The Champions League has been a pinnacle of club soccer for decades. It has captivated fans around the world with a competition that features dramatic and unpredictability, and is a lucrative showcase for major sponsorships and advertising deals. As the game evolves, so does the tournament that crowns Europe’s elite clubs, and the era of the Champions League is far from over.
UEFA is changing the way that the competition is run from next season, with the number of clubs involved rising to 36. The old group phase will be replaced by a new “league table” in which teams play eight matches – four home and four away – to decide their rankings. Teams that finish in the top eight qualify for the last 16, while those who place ninth to 24th compete in a two-legged play-off. In the round of 16 the draw will seed teams based on their league-table ranking, with no country protection.
It’s worth remembering that the early Champions League dominance by Milan and Juventus – and later Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and FC Barcelona – was the result of a team style that combined solid defensive tactics with devastating attacking play. So a potential surprise winner could emerge from a new team that masters this formula.