In the seven decades since its creation, Champions League has forged a rich tapestry of legends. It has consecrated Europe’s best clubs while immortalizing those that defied logic or broke hearts. From the first title won by Real Madrid in 1956 to last season’s final against Liverpool, it has been a tournament of unforgettable matches and epic comebacks.
The competition’s format has changed with each new era. It now begins with a group stage of 32 teams who are divided into eight groups of four. A randomized draw assigns the clubs to their respective groups, with seeding used to ensure competitive balance. Each team plays the others in their group twice, home and away, with three points awarded for a win and one point for a tie. The winners and runners-up of each group advance to the knockout phase. The third-placed team enters the Europa League.
UEFA has recently introduced the concept of home priority, which gives each club that finished in positions 1-4 in their group at least two of their return matches for the rounds of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals. The idea is to reward teams that fought hard in the group phase and played well against their opponents, although many have been unhappy with the nuances of this system. For example, last year Arsenal were upset that a draw placed them at home to Paris Saint-Germain for the second leg of their semifinal when they could have received the advantage of playing first and then playing the team who knocked them out.
About the Author
