Champions League Draw: New Format and Exciting Matches Await Premier League Sides
The Champions League is back, and this time it’s sporting a brand-new format that promises more excitement and nail-biting matches. Premier League powerhouses Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Aston Villa are eagerly awaiting their league phase fates. The draw could potentially pair them with tough opponents such as Jude Bellingham’s Real Madrid or Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich.
One significant change in this year’s Champions League is the elimination of the group stage, which has been replaced by a league phase. Instead of being divided into groups, all 36 qualified teams will now compete in a single league table. Each club will play eight matches, four at home and four away, against teams from each of the four pots.
In the past, being in pot one would increase a team’s chances of securing an easier route to the last 16. However, with the new format, the importance of pots has diminished. The draw will use artificial intelligence (AI) to determine the matchups, ensuring that no team faces more than two clubs from the same country.
Fans around the world are eager to watch the draw, and fortunately, there are multiple platforms to catch the action. Viewers can tune in to TNT Sports 1 on traditional TV or live stream the ceremony via the discovery+ app and website. Additionally, the draw will be available for free streaming on the official TNT Sports YouTube channel, as well as on UEFA.com and BBC iPlayer.
As the anticipation builds, let’s take a closer look at the four pots for today’s draw:
Pot One:
– Real Madrid
– Manchester City
– Bayern Munich
– PSG
– Liverpool
– Inter Milan
– Borussia Dortmund
– RB Leipzig
– Barcelona
Pot Two:
– Bayer Leverkusen
– Atletico Madrid
– Atalanta
– Juventus
– Benfica
– Arsenal
– Club Brugge
– Shakhtar Donetsk
– AC Milan
Pot Three:
– Feyenoord
– Sporting Lisbon
– PSV
– Dinamo Zagreb
– Red Bull Salzburg
– Lille
– Red Star Belgrade
– Young Boys
– Celtic
Pot Four:
– Slovan Bratislava
– Monaco
– Sparta Prague
– Aston Villa
– Bologna
– Girona
– Stuttgart
– Sturm Graz
– Brest
The top eight clubs from the league phase will advance directly to the last 16, while the teams ranked ninth to 24th will compete in a playoff round for a chance to join them.
This revamped format promises to bring even more drama and intensity to the Champions League. With the league phase providing a level playing field for all teams and the potential for surprise matchups, fans are in for a treat. As the draw unfolds, the football world eagerly awaits the start of another thrilling Champions League campaign.