New Delhi: The UEFA Champions League is back, and the new season of 2024-25 is revamped in order to make the league more engaging. For the first time, 36 clubs of Europe’s biggest clubs will compete against each other in a system where the big teams will face each other more frequently.
Till the last season, the Champions League featured 32 teams divided into groups of eight teams of four, where two top teams would advance to the knockout stage of a round of 16. This season, with an additional four teams, they will play in what is being called “league phase” instead of groups.
This will ensure that each team will play against eight different clubs in a home and away format. This is good news for fans who will have quite a few clashes to look forward to, and Matchday one will be a kickoff with a few of the remarkable clashes.
AC Milan vs Liverpool (September 17th, 2024)
AC Milan v Liverpool ✨
A fixture full of European history 🎞️ pic.twitter.com/FWWEJmYqVB
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 16, 2024
It will be the clash of two managers leading their individual clubs for the first time into the Champions League. Milan, on the one side, under Paulo Fonseca, has shown glimpses of their capabilities, but they still lack consistency. After their 2-0 win over Venezia, they will be a side dependent on Rafael Leao and Tammy Abraha to threaten the Liverpool backline.
Liverpool, though, started their season strong under new manager Arne Slott, winning their first three games of the season, but suffered an upset against Nottingham Forest over the weekend. Slott’s men will want to bounce back with his attacking lineup and give a strong fight to Milan’s side.
Atletico Madrid vs RB Leipzig (September 18th, 2024)
The year was 2020. We had plenty to celebrate 😁#ATMRBL #UCL pic.twitter.com/l4DfRm99fe
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) September 17, 2024
Atletico Madrid and RB Leipzig are sides that have completely different tactical methods, which is why the game is so interesting. Diego Simeone’s Atletico deploys swift counters and tight defence. They are a physically fitter unit whilst possessing a lot of experience in their squad that will help them control the pace of the game.
Marco Rose’s Leipzig transit abruptly and are known to press high with their much younger side. The side has lost some of their experienced star campaigners but have been competing strongly in Bundesliga. They have the ability to make Atletico commit mistakes. Ultimately, it will be about the tactical sharpness of the two sides and how the midfield of the two sides responds to the pressure.
PSG vs Girona (September 18th, 2024)
✈️ First stop: 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐃𝐄𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒. #PSGGirona #UCL pic.twitter.com/qOih620RF9
— Girona FC (@GironaFC_Engl) September 16, 2024
PSG are in a transition phase after losing their star striker, Kylian Mbappe and Manuel Ugarte, this season. Despite this, Luis Enrique’s side will be a side that will give a tough time to Girona. It has to be said that despite losing some of their key players, PSG remain a strong outfit, with Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele filling in those gaps. They have the winning momentum, having recently beaten Brest 3-1, and will be determined to take the upper hand in Parc des Princes.
Girona are making their Champions League debut but will be a confident unit with a 4-0 win over Osasuna. Their attack is strong and can threaten any big opponent on their day. It will be Girona’s back four and counter-attacking that will try to surprise the experience of the PSG squad.
Manchester City vs Inter Milan (September 19th, 2024)
The last time we played Inter… 🩵
Never gets old, does it? 🥹 pic.twitter.com/9WcgMG0dpt
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 17, 2024
The two sides were the finalists of the 2023 Champions League, where Manchester City won 1-0 over Inter Milan. Manchester City have started their campaign as reigning champions in the Premier League in the same rhythm. They have won all four games of the season so far, with Pep Guardiola still leading the team. With Erling Haaland in red-hot form, they will make life hard for visitors at the Etihad Stadium.
Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan will bring a new challenge for the hosts as they come into the tournament with an altered tactical style. Though they have been inconsistent this season as well, their counter-attacking has put their opponents in a spot of bother regularly. There’s little doubt that City will have a higher ball possession during Inter’s challenge.
Arsenal vs Atlanta (September 19th, 2024)
💬 “This result gives us a lot of energy and belief. It’s a good platform to start and now recover ahead of Atalanta because it’s going to be a tough one.”
The boss is ready for a BIG week 💪 pic.twitter.com/oBfYXLrWue
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 15, 2024
Arsenal will return to the Champions League after a gap of seven years as they start their tournament against Atlanta. They have been in good form, having won against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, and will try to continue this form even when they take the field in the European Championship. It is how Mikel Arteta is confident in a high-pressure game that will undermine Atlanta.
Atlanta are an aggressive unit that plays a high-paced game and, hence, won’t give Arsenal an easy win. For Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, the way to succeed will be by putting pressure on Arsenal’s backline. The two teams will be playing an attacking style of football.
As Champions League resumes with a renewed format, here’s a look at top five entertaining clashes expected in the upcoming season. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
