The first matchday of the Champions League will take place from September 17 to 19, 2024. The draw for the league phase of the UEFA Champions League was recently held, introducing an updated format for the 2024-25 season.
In this revised Champions League campaign, the traditional group stage will be replaced by a league phase, representing the most significant change in the tournament’s structure. According to the official Champions League website, teams will now compete in eight matches during this new phase instead of playing two matches against three rivals. Each team will face eight different opponents, with half of the matches played at home and the other half away.
Initially, teams will be divided into four pots, and each will compete against two teams from each pot, playing one match at home and one away against each opponent.
The excitement is building as fans look forward to the first round of matches in this new phase. Notably, defending champions Real Madrid, who have the most titles in the tournament’s history, will face AC Milan, a historic Italian club linked to current Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. Additionally, Real Madrid will head to Anfield to take on Liverpool, a club they have faced multiple times in pursuit of the coveted trophy. They will also match up against Lille, who recently signed Ethan Mbappé, Kylian Mbappé’s brother.
Meanwhile, Manchester City, managed by Pep Guardiola, faces a challenging schedule. The Premier League champions will play against Inter, PSG, Juventus, and the Dutch side Feyenoord, featuring Mexican player Santiago Giménez.
Barcelona’s schedule includes a high-profile match against Bayern Munich, the former club of their current head coach Hansi Flick. Although Barcelona’s fixtures seem relatively manageable, they must also contend with Atalanta, the 2023-24 Europa League champions.
On the other hand, PSG will face a tough league phase, with matches against Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid, and Arsenal.
The complete schedule for the league phase will be released on Saturday, August 31, 2024. However, here are some key matches not to miss in the opening stage of the Champions League:
• Liverpool vs. Real Madrid
• Real Madrid vs. AC Milan
• Manchester City vs. Inter
• PSG vs. Manchester City
• Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich
• PSG vs. PSV
• Manchester City vs. Feyenoord
• Bayern Munich vs. PSG
• Bayer Leverkusen vs. Inter
• Juventus vs. PSV
• Atalanta vs. Real Madrid
• Arsenal vs. PSG
• Borussia Dortmund vs. Barcelona
• Bayern Munich vs. Aston Villa
• Girona vs. Arsenal
• PSV vs. Liverpool
• Lille vs. Real Madrid
• Juventus vs. Manchester City
• Bayer Leverkusen vs. Feyenoord
• Feyenoord vs. Bayern Munich
• PSG vs. Atlético Madrid