Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said star forward Vinicius Junior will be back from injury quicker than expected to face Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Brazilian winger suffered a hamstring injury in November which was expected to keep him out until the Intercontinental Cup final on December 18.

However, Vinicius was able to train on Friday and Ancelotti said he would return next week, missing Saturday's La Liga visit to face Girona.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/fifa-club-world-cup-2025-neymars-al-hilal-to-face-real-madrid-messis-inter-miami-take-on-egypts-al-ahly-781928">FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Neymar's Al Hilal to face Real Madrid; Messi's Inter Miami take on Egypt's Al Ahly</a>

"Vini has recovered from his injury very well, he will not be ready for tomorrow but he will be for the next Champions League game," Ancelotti told a news conference Friday.

Vinicius' return bolsters a Madrid side which has suffered three defeats in their opening five European matches, sitting 24th in the Champions League group table.

The coach said defender David Alaba, who also trained with the team, was finding fitness after a long-term knee injury and could return in January.

With Vinicius sidelined, even more focus has been cast on misfiring superstar striker Kylian Mbappe after his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.

The French forward missed penalties in defeats by Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao in the past fortnight and is struggling to find his best form, with 10 goals in his first 20 matches across all competitions.

Mbappe posted on social media network Instagram to say he would "change this situation" and show his true colours.

"He is conscious (of it), the post he put out after the game is that of a player who knows what he is doing and also what he can do, and will do," said Ancelotti. "Obviously we're with him, he's not at his best level, but there are many players who are not at their best levels and don't know it -- he does know it."

Ancelotti said he was encouraged by Mbappe's performances in recent La Liga matches against Getafe and Athletic.

"In the last couple of games in terms of intensity he improved a lot," said the coach, citing Mbappe's sprinting statistics.

However Ancelotti accepted resting the 25-year-old might also help him at some point.

"We have to support him, but supporting him does not mean he has to play all the games. Sometimes it could be that a day of rest could be good for him."

The coach felt he himself was also being attacked too much over Madrid's recent form, although admitted he had "to accept" some criticism.

"Like stress, criticism is fuel to try and do better," added Ancelotti.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said star forward Vinicius Junior will be back from injury quicker than expected to face Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said star forward Vinicius Junior will be back from injury quicker than expected to face Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Brazilian winger suffered a hamstring injury in November which was expected to keep him out until the Intercontinental Cup final on December 18. However, Vinicius was able to train on Friday and Ancelotti said he would return next week, missing Saturday's La Liga visit to face Girona. ALSO READ: FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Neymar's Al Hilal to face Real Madrid; Messi's Inter Miami take on Egypt's Al Ahly "Vini has recovered from his injury very well, he will not be ready for tomorrow but he will be for the next Champions League game," Ancelotti told a news conference Friday. Vinicius' return bolsters a Madrid side which has suffered three defeats in their opening five European matches, sitting 24th in the Champions League group table. The coach said defender David Alaba, who also trained with the team, was finding fitness after a long-term knee injury and could return in January. With Vinicius sidelined, even more focus has been cast on misfiring superstar striker Kylian Mbappe after his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. The French forward missed penalties in defeats by Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao in the past fortnight and is struggling to find his best form, with 10 goals in his first 20 matches across all competitions. Mbappe posted on social media network Instagram to say he would "change this situation" and show his true colours. "He is conscious (of it), the post he put out after the game is that of a player who knows what he is doing and also what he can do, and will do," said Ancelotti. "Obviously we're with him, he's not at his best level, but there are many players who are not at their best levels and don't know it -- he does know it." Ancelotti said he was encouraged by Mbappe's performances in recent La Liga matches against Getafe and Athletic. "In the last couple of games in terms of intensity he improved a lot," said the coach, citing Mbappe's sprinting statistics. However Ancelotti accepted resting the 25-year-old might also help him at some point. "We have to support him, but supporting him does not mean he has to play all the games. Sometimes it could be that a day of rest could be good for him." The coach felt he himself was also being attacked too much over Madrid's recent form, although admitted he had "to accept" some criticism. "Like stress, criticism is fuel to try and do better," added Ancelotti. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Vinicius Jr to return from injury ahead of Real Madrid's Champions League clash, confirms Carlo Ancelotti

A 27th minute tap-in from Darwin Nunez took Liverpool to a controlled 1-0 win at RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday, continuing their excellent start under new coach Arne Slot.

