The new format of the Champions League has certainly divided opinion among supporters, pundits and clubs alike, but the revamped league phase did see a few upsets along the way.
Manchester City suffered defeats against Sporting CP, Juventus and PSG while drawing with Feyenoord as they missed out on the top eight. Elsewhere, Real Madrid just made it into the top 24, losing to Lille, Milan and Liverpool.
The likes of Lille and Aston Villa finished in the top eight, thus securing a place in the round of 16 without the need for an extra play-off tie.
Real, PSG, Man City, Milan and Dortmund will all face an extra couple of matches due to underperforming in the group stage, and it appears as though this new format allows those down the pecking order an ideal chance to boost their coefficient.
From this season onwards, 36 teams play in the group phase, up from 32 in the old format. This increase in participants means that two extra places will go to the best-performing leagues in Europe every season.
Depending on the performances of clubs in certain leagues, an extra place could be awarded – meaning the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle United could have an extra chance to return to the top table of European football via the league. But how does it all work?
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ByRoss KilvingtonJan 23, 2025