In an interview with the Spanish newspaper Marca, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin expressed confidence that the new format for the Champions League has already proven to be highly effective.
The 2024/2025 season marks the first time this prestigious European club tournament is organized under the so-called Swiss system. Following four qualifying rounds, a common stage includes a total of 36 clubs.
After eight rounds of play, the top eight teams will qualify directly for the playoffs, while teams finishing in positions nine through 24 will compete for a spot in the knockout stage through playoff matches. Clubs that finish lower than 24th in the common stage will end their participation in European competitions.
I’ve only heard positive feedback. Initially, there was attention given to the usual critics who show up whenever changes are made. In my estimation, 99% of people are now happy with the updated Champions League. The tournament has become even more unpredictable than before—no one knew until the very end whether a team would qualify. This is an absolute success, and the Champions League ratings are excellent.
Following the recent draw for the Round of 16, the matchups are as follows: Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund vs. Lille, Real Madrid vs. Atletico, Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen, PSV vs. Arsenal, Feyenoord vs. Inter, PSG vs. Liverpool, and Benfica vs. Barcelona.
Matches in this round are scheduled for March 4-5 and 11-12. The Champions League final will take place on May 31 at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
According to the updated rankings from Goal as of February 22, Barcelona have the best odds of winning the decisive Champions League match.