Liverpool broke through some early Leipzig pressure just before the half-hour mark when Mohamed Salah hit a perfect header across his body.

Nunez sprang forward to prod home the goal-bound ball, grabbing his first Champions League goal since February 2023.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/barcelona-romps-bayern-munich-in-blockbuster-champions-league-clash-770211">Barcelona romps Bayern Munich in blockbuster Champions League clash</a>

Despite a late Leipzig flurry, Liverpool again showed the control and resilience that has taken them to the top of the Premier League table just days out from Sunday's clash at Arsenal.

"We're really happy for the win. We played a difficult away game. We controlled the game in large parts apart from the last few minutes," said Slot. &nbsp;"I asked for a goal. He (Darwin) gave us one but in the lead-up to the goal, Cody Gakpo was important and Mo Salah with an assist. It was a team goal. It's pleasing to see that Darwin did a really good job today."

Slot has won 11 of his first 12 games in charge in all competitions, the best start of any manager in Liverpool history, while Leipzig are now zero from three in Europe this season.

"With a bit of luck, maybe we could have taken a point," Leipzig goalie Peter Gulacsi said, adding: "In the Champions League, we've had no luck at all."

Both sides had impressed domestically this season on the back of strong defensive records, with Liverpool conceding three in eight Premier League games and Leipzig just two in seven.

Slot made three changes to the side which beat Chelsea 2-1 at home on Sunday, benching Andy Robertson and Curtis Jones for Kostas Tsimikas and Alexis Mac Allister, while Nunez replaced Diogo Jota.

Leipzig coach Marco Rose's starting XI made his intentions clear, the coach going for the all-out attack of Lois Openda, Xavi Simons, Benjamin Sesko and Antonio Nusa.

Rose's set-up worked early, with Leipzig pressing Liverpool hard and hitting them on the counter.

Sesko went close after 19 minutes, pouncing after Caoimhin Kelleher surged out of his box and failed to clear, but the big Slovenian's long-range effort curled just wide of the post.

Openda scored from well outside the box on the 26-minute mark but the Belgian's stunner was ruled out for offside.

Liverpool made Leipzig pay immediately, Nunez tapping in a goal-bound Salah header, just his second strike in nine appearances this season.

Nunez went inches from doubling up shortly after but his point-blank header was well saved by Gulacsi.

With one eye on Sunday's match at Arsenal, Liverpool tried to take the sting out of the game in the second half, controlling the match and keeping Leipzig at bay.

Salah was upset to be subbed with half an hour remaining, but by then Slot clearly had Arsenal in mind.

The home side rallied late, Openda again having a goal struck off for a clear offside, but Liverpool held on to make it three from three in the Champions League.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

A 27th minute tap-in from Darwin Nunez took Liverpool to a controlled 1-0 win at RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday, continuing their excellent start under new coach Arne Slot.

A 27th minute tap-in from Darwin Nunez took Liverpool to a controlled 1-0 win at RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday, continuing their excellent start under new coach Arne Slot. Liverpool broke through some early Leipzig pressure just before the half-hour mark when Mohamed Salah hit a perfect header across his body. Nunez sprang forward to prod home the goal-bound ball, grabbing his first Champions League goal since February 2023. ALSO READ: Barcelona romps Bayern Munich in blockbuster Champions League clash Despite a late Leipzig flurry, Liverpool again showed the control and resilience that has taken them to the top of the Premier League table just days out from Sunday's clash at Arsenal. "We're really happy for the win. We played a difficult away game. We controlled the game in large parts apart from the last few minutes," said Slot. "I asked for a goal. He (Darwin) gave us one but in the lead-up to the goal, Cody Gakpo was important and Mo Salah with an assist. It was a team goal. It's pleasing to see that Darwin did a really good job today." Slot has won 11 of his first 12 games in charge in all competitions, the best start of any manager in Liverpool history, while Leipzig are now zero from three in Europe this season. "With a bit of luck, maybe we could have taken a point," Leipzig goalie Peter Gulacsi said, adding: "In the Champions League, we've had no luck at all." Both sides had impressed domestically this season on the back of strong defensive records, with Liverpool conceding three in eight Premier League games and Leipzig just two in seven. Slot made three changes to the side which beat Chelsea 2-1 at home on Sunday, benching Andy Robertson and Curtis Jones for Kostas Tsimikas and Alexis Mac Allister, while Nunez replaced Diogo Jota. Leipzig coach Marco Rose's starting XI made his intentions clear, the coach going for the all-out attack of Lois Openda, Xavi Simons, Benjamin Sesko and Antonio Nusa. Rose's set-up worked early, with Leipzig pressing Liverpool hard and hitting them on the counter. Sesko went close after 19 minutes, pouncing after Caoimhin Kelleher surged out of his box and failed to clear, but the big Slovenian's long-range effort curled just wide of the post. Openda scored from well outside the box on the 26-minute mark but the Belgian's stunner was ruled out for offside. Liverpool made Leipzig pay immediately, Nunez tapping in a goal-bound Salah header, just his second strike in nine appearances this season. Nunez went inches from doubling up shortly after but his point-blank header was well saved by Gulacsi. With one eye on Sunday's match at Arsenal, Liverpool tried to take the sting out of the game in the second half, controlling the match and keeping Leipzig at bay. Salah was upset to be subbed with half an hour remaining, but by then Slot clearly had Arsenal in mind. The home side rallied late, Openda again having a goal struck off for a clear offside, but Liverpool held on to make it three from three in the Champions League. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Liverpool relish life under Arne Slot with win over RB Leipzig in Champions League

