This Tuesday the history of football changes: the new begins Champions Leaguea new format for the top club competition at European level. The common dream is to lift ‘Orejona’ on May 31, 2025 in Allianz Arena in Munich and thus occupy the real Madridwhich beat Borussia Dortmund 0-2 on June 1 and won it for the 15th time.
The traditional league, with 8 groups of 4 teams, the first 2 of each qualifying for the round of 16 and the third for the Europa League, has given way to a new format where each team plays 4 home game and, before that , different opponents, 4 as a guest. The 36 participants are part of the same classification table.
The first 8 go directly to the playoffs and the next 8, from 9 to 16, play the previous round, round-trip, where those are classified from 17 to 24. The winners of these matches complete the round of 16 tables. The last 12 are deleted directly.
1
ENGLAND
City, leader with absolute success
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, the European champions in 2022-23 and debuting in the new Champions League on Wednesday against Inter, are already imposing their law in the 2024-25 Premier, with 4 wins in 4 day. They lead the table and are followed, 2 points behind, by Arsenal (which starts on Thursday in the Champions League against Atalanta) and Newcastle (this year outside Europe). Erling Haalans has 9 goals in 4 games. Liverpool, who on their return to the Champions League after a year’s absence visit Milan on Tuesday, are 4th after suffering their first defeat of the ‘Arne Slot era’ against Nottingham Forest (0-1). The ‘reds’, in the post-Klopp stage, are 3 points behind Citym like Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, 5th in the Premier and that starts on Tuesday with the visit of Young Boys.
2
GERMANY
Bayern, also in full lead
In its aim to recapture the Bundesliga, after Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen ended Munich’s hegemony, Bayern, who start the Champions League on Tuesday against Dinamo Zagreb, are first in the new edition of the German championship in 3 winning days . Leverkusen, who start at home to Feyenoord, are 5th in Germany, 3 points behind Bayern. Borussia Dortmund, European runners-up, are 2 behind the leaders and visit Bruges on Wednesday. The start of the Bundesliga has been worse for Stuttgart, who hosted Real Madrid on Tuesday: they are 10th. And Leipzig, Atlético’s rivals on Thursday, 3rd, also 2 behind Bayern.
3
ITALY
Inter, stuck in front of City
The new Champions League this Wednesday offers Inter a replay of the 2022-23 Champions League final against Manchester City and the black and blues do not arrive as leaders of Serie A, because after drawing against Monza (1- 1) they are second, one point away from Naples, first. Milan, Liverpool’s rivals on Tuesday, are 9th, 4 points ahead. Bologna, who await Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, are 17th, one point away from relegation. Juventus, third, one point behind Naples and on Tuesday they start hosting PSV.
4
FRANCE
Luis Enrique has won it all
Like Barcelona in LaLiga, Bayern in the Bundesliga and Manchester City in the Premier, Luis Enrique’s PSG has had many wins in Ligue 1, in its case 4 out of 4. The Parisian team is Girona’s rival in this historic Wednesday for at the Montilivi club. PSG has 2 points more than Marseille and Monaco (against Barcelona on Thursday). Lille, who make their debut in this new Champions League on Monday at home to Sporting de Portugal, 8th.
The
FIRST DAY OF THE NEW CHAMPIONS
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
