2' min
The 2024-2025 Champions League kicks off with a revolutionary new format: the draw is no longer the traditional one with the famous balls, but is now conducted through a sophisticated computerized system that determines the matchups, similar to the method used for creating the Serie A calendar. This significant change has already produced the first outcomes for the Italian teams: Inter, Milan, Juventus, Atalanta, and Bologna.
On paper, Inter seems to have been the most favored by the new algorithm, facing strong yet manageable opponents like Leipzig, Arsenal, Red Star Belgrade, and Monaco at home, while the more challenging away games will be against Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen. The path appears much tougher for Milan, who will face Liverpool at home and Real Madrid away, setting up a group that promises high tension.
Juventus is set to face a series of tough challenges: they will host Manchester City, Benfica, PSV, and Stuttgart at home, while away games include trips to Leipzig, Club Brugge, Lille, and Aston Villa. Playoffs for the round of 16 seem almost inevitable.
It’s a baptism by fire for Atalanta and Bologna, both making their debut in the competition. Atalanta will face home games against top teams like Real Madrid and Arsenal, while Bologna will have Borussia Dortmund among its most formidable opponents. Both teams will also have challenging away matches against historic clubs such as Barcelona for Atalanta and Liverpool for Bologna.
The new competition format requires each team to play eight matches in the initial phase, four at home and four away, facing two teams from each of the four pots determined by the UEFA rankings. The top eight teams in the standings will directly qualify for the round of 16, while teams ranked from ninth to twenty-fourth will compete in two-legged knockout playoffs to determine the remaining eight teams advancing to the round of 16.