Liverpool continue purple patch under Arne Slot with win over RB Leipzig in Champions League

Liverpool manager Arne Slot expects Diogo Jota to feature in their Champions League clash with Serie A side Bologna at Anfield, despite the Portuguese forward's absence from training on Tuesday.

Jota received a knock in the 2-1 Premier League win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday but is set to play instead of Federico Chiesa, who arrived at training on Tuesday with an injury.

The Italian winger joined Liverpool from Juventus in August and grabbed an assist in the 5-1 League Cup third-round rout of West Ham United but will miss out on facing familiar opponents on Wednesday.

"It's a shame for him because he was looking forward to a Champions League night at Anfield, and especially because we face an Italian team," Slot told reporters. "How long is he out? It's always difficult because it happened yesterday but I am not expecting him to be out for a very long period of time.

"We will see if he can be in the team for Saturday (league match at Crystal Palace)."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/spain-and-barcelona-great-andres-iniesta-announces-retirement-date-vows-to-draw-curtain-on-decorated-career-763555">Spain and Barcelona great Andres Iniesta announces retirement date, to draw curtains on decorated career</a>

Liverpool are off to a strong start in Slot's first season in charge. They top the Premier League standings on 15 points, opened their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 win over AC Milan, and have booked their spot in the League Cup last 16.

"One of the reasons we can compete is we have a lot of quality. We have a lot of cohesion in the team. Those who are not playing are happy with us scoring and winning so those are two really positive things," Slot added.

Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister had kind words for how well the Dutchman has done in filling the huge shoes left by former manager Juergen Klopp.

"He's definitely an amazing manager. You can see how he's been from the first day," the Argentine said. "We understand what he wants from us, and I think that's the main thing as a coach -- to get the ideas in the players."

Liverpool are back in the Champions League after a one-year absence and Slot hopes to see the hunger reflected in his team on Wednesday.

"What I want from the players is them to show they missed this. I want to see this, I want to feel this," Slot said. "I am hoping it's the same from our fans. I hope they feel this desire to show Europe that you missed us."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot expects Diogo Jota to feature in their Champions League clash with Serie A side Bologna at Anfield, despite the Portuguese forward's absence from training on Tuesday.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot expects Diogo Jota to feature in their Champions League clash with Serie A side Bologna at Anfield, despite the Portuguese forward's absence from training on Tuesday. Jota received a knock in the 2-1 Premier League win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday but is set to play instead of Federico Chiesa, who arrived at training on Tuesday with an injury. The Italian winger joined Liverpool from Juventus in August and grabbed an assist in the 5-1 League Cup third-round rout of West Ham United but will miss out on facing familiar opponents on Wednesday. "It's a shame for him because he was looking forward to a Champions League night at Anfield, and especially because we face an Italian team," Slot told reporters. "How long is he out? It's always difficult because it happened yesterday but I am not expecting him to be out for a very long period of time. "We will see if he can be in the team for Saturday (league match at Crystal Palace)." ALSO READ: Spain and Barcelona great Andres Iniesta announces retirement date, to draw curtains on decorated career Liverpool are off to a strong start in Slot's first season in charge. They top the Premier League standings on 15 points, opened their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 win over AC Milan, and have booked their spot in the League Cup last 16. "One of the reasons we can compete is we have a lot of quality. We have a lot of cohesion in the team. Those who are not playing are happy with us scoring and winning so those are two really positive things," Slot added. Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister had kind words for how well the Dutchman has done in filling the huge shoes left by former manager Juergen Klopp. "He's definitely an amazing manager. You can see how he's been from the first day," the Argentine said. "We understand what he wants from us, and I think that's the main thing as a coach -- to get the ideas in the players." Liverpool are back in the Champions League after a one-year absence and Slot hopes to see the hunger reflected in his team on Wednesday. "What I want from the players is them to show they missed this. I want to see this, I want to feel this," Slot said. "I am hoping it's the same from our fans. I hope they feel this desire to show Europe that you missed us." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Liverpool’s Arne Slot expects Diogo Jota to be fit for Champions League clash at home

Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez has picked Paris Saint-Germain as favourites to win the Champions League quarterfinal tie despite his team beating them 3-2 on Wednesday (April 10) evening. Barcelona, the five-time champions snatched a dramatic win against PSG at the Parc des Princess with Pedri getting an assist on his return. There were goals from Raphinha and Andreas Christensen to help Barcelona come from behind to win the first leg.

<h2>Xavi terms PSG as favourites</h2>

"PSG are still the favourites," Xavi said in his postgame news conference. "It will be very difficult to win in Barcelona.

"Today we played well because we were united defensively. I'm very proud, everything worked well. We have to improve our concentration in the first minutes of the second half. We managed to mature and recover from a match that became very difficult,' he further said.

Barcelona are still fighting on two fronts in the 2023-24 season and sit eight points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid. On the flip side, they have a better chance of progressing to the Champions League final as they won’t face the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid or Manchester City at least till the final of the competition.

"I hope the ghosts have died," Xavi added. "We've gone through difficult years in the Champions League recently. This win shows that Barça are still alive,” Xavi added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-chief-selector-ajit-agarkar-heaps-praise-on-virat-kohli-ahead-of-t20-wc-selection-710076">BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar heaps praise on Virat Kohli ahead of T20 WC selection</a>

<h2>Can Barcelona reach the UCL semis?</h2>

Despite, Xavi’s claims of PSG being favourites to win the Champions League quarterfinal tie, his side will be eager to reach their firsts semifinal since the 2018-19 season. The Catalonian side last won the Champions League in 2015 during the Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez days. In case they progress to the next round of the competition, they will face either Atletico Madrid or Borussia Dortmund.

Considering Atletico were beaten 3-0 earlier in the season at their home ground, Barcelona would be sensing their chances to reach the final.

The Champions League quarterfinal second leg will be played on Tuesday (April 16) at Camp Nou, with home advantage for the five-time champions.

Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez has picked Paris Saint-Germain as favourites to win the Champions League quarterfinal tie despite his team beating them 3-2 on Wednesday (April 10) evening.

Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez has picked Paris Saint-Germain as favourites to win the Champions League quarterfinal tie despite his team beating them 3-2 on Wednesday (April 10) evening. Barcelona, the five-time champions snatched a dramatic win against PSG at the Parc des Princess with Pedri getting an assist on his return. There were goals from Raphinha and Andreas Christensen to help Barcelona come from behind to win the first leg. Xavi terms PSG as favourites "PSG are still the favourites," Xavi said in his postgame news conference. "It will be very difficult to win in Barcelona. "Today we played well because we were united defensively. I'm very proud, everything worked well. We have to improve our concentration in the first minutes of the second half. We managed to mature and recover from a match that became very difficult,' he further said. Barcelona are still fighting on two fronts in the 2023-24 season and sit eight points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid. On the flip side, they have a better chance of progressing to the Champions League final as they won’t face the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid or Manchester City at least till the final of the competition. "I hope the ghosts have died," Xavi added. "We've gone through difficult years in the Champions League recently. This win shows that Barça are still alive,” Xavi added. ALSO READ | BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar heaps praise on Virat Kohli ahead of T20 WC selection Can Barcelona reach the UCL semis? Despite, Xavi’s claims of PSG being favourites to win the Champions League quarterfinal tie, his side will be eager to reach their firsts semifinal since the 2018-19 season. The Catalonian side last won the Champions League in 2015 during the Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez days. In case they progress to the next round of the competition, they will face either Atletico Madrid or Borussia Dortmund. Considering Atletico were beaten 3-0 earlier in the season at their home ground, Barcelona would be sensing their chances to reach the final. The Champions League quarterfinal second leg will be played on Tuesday (April 16) at Camp Nou, with home advantage for the five-time champions.

