Exciting clashes await in the new UEFA Champions League group stage format
The UEFA Champions League is set to undergo a major revamp for the 2024/25 season, with a new group stage format that promises thrilling matchups right from the start. The revamped format, known as the Swiss model, will see 36 teams compete in a series of single home and away matches, ensuring each team plays eight different opponents.
Arsenal vs PSG: A Rare Showdown
In one of the standout fixtures, Premier League runners-up Arsenal will face Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in a rare and exciting encounter. Arsenal’s group also includes 2023 finalists Inter Milan, along with Girona, AS Monaco, Shakhtar Donetsk, Ademola Lookman’s Atalanta, Dinamo Zagreb, and Sporting CP.
Barcelona vs Bayern Munich: Old Rivals Meet Again
Barcelona will once again go head-to-head with Bayern Munich, a team that has had the upper hand in recent meetings, including a crushing 8-2 defeat of Barcelona in the 2019/20 quarterfinals. Barcelona’s other opponents in the group include Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, Benfica, Young Boys, Red Star Belgrade, Brest, and AS Monaco.
Liverpool vs Real Madrid: A Familiar Rivalry
Liverpool, returning to the Champions League after a one-year absence, will renew their rivalry with Real Madrid for the fourth consecutive season. The Reds will also face off against RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, AC Milan, Bologna, PSV Eindhoven, and Girona.
Tough Draws for the Favourites
Reigning champions Real Madrid have been handed a challenging group, with matches against Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, RB Salzburg, Lille, Stuttgart, and Brest. Manchester City, the Premier League champions, will take on Inter Milan, PSG, Club Brugge, Juventus, Feyenoord, Sporting CP, Sparta Praha, and Slovan Bratislava.
PSG, who are expected to contend for the title, face a particularly tough group, with fixtures against Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, RB Salzburg, Girona, and Stuttgart.
Aston Villa’s Return to the Champions League
Aston Villa, returning to Europe’s top competition after a long absence, will face Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Juventus, Club Brugge, Celtic, Bologna, Young Boys, and AS Monaco in their group.
Nigeria’s Hope: Ademola Lookman’s Atalanta
Ademola Lookman’s Atalanta will be up against some of Europe’s best, including Real Madrid, Arsenal, Barcelona, Shakhtar Donetsk, Celtic, Young Boys, Sturm Graz, and Stuttgart, making their path to the knockout stages a challenging one.
The new Champions League format has set the stage for an exhilarating group stage, with top teams and star players ready to battle it out for European supremacy. Fans can look forward to a series of blockbuster matches that will showcase the best of European football.
