris Saint-Germain).

Following the national bet, a classic will also be enjoyed on the continent: FC Barcelona vs Bayern Munich. On the other hand, Atletico Madrid will have to deal with Luis Enrique and Xabi Alonso in the first round, while the Euro-Girona by Michel will suffer greatly in his debut against PSG, Liverpool, Arsenal either Milanamong others.

An innovative draw, eight demanding matches

The regular phase will be played between September 17 and January 29dates where the 36 participants will fight to finish among the top eight and get the direct ticket to the Round of 16. He Real Madrid CFwho is defending champion, will face two German opponents, the Borussia Dortmund and VfB Stuttgartto the AC Milan Italian and al Salzburg FC Austrian at home; while as a visitor they will play matches against the Liverpool FChe Atalanta BChe LOSC Lille and the Brest Stadium. Comfort for the 15th king of the Champions League.

On the other hand, the FC Barcelona will play at home against the always feared Bayern Munichin addition to Atalanta BC, Young Boys and Brest Stadium (who repeats his presence against a Spanish ‘bogeyman’) and will have to travel to the aforementioned field between the merengue duels Borussia Dortmundas well as those of the SL Benfica, Red Star either AS Monaco.

Likewise, the Atletico Madrid will defend in the Metropolitan the attacks of RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, LOSC Lille and Slovan Bratislavawhile it will not be a host in the stadiums of PSG, SL Benfica, Sparta Prague and Salzburg FC. Finally, the surprising Girona FC will receive in Montilivi to Liverpool FC, Arsenal, Feyenoord and Slovan Bratislava and will move before Milan, PSG, PSV and Storm Graz to complete your hopeful debut in this Champions League.

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The eight clashes of the 36 teams in the 2024/25 Champions League:

The new structure of the Champions League

The most significant change in this new Champions League format is the replacing the traditional group stage with another round-robin with 36 teams, four more than in the previous method. Thus, instead of the usual six games, Each team will now play eight matches against eight different rivals.which promises more clashes between clubs of different levels and origins.

This change not only increases the number of matches, but will also seek improve competitive balance and maintain that interest of fans in the long term. In collaboration with many mathematicians and using complex algorithmic models, UEFA simulated the new format for three seasons to analyze its impact on key factors such as the number of non-competitive matches, the average goals per game and the margins of victory. “We wanted to make sure that the new format made the most dynamic and exciting competition“, he comments Stéphane AnselmoUEFA’s Head of Strategic Competition Development.

From there, after having played four home games and four away gameswill start the knockout stage. After the end of the playoffs, the qualified clubs from 1st to 8th will advance directly to the round of 16while the teams that finish between the 9th and the 24th will compete in some play-offs to double encounter to secure their place among the 16 best of the Champions League. In this way, those other teams that finish in 25th place or lower will remain eliminated from all other European competitionswhich adds additional pressure during the league phase.

To make these clashes even more exciting, all teams will be divided into seeded teams and not seeded teams based on their league stage classification. Those ending between the 9th and the 16th place will be the seeded teams in the play-offswhile those located between the 17th and 24th place will not be. This system seeks to reward performance during the league phase, giving the best ranked teams the advantage of play the return match at homea factor that could be very decisive.

Expectations and excitement for the new season

This new format is also designed to offer many more opportunities for clubs of different levelsgiving the possibility to more teams dreaming of going far in Europe’s top competition. “We simulated that qualification for the play-offs would be possible with an average of 7.6 pointsthat is to say, two wins and two draws“Anselmo explains. This inclusive approach aims to keep the hope of classification alive until the last dayseven for teams that traditionally could have been eliminated earlier. Once they entered the round of 16, the Eliminations will be direct until we reach the big date of the day May 31, 2025 in it Allianz Arena of Munich (Germany), who will proclaim a new king.

The wait is over. The new Champions League is ready to kick off and offer a show that will undoubtedly leave its mark a before and after around continental football.