Champions League: PSG are still the favourites - Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez after 3-2 win in Paris

The Champions League group stage for the 2023-24 season came to a nervy end on Wednesday (Dec 13) evening as 16 teams made it through to the knockout stage. Unlike any other season, the group stage produced another fine spectacle as Premier League giants Manchester United and Newcastle United bowed out at the initial stage. They will now have to wait until next season before they can claim their place in the knockouts. However, that won’t be easy for sides across Europe as next season will mark the revamp of the Champions League group stage and will be based on the Swiss League model with 36 teams participating in the continental tournament’s initial stage.

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Last-16 draw on Monday 🤩 
 
Which ties do you want to see? 
 
*No side can face another team from the same country <a href="https://t.co/JqPfXPousO">pic.twitter.com/JqPfXPousO</a>
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/1735343900016120317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2>How did the previous model work?</h2>

Since 2003-04, the Champions League had adopted a simple model of eight groups of four teams each; thereby 32 teams participating&nbsp;in the tournament. Group winners and group runners-up would qualify for the knockout stage consisting of 16 teams after each team played six matches in the group stage. Each team in the group played the rest of the three teams twice (once home and once away) and teams were ranked according to the number of points collected (three points for a win, one for a draw and none for defeat).

<h2>How will the new model work?</h2>

From the 2024-25 season of the Champions League there will be 36 teams that will participate in the tournament. Therefore, there will be four additional teams in the competition compared to previous seasons of the Champions League. There will be four groups of nine teams each now. Like the traditional group stage, the teams will play every other opponent in the group, however, unlike the previous format the teams will meet only once (in the previous format teams from the same group met twice).

Therefore each team will play eight group stage matches with no home-away format for a particular tie. Each team will play four matches on home ground and four matches on away ground. UEFA (European football’s governing body) has not yet cleared the permutations on how the away and home matches of a particular team will be decided.&nbsp;

With the same points format (three points for a win, one for a draw and none for defeat) all the 36 teams will be ranked according to their performance in the group stage. The top eight teams from the revised rankings based on group stage performance will directly qualify for the Round of the 16 while teams ranked from 9th to 24th will play in a playoff round (not cleared by UEFA whether it will be single or double leg).

The top eight teams will then be joined by the eight playoff round winners as they will contest the Round of 16 in a two-legged (home-away) format. This will be followed by a two-legged quarterfinal and a two-legged semifinal. Teams reaching the final will meet in the Champions League final (single leg) at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena in May 2025.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tier-2-tournament-similar-to-ipl-set-for-launch-in-2024-bcci-outlines-window-for-proposed-t10-league-669987">‘Tier 2’ tournament similar to IPL set for launch in 2024, BCCI outlines window for proposed T10 league</a>

<h2>How many matches will be played in the CL season?</h2>

Under the current format, excluding the qualification rounds, teams play a total of 125 matches in the Champions League season. This includes 96 matches in the group stage (12 matches each in eight groups) while two-legged ties during the Round of 16 (16 matches), quarterfinal (8 matches) and semifinal (4 matches) constitute 28 matches. The single leg final takes the total season count for the Champions League to 125 matches.

Under the new format, there will be 36 matches in one group as each team will play every other opponent once. With four such groups on offer, the total number of group stage matches will be 144, a net increase of 48 group stage matches from the previous format. If teams meet in a two-legged playoff round to decide qualification for the Round of 16, it will constitute 16 matches.

Like the previous format, the Round of 16 (16 matches), quarterfinal (8 matches) and semifinal (4 matches) will constitute 28 matches. Adding the 16 playoff matches and the final at the neutral venue in Munich, there will be 45 knockout stage matches in the Champions League. This will result in 16 more knockout stage matches compared to the previous format; taking the overall count for the season to 189 Champions League matches (64 more matches than the previous format).

In case the playoff round for the Round of 16 is played in a single-legged tie (one match only), then the total number of knockout stage matches will be 37 while there will be 181 matches in the entire Champions League season (56 more matches than previous format).

<h2>How will the schedule work?</h2>

Under the current format, there are six matchdays in the Champions League for all the six matches each team plays. However, with eight matches to be played by each team in the group stage, UEFA will have to find two more matchdays to accommodate the new schedule for the Champions League calendar. This could even result in group stage matches being played over the weekends while the playoff round for the Round of 16 could also be hosted in January of each year (Champions League matches have never been hosted in January before).

