UEFA Champions League
The Champions League Playoffs Will Be More Exciting Than Ever: Breaking Down the Scenarios

The Tournament’s New Format

The Champions League is being played in this format for the first time.

On January 29, the eighth Round of the league phase concluded, determining that all the teams were advancing to the playoffs. This year's edition is the first under the new format. We were close to witnessing significant upsets, such as the potential early elimination of Manchester City and PSG in the league phase. Still, in the end, no big surprises happened.

Barcelona had a chance to secure the top spot, as Liverpool arrived in Eindhoven with a heavily rotated squad and lost to PSV. However, the Catalans failed to capitalize, drawing with Atalanta.

Among the unexpected outcomes were Lille and Aston Villa finishing in the top eight. At the same time, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund failed. The final standings are crucial because the top 8 teams advance directly to the Round of 16, while the rest must first go through the Round of 32.

Understanding the Draw

The draw mechanics require some explanation. The teams already in Round 16 have been paired to shape the knockout bracket. For example, Liverpool and Barcelona, who finished first and second, are placed in opposite halves of the bracket, meaning they can only meet in the final.

Similarly, Lille and Aston Villa, the last two teams from the top 8, will be split into halves. Moreover, teams from the top eight will not face each other before the quarterfinals.

The same logic applies to Arsenal and Inter, Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen. English and Italian teams are in the lower half, meaning they can only meet Liverpool or Barcelona in the semifinals. In contrast, Spanish and German teams will be potential quarterfinal opponents.

In the Round of 32, Monaco and Brest will face either PSG or Benfica. The winner will advance to face Barcelona and the other to Liverpool.

Meanwhile, Sporting, Club Brugge, Atalanta, and Borussia Dortmund will be drawn against each other, and the winners will face either Lille or Aston Villa.
Road to Munich 2025
Now comes the most intense part: Manchester City will face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich for a place in the Round of 16. The remaining team from that pairing will take on Celtic, with the winners then meeting Bayer Leverkusen or Atletico Madrid.

Finally, Feyenoord and Juventus will meet either Milan or PSV. Depending on the draw, the winners will then face either Arsenal or Inter.

The Final Bracket Breakdown

The Champions League bracket is now split into two halves, with four top-8 teams each. The final league standings play a key role: in the quarterfinals, first-place teams (1st-2nd) will face fourth-place teams (7th-8th), while second-place teams (3rd-4th) will face third-place teams (5th-6th). This means that the top two seeds cannot meet before the semifinals.

However, with teams from the Round of 32 entering the mix, there is no guarantee that only the top 8 will make it through. This unpredictability makes the upcoming Champions League playoffs even more thrilling.

Published by Patrick Jane
30.01.2025