MiscellaneousEverything is new in the UEFA Champions League! Not only is there a change in the format and schedule, but also in the draw. The preliminary round will take place on Thursday, starting at 6 PM, and will not only be drawn but also compiled by computer, including top matches from Real Madrid’s pot one.
Champions League Draw: Thursday, 6 PM
36 instead of 32 teams, a league instead of group stage, eight instead of six preliminary round games, a total of 225 games in the competition instead of 100, preliminary round matches in January and sometimes on Thursdays … the UEFA Champions League will be quite different in 2024/25!
This also affects the draw. While it will take place on Thursday at 6 PM in Monaco, there will be changes due to the reformed league phase, or the “Swiss model” – the drawing of lots is also affected. The computer does most of the work – when a club is drawn, an algorithm will then determine the eight corresponding opponents.
So, on Thursday, things will be quite different, especially because top matches are guaranteed in the preliminary round. While there are still four pots, each participant will draw two opponents from each pot – of course, not from the same association. This means that even in the preliminary round, clashes like Real Madrid against PSG or Barcelona against ManCity are possible!
Qualification ongoing: seven preliminary round spots still open
The four pots, which no longer offer any advantage, or it doesn’t matter which pot a team is placed in, are almost set. Only seven spots remain open, which will be filled on Tuesday and Wednesday when the final seven qualification matches take place. In the first legs last week, Bern, Prague, Salzburg, Zagreb, Bodø/Glimt, and Lille progressed, with only the match between Bratislava and Midtjylland resulting in a draw.
Preliminary round begins on September 17 and ends on January 29.
By Wednesday evening, all 36 Champions League clubs will be determined – that’s four more than in the old format – and then the reformulated mode can start on September 17. The preliminary rounds run until January 29, 2025, after which there will even be playoffs before the knockout phase. Only the top eight teams qualify automatically for the Round of 16, while teams ranked ninth to 24 will face two additional matches. All of this also means: While the titleholder last needed “only” 13 matches to reach the trophy, it will now be at least 15, and including the extra round through the playoffs, it could even be 17. The final on May 31, 2025, in Munich is still a long way off; first, Real Madrid and others want to prove themselves in the new preliminary round and see what exciting matches the new draw of the Champions League really brings – the balls roll on Thursday evening!
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