The Champions League group stage for the 2023-24 season came to a nervy end on Wednesday (Dec 13) evening as 16 teams made it through to the knockout stage. Unlike any other season, the group stage produced another fine spectacle as Premier League giants Manchester United and Newcastle United bowed out at the initial stage.

The Champions League group stage for the 2023-24 season came to a nervy end on Wednesday (Dec 13) evening as 16 teams made it through to the knockout stage. Unlike any other season, the group stage produced another fine spectacle as Premier League giants Manchester United and Newcastle United bowed out at the initial stage. They will now have to wait until next season before they can claim their place in the knockouts. However, that won’t be easy for sides across Europe as next season will mark the revamp of the Champions League group stage and will be based on the Swiss League model with 36 teams participating in the continental tournament’s initial stage. Last-16 draw on Monday 🤩 Which ties do you want to see? *No side can face another team from the same country pic.twitter.com/JqPfXPousO — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 14, 2023 × How did the previous model work? Since 2003-04, the Champions League had adopted a simple model of eight groups of four teams each; thereby 32 teams participating in the tournament. Group winners and group runners-up would qualify for the knockout stage consisting of 16 teams after each team played six matches in the group stage. Each team in the group played the rest of the three teams twice (once home and once away) and teams were ranked according to the number of points collected (three points for a win, one for a draw and none for defeat). How will the new model work? From the 2024-25 season of the Champions League there will be 36 teams that will participate in the tournament. Therefore, there will be four additional teams in the competition compared to previous seasons of the Champions League. There will be four groups of nine teams each now. Like the traditional group stage, the teams will play every other opponent in the group, however, unlike the previous format the teams will meet only once (in the previous format teams from the same group met twice). Therefore each team will play eight group stage matches with no home-away format for a particular tie. Each team will play four matches on home ground and four matches on away ground. UEFA (European football’s governing body) has not yet cleared the permutations on how the away and home matches of a particular team will be decided. With the same points format (three points for a win, one for a draw and none for defeat) all the 36 teams will be ranked according to their performance in the group stage. The top eight teams from the revised rankings based on group stage performance will directly qualify for the Round of the 16 while teams ranked from 9th to 24th will play in a playoff round (not cleared by UEFA whether it will be single or double leg). The top eight teams will then be joined by the eight playoff round winners as they will contest the Round of 16 in a two-legged (home-away) format. This will be followed by a two-legged quarterfinal and a two-legged semifinal. Teams reaching the final will meet in the Champions League final (single leg) at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena in May 2025. ALSO READ | ‘Tier 2’ tournament similar to IPL set for launch in 2024, BCCI outlines window for proposed T10 league How many matches will be played in the CL season? Under the current format, excluding the qualification rounds, teams play a total of 125 matches in the Champions League season. This includes 96 matches in the group stage (12 matches each in eight groups) while two-legged ties during the Round of 16 (16 matches), quarterfinal (8 matches) and semifinal (4 matches) constitute 28 matches. The single leg final takes the total season count for the Champions League to 125 matches. Under the new format, there will be 36 matches in one group as each team will play every other opponent once. With four such groups on offer, the total number of group stage matches will be 144, a net increase of 48 group stage matches from the previous format. If teams meet in a two-legged playoff round to decide qualification for the Round of 16, it will constitute 16 matches. Like the previous format, the Round of 16 (16 matches), quarterfinal (8 matches) and semifinal (4 matches) will constitute 28 matches. Adding the 16 playoff matches and the final at the neutral venue in Munich, there will be 45 knockout stage matches in the Champions League. This will result in 16 more knockout stage matches compared to the previous format; taking the overall count for the season to 189 Champions League matches (64 more matches than the previous format). In case the playoff round for the Round of 16 is played in a single-legged tie (one match only), then the total number of knockout stage matches will be 37 while there will be 181 matches in the entire Champions League season (56 more matches than previous format). How will the schedule work? Under the current format, there are six matchdays in the Champions League for all the six matches each team plays. However, with eight matches to be played by each team in the group stage, UEFA will have to find two more matchdays to accommodate the new schedule for the Champions League calendar. This could even result in group stage matches being played over the weekends while the playoff round for the Round of 16 could also be hosted in January of each year (Champions League matches have never been hosted in January before).

EXPLAINED: How will new Champions League group stage format work from 2024-25 season