The Champions League was revamped earlier than the 2024-25 season with a brand new .
Within the expanded match all sides performs eight completely different groups – 4 at house and 4 away – within the league section.
Commercial
Groups who end within the prime eight mechanically qualify for the final 16, whereas these inserting ninth to Twenty fourth will compete in a two-legged knockout play-off for the prospect to affix them.
Sides who end twenty fifth or decrease might be eradicated – and won’t drop into the Europa League.
Final season Liverpool topped the desk with 21 factors, whereas Arsenal and Aston Villa additionally made the highest eight.
Celtic, Newcastle and Manchester Metropolis progressed to the play-off spherical, as did Twenty fourth-placed Membership Brugge with simply 11 factors.
What concerning the knockout phases?
From the final 16 onwards, the Champions League will proceed to comply with its earlier format, with a sequence of two-legged knockout video games culminating within the closing on Saturday, 30 Could in Budapest.
Commercial
As was the case final season, there might be no away objectives rule.
Golf equipment ending within the prime eight of the league section might be seeded and drawn in opposition to the winners of the knockout play-offs within the final 16.
The highest-eight finishers will all play their second legs at house.
Paris St-Germain received the primary Champions League within the new format [Getty Images]
What number of British groups are within the Champions League?
Six English groups have certified for the Champions League this season, with Liverpool, Arsenal, Man Metropolis, Chelsea and Newcastle securing their spots with top-five Premier League finishes. Tottenham sealed their place by successful the Europa League.
Sixth-placed Aston Villa needed to accept the Europa League, together with Nottingham Forest. FA Cup winners Crystal Palace are within the Convention League, having been demoted from the Europa League over multi-club possession guidelines.
Commercial
Celtic and Rangers each missed out on qualifying for the primary draw.
What number of extra video games might be performed and when will they be performed?
The variety of matches within the new format elevated the general whole from 125 to 189.
Every staff performs a minimal of eight video games – as a substitute of six – and a most of 17.
In commonplace weeks, Champions League matches will nonetheless be performed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Within the Champions League unique weeks – when no different European competitions are performed – video games might be performed throughout Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The league section will now end on the finish of January as a substitute of throughout December.
Commercial
Who’s taking part in within the Champions League?
England (6): Liverpool, Arsenal, Man Metropolis, Chelsea, Newcastle, Tottenham
Spain (5): Actual Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao
Germany (4): Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt
Italy (4): Inter Milan, Juventus, Atalanta, Napoli
France (3): Paris St-Germain, Marseille, Monaco
Netherlands (2): Ajax, PSV Eindhoven
Portugal (2): Sporting, Benfica
Belgium (2): Membership Brugge, Union Saint-Gilloise
Azerbaijan (1): Qarabag
Cyprus (1): Pafos
Czech Republic (1): Slavia Prague
Denmark (1): FC Copenhagen
Greece (1): Olympiakos
Commercial
Kazakhstan (1): Kairat Almaty
Norway (1): Bodo/Glimt
Turkey (1): Galatasaray
How has the Champions League format modified over time?
Europe’s premier competitors started in 1955-56 as a six-team invitational match, initially referred to as the European Champion Golf equipment’ Cup.
From 1967, the competitors was renamed the European Cup and grew to 32 groups, that includes 4 two-legged rounds previous to a closing – a mannequin which might final for greater than 20 years.
The Champions League as we all know it started in 1992.
A gaggle stage was added with the final 16 coming into a knockout section.
There was a short spell with two group phases, however this was reverted again to the only group-stage format for the 2003-04 match.
Commercial
The group stage beforehand featured 32 groups in eight teams of 4 – with the highest two sides from every of these teams qualifying for the final 16.
This text is the newest from BBC Sport’s staff.
What’s Ask Me Something?
Ask Me Something is a service devoted to answering your questions.
We wish to reward your time by telling you belongings you have no idea and reminding you of belongings you do.
The staff will discover out every part you’ll want to know and have the ability to name upon a community of contacts together with our specialists and pundits.
We might be answering your questions from the center of the BBC Sport newsroom, and going behind the scenes at a few of the world’s greatest sporting occasions.
Commercial
Our protection will span the BBC Sport web site, app, social media and YouTube accounts, plus BBC TV and radio.
Extra questions answered…