All about the Champions League draw
We're all set for the Champions League 2024/25. And it's a very special one because it's the very first with UEFA's brand new format. Things will all start taking shape this evening at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, with the draw that begins at 6pm CEST.
New format
The tournament has been completely revamped this year. For a start, instead of 32, there are now 36 teams, and there will be no more groups. Instead, all of the teams will compete in the same league, although they will only play eight teams (four at home and four away), and those opponents will be decided today in Monaco.
There are a number of conditions. The teams have been divided into four pots, based on their UEFA coefficient, and will play two teams from each pot, one at home and one away. Barça are one of the teams in Pot 1, although that does not suppose any particular advantage over the rest. They will play two other teams in Pot 1 like everyone else.
The draw is too complex to be performed manually. Instead, a computer system will randomly pick the eight games that each team will play, and which team will play at home in each.
The teams in Pot 1 will learn their opponents first, then those in Pot 2 and so on.
Teams cannot play any league phase games against teams from their own domestic league and can't play more than two games against teams from the same country.
The teams
Click on the following link to find out which 36 teams will be playing in the league phase, and which pots they're in. You can also join our vote for the teams that fans would rather see us play against:
Knockout stage
The top eight teams in the league phase will advance directly to the round of 16, and will be seeded. The teams ranked 9th to 24th then play two-legged playoffs to decide on the other eight sides that will make up the round of 16. The first legs are on February 11 and 12 and the returns are on February 18 and 19, with the teams ranked 9th to 16th playing the second leg at home.
The teams ranked 25th to 36th will be eliminated, and will not drop into the Europa League as in previous seasons.
From there on, the knockout phase is much the same as always, although all rounds will be seeded based on where teams finished in the league phase, with the highest ranked side always playing the second leg at home.
The dates
- League phase: From September 17 to January 29
- Play-off (first legs February 11 and 12, second legs February 18 and 19.
- Round of 16 (first legs March 4 and 5, second legs March 11 and 12)
- Quarter finals (first legs April 8 and 9, second legs April 15 and 16)
- Semi finals (first legs April 29 and 30, second legs May 6 and 7)
- Final (Allianz Arena, Munich on May 31).