New Delhi: The UEFA Champions League 2024/25 came with a major switch in format from the tournament we have all come to know and love with the tournament expanding from it’s traditional 32 teams to 36 teams. The group stages of the tournament were replaced with an extended league stage. The new format has divided opinions amongst fans and players due to the increase in matches which has been a cause of concern for players.
The first matchday of the new format came to an end last night with all 36 teams having played their first fixture. There have been some major wins, some upsets and a lot of goals for sure. Let’s dive in to find out what are the first impressions of the new format and how the revamped tournament played out on the first matchday.
The New League Table
The league phase table after Matchday 1 🧐#UCL pic.twitter.com/PFtqURqHkQ
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 19, 2024
Seeing the UEFA Champions League spread out a new table of 36 teams instead of eight groups of four will certainly take some getting used to. The tournament now acts as the only chance for European competition for the teams competing with no one dropping down to the UEFA Europa League as it used to be before. The top eight teams after the league stage ends go directly to last 16 round.
The teams finishing between ninth and 24th will play a two legged knockout fixture amongst themselves to decide who joins the top eight in the knockout rounds. Anyone finishing below the 24th place on the table will directly bow out of European competitions altogether. Opta’s stats suggest that any team that attains 16 points from a possible 24 points, those teams have a 98% chance finish inside the top eight.
Ten points will almost guarantee a place in the top 24 with Opta suggesting that it’s a 99% chance for the teams to finish in the top 24 if they manage to reach double digits in points. While teams like AC Milan, Stuttgart, PSV and Girona all sit outside the top 24 after the first matchday of the tournament, it’s still early days for them in the tournament and they still have a good chance of going through.
How did the ‘Big Games’ fare?
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐀 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘! ❤️🤍
There’s no better way to start the @ChampionsLeague than with a win.
Oh boy, it feels so good. 😍
𝗗𝗔𝗚𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗘𝗚𝗨
2⃣-1⃣ #ASMFCB pic.twitter.com/YOV0S9kg54
— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) September 19, 2024
The biggest talking point that UEFA made about the new format of the competition was that this will offer more marquee matches for fans to attend. To their credit, that did hold true as we saw quite a few clashes of big teams so early in the tournament, something that fans weren’t so used to. We saw Liverpool take on AC Milan, Manchester City took on Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid played RB Leipzig while AS Monaco hosted Barcelona.
Apart from the Manchester City-Inter Milan, which was an entertaining goalless draw, the other three games delivered great results. Liverpool came from behind to thrash Milan, Atletico Madrid emerged victorious via a last minute winner while Monaco caused an upset to hand Hansi Flick his first defeat as Barcelona boss. We have a few more marquee games coming up in the upcoming matchdays as well.
Arsenal will be taking on Paris Saint Germain on the next matchday and AC Milan will travel to Germany to take on Bayer Leverkusen. Juventus will be facing RB Leipzig while Aston Villa, who are returning to the tournament after decades, will welcome Bayern Munich. Later matchdays will also treat us to a repeat of last year’s final as Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund go head to head once again while Bayern Munich will take on Barcelona.
Players that starred on Matchday one
⭐ Harry Kane
⭐ Florian Wirtz
⭐ Jamie Gittens
⭐ Antoine Griezmann
Vote for your Player of the Week 👇@PlayStationEU | #UCLPOTW
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 19, 2024
After the performance Bayern Munich put against Dinamo Zagreb, we can put the entire Bayern squad here but both Harry Kane and Michael Olise deserve a separate mention. Kane scored four while Olise grabbed a brace on his UEFA Champions League debut. Kane’s goals means he’s already halved last year’s Golden boot tally. Other players starring for German outfits were Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens and Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, both of whom got a brace as well.
David Raya stepped up in a big way for Arsenal as well, with the Spaniard making a memorable double save to deny Atalanta the lead in their game. Raya denied Italian striker Mateo Retegui twice to keep the game level for his side including once from the penalty spot. He went to his right to stop Retegui’s penalty before diving to his left to deny him on the rebound, making for a spectacular visual.
Surprise Packages on Matchday one
We have lift off in the @ChampionsLeague! 🚀#CelticSlovan | #UCL | #CelticFC🍀 pic.twitter.com/o1x52q984N
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) September 18, 2024
Every year, we’re treated to some teams that make the most of their appearance in Europe’s elite competition. This year was no different as Scottish side Celtic demolished Slovakia side ŠK Slovan Bratislava 5-0 as they scored five in the tournament for the first time in their history. Sparta Prague competed in their first match in the main tournament in 19 years and ran out 3-0 winners against RB Salzburg.
French side Stade Brest, who were making their European debut, started their campaign on a winning note as they defeated Sturm Graz 2-1, while Girona were seconds away from securing a point against the mighty PSG but cruelly conceded an own goal in the dying moments to slip to a defeat.
Let’s dive in to find out what are the first impressions of the new format and how the revamped tournament played out on the first matchday. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
