The Champions League is one of the most prestigious competitions in world football. Originally the tournament was limited to teams from different European countries, but eventually it became an open tournament that accepted clubs from all nations. Over the years, it has grown to its current size of 36 teams.
The competition continues with a series of two-legged knockout games through to the final that takes place in May. From the 2024-25 season, the format was changed to make it more streamlined. Rather than having groups, the Champions League has individual eight-game fixture lists for each team. This makes the league phase more meaningful and gives the final eight a clear path to the semifinals.
UEFA have also changed how the draw for the quarterfinals and semifinals works, with the teams not being split into different pots. This allows any remaining club to be drawn together regardless of whether they finished first or second in their group, played in the same group with each other, are a team from the same domestic league, or have ever met before in a previous Champions League tie.
The new system has created a number of intriguing clashes. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain, for example, will have to face Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Atalanta, Tottenham and Arsenal, all from Pot 1. This looks like a gauntlet run that could prove difficult for them. It also means that a single result could mean the difference between qualifying for the last 16, having to compete in a two-legged play-off round, or dropping into Europa League.