Sport

BREAKING: Champions League draw unveils new ‘Swiss-Style’ format, 36 teams to compete

The draw for the league phase of the new Champions League has been conducted, introducing a significant change in the competition’s format.

This year, the tournament will feature a ‘Swiss-style’ league phase, replacing the traditional group stage that fans have long been familiar with. Additionally, 36 teams will participate instead of the usual 32.

The league phase will extend until the end of January, as opposed to the usual December conclusion.

The top eight teams will automatically qualify for the knockout stages, while teams finishing between ninth and 24th place will compete in a two-legged play-off to secure a spot in the last 16. Teams ranked 25th to 36th will be eliminated from all competitions.

Key Fixtures:

  • Man City: Home – Inter, Club Brugge, Feyenoord, Sparta Prague; Away – PSG, Juventus, Sporting Lisbon, Bratislava.

  • Inter Milan: Home – Leipzig, Arsenal, Red Star, Monaco; Away – Man City, Leverkusen, Young Boys, Sparta Praha.

  • Bayern Munich: Home – PSG, Benfica, Dinamo, Slovan Bratislava; Away – Barcelona, Shakhtar, Feyenoord, Aston Villa.

  • RB Leipzig: Home – Liverpool, Juventus, Sporting Lisbon, Aston Villa; Away – Inter, Atletico Madrid, Celtic, Sturm Graz.

  • Borussia Dortmund: Home – Barcelona, Shakhtar, Celtic, Sturm Graz; Away – Real Madrid, Brugge, Dinamo Zagreb, Bologna.

  • Barcelona: Home – Bayern Munich, Atalanta, Young Boys, Brest; Away – Dortmund, Benfica, Red Star, Monaco.

  • Real Madrid: Home – Dortmund, Milan, Salzburg, Stuttgart; Away – Liverpool, Atalanta, Lille, Brest.

  • Liverpool: Home – Real Madrid, Leverkusen, Lille, Bologna; Away – Leipzig, Milan, PSV, Girona.

  • PSG: Home – Man City, Atletico Madrid, PSV, Girona; Away – Bayern, Arsenal, Salzburg, Stuttgart.

  • Atletico Madrid: Home – Leipzig, Leverkusen, Lille, Bratislava; Away – PSG, Benfica, Salzburg, Sparta.

  • Atalanta: Home – Real Madrid, Arsenal, Celtic, Graz; Away – Barcelona, Shakhtar, Young Boys, Stuttgart.

  • Club Brugge: Home – Dortmund, Juventus, Sporting Lisbon, Aston Villa; Away – Man City, Milan, Celtic, Graz.

  • Arsenal: Home – PSG, Shakhtar, Dinamo Zagreb, Monaco; Away – Inter Milan, Atalanta, Sporting Lisbon, Girona.

  • Bayer Leverkusen: Home – Inter Milan, AC Milan, RB Salzburg, Sparta Praha; Away – Liverpool, Atletico Madrid, Feyenoord, Brest.

  • AC Milan: Home – Liverpool, Brugge, Belgrade, Girona; Away – Real Madrid, Leverkusen, Dinamo, Bratislava.

  • Benfica: Home – Barcelona, Atletico, Feyenoord, Bologna; Away – Bayern, Juventus, Red Star, Monaco.

  • Juventus: Home – Man City, Benfica, PSV, Stuttgart; Away – Leipzig, Brugge, Lille, Aston Villa.

  • Shakhtar: Home – Bayern, Atalanta, Young Boys, Brest; Away – Dortmund, Arsenal, PSV, Bologna.

  • Young Boys: Home – Inter, Atalanta, Belgrade, Villa; Away – Barcelona, Shakhtar, Celtic, Stuttgart.

  • Lille: Home – Real Madrid, Juventus, Feyenoord, Graz; Away – Liverpool, Atletico Madrid, Sporting CP, Bologna.

  • PSV: Home – Liverpool, Shakhtar, Sporting CP, Girona; Away – PSG, Juventus, Red Star, Brest.

  • Feyenoord: Home – Bayern, Leverkusen, Salzburg, Sparta Praha; Away – Man City, Benfica, Lille, Girona.

  • Red Star: Home – Barcelona, Benfica, PSV, Stuttgart; Away – Inter, Milan, Young Boys, Monaco.

  • Celtic: Home – Leipzig, Young Boys, Slovan Bratislava; Away – Dortmund, Atalanta, Brugge, Aston Villa.

  • Sporting Lisbon: Home – Man City, Arsenal, Lille, Bologna; Away – Leipzig, Brugge, PSV, Sturm Graz.

  • Stuttgart: Home – PSG, Atalanta, Young Boys, Sparta Praha; Away – Real Madrid, Juventus, Red Star, Bratislava.

  • Girona: Home – Liverpool, Arsenal, Feyenoord, Bratislava; Away – PSG, Milan, PSV, Sturm Graz.

  • Bologna: Home – Dortmund, Shakhtar, Lille, Monaco; Away – Liverpool, Benfica, Sporting Lisbon, Aston Villa.

  • Aston Villa: Home – Bayern, Juventus, Celtic, Bologna; Away – Leipzig, Brugge, Young Boys, Monaco.

  • Sparta Praha: Home – Inter, Atletico Madrid, Salzburg, Brest; Away – Man City, Leverkusen, Feyenoord, Stuttgart.

  • Bratislava: Home – Man City, Milan, Dinamo, Stuttgart; Away – Bayern, Atletico Madrid, Celtic, Girona.

  • Monaco: Home – Barcelona, Benfica, Villa, Bologna; Away – Inter, Arsenal, Red Star, Dinamo.

  • Brest: Home – Real Madrid, Leverkusen, PSV, Sturm Graz; Away – Barcelona, Shakhtar, Salzburg, Sparta Praha.

  • Sturm Graz: Home – Leipzig, Brugge, Sporting Lisbon, Brest; Away – Dortmund, Atalanta, Lille, Girona.

Treasure Orokpo

A multi-talented individual with a passion for diverse fields, Treasure Orokpo is a trained journalist, skilled cook, and AI enthusiast. When she's not uncovering the latest stories, you can find her whipping up culinary creations in the kitchen and entertainment.

Recent Posts

Probe panel: Ortom defeats Benue state govt at appeal court

The Court of Appeal, Makurdi Division, on Thursday set aside the ruling of the Benue…

12 hours ago

Police take action over murder of lawyer Mark Ofikwu in Otukpo

The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the tragic killing of prominent Otukpo-based lawyer and…

13 hours ago

BREAKING: Reps reject bill proposing six-year single tenure for president, governors

A bill proposing a six-year single term for the office of the president and state…

15 hours ago

BREAKING: Senate approves Tinubu’s ₦1.77 Trillion loan request to address 2024 Budget deficit

The Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s ₦1.77 trillion ($2.2b) loan request following a voice…

16 hours ago

Finland arrests Simon Ekpa, four others over terrorism financing

Finnish-Nigerian separatist leader, Simon Ekpa, and four others have been arrested in Finland for involvement…

16 hours ago

BREAKING: Biafra: Simon Ekpa arrested in Finland

Finnish-Nigerian separatist agitator, Simon Ekpa, and four other persons have been arrested in Finland over…

16 hours ago