New Champions League format off to a flying start

As we reach the climax of the first Champions League season since the competition’s most radical overhaul in 25 years, it’s time to take stock of the new format’s impact.

The biggest changes were the replacement of the group stage with a new 36-club single league phase and the introduction of knockout phase play-offs to reach the round of 16.

The purpose? Enhanced competitiveness, more frequent clashes between Europe’s best clubs and more high-stake matches from day one, where every match and every goal count.

A nail-biting final night

Launched after six years of planning and testing, and consultation with the game’s various stakeholders, the new format has undoubtedly delivered.

That was clearer than ever on the frenetic last night of the league phase in January, when games involving all 36 teams kicked off simultaneously with everything still to play for. Watching the action unfold was breathtaking, enthralling and a lot of fun.

Aston Villa players and coaches huddle around a phone as the final scores come in on Matchday 8UEFA via Getty Images

And not just for the fans. At Villa Park, the Aston Villa players huddled around a phone after their 4-2 win against Celtic, waiting for the other results to come in. The elation on their faces when it was confirmed they had sealed a top-eight finish and a place in the last 16 showed just what it meant.

There was nerve-jangling intrigue at the other end of the table too, where Manchester City – European champions in 2022/23 – had to pull off a comeback victory against Club Brugge just to scrape into the play-offs. Such nail-biting scenes offered full vindication for the decision to alter the format.

Much of that new energy came from the fluid nature of the league phase, as teams rose or fell with virtually every goal scored. Overall, 35 out of 36 teams changed their league position at least once on Matchday 8.

"We were looking for a more flexible format," explains Marchetti. "The priority was to have something that could break up long-established patterns and make the competition exciting and dramatic at every stage right through to the final match."

More variety, more excitement

The increased variety in fixtures in the new format gave the league phase hopefuls greater opportunity to win points.

During the old group stage, where teams met each other twice, there were a total of 48 different match-ups; with the new league phase, each side plays eight different opponents, adding up to a total of 144 unique fixtures.

This gave smaller clubs more chances to seize the spotlight. French newcomers Brest, for example, turned heads with their spectacular first season in Europe, ultimately securing a place in the knockout phase play-offs that few expected.

Brest impressed in their Champions League debut season to secure a spot in the knockout phase play-offAFP via Getty Images

"The calendar of the new league phase looks much less routine, encouraging shocks and surprises on every matchday," notes Marchetti – though that was not all it encouraged.

Significant too was the increase in big games between powerhouse teams, including rematches of four of the past five Champions League finals before the knockout phase had even begun.

These heavyweight contests duly continued in the play-offs, with 15-time European champions Real Madrid getting the better of Premier League titleholders Manchester City for the second successive season. A Spanish capital derby with Madrid taking on Atlético de Madrid and a showdown between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain then captured attention in the round of 16.

Back of the net

The new format has also brought a surge in the goal tally.

Prior to this campaign, the highest-scoring Champions League group stage had yielded an average of 3.21 goals per game (2019/20). This season’s league phase topped that with 3.26 per fixture – including the competition’s first-ever 5-4 scoreline as Barcelona edged a classic away against Benfica.

Barcelona beat Benfica 5-4 in the league phase - the first time this scoreline has happened in the Champions LeagueAFP via Getty Images

The goal flurry coincided with an increase in competitive balance. "We went for something that could boost competitiveness and unpredictability," says Marchetti, whose hopes were realised during the league phase.

The fact that teams could be drawn against opponents from the same seeding pot helped even the field, with the lowest-ranked sides improving their average points tally to approximately 1 per game, compared to 0.7 on average in the 2021–24 group stage campaigns.

These and other numbers add up to the same conclusion: the new format is already delivering on its ambitious goals, leaving clubs, players, fans and commercial partners feeling optimistic about the future.

"We’re convinced it will be a resounding success that overshadows everything we’ve achieved in the past," says Marchetti. "This format is here to stay."