The UEFA Champions League has always been about the best clubs in Europe facing off against one another, and that's never more true than in the first season of the new UCL format.
Under the old system, no Pot 1 teams were eligible to be drawn together in the group stage, so the biggest clubs traditionally did not match up until the knockout stage of the competition. However, with the new, expanded system unveiled at the 2024/25 draw, Pot 1 teams will indeed face one another in the reorganised league phase, creating some mouth-watering matchups for fans to enjoy .
At the draw, legends of the competition Gianluigi Buffon and Cristiano Ronaldo helped usher in the schedule for all 36 teams, who will play eight games against different clubs to determine which teams reach the knockout stage. With all sides organised into one big table, the top eight qualify directly to the Round of 16 while positions 9-24 earn a place in the playoff round.
The Sporting News has scanned the entire schedule and picked out the matchups with the biggest clubs, the loudest fanfare, and the most intrigue of the 144 league-phase matchups from the 2024/25 Champions League.
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Biggest games of Champions League league phase 2024/25
Biggest game : Liverpool vs. Real Madrid — Galacticos playing at Anfield
When you're looking for games of the highest caliber in the new Champions League format where Pot 1 sides will play each other, look no further than Real Madrid's star-studded squad playing at the hallowed grounds of Anfield Stadium.
While the Reds are looking to prove themselves after the departure of manager Jurgen Klopp, they still sit amongst the biggest clubs in the field. Meanwhile, little needs to be said about the defending champions, who lifted the trophy behind Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham before going out and adding Kylian Mbappe.
MORE: Winners & losers from the 2024/25 UCL draw including toughest & easiest league phase schedules
Best storyline : Liverpool vs. Bayer Leverkusen — Xabi Alonso back at his old club
Bayer Leverkusen completed one of the most historic seasons in recent memory in 2023/24, going from a punchline who struggled to win trophies to a global storyline. They completed an invincible domestic season by winning the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal, and they fell just short of a fully unbeaten campaign overall with defeat in the Europa League final to Atalanta.
Their storybook season came under the watchful eye of young boss Xabi Alonso, who has been handed a return to a familiar ground in his Champions League managerial debut. Liverpool fans have a mouth-watering slate of home games at their fingertips this coming European campaign.
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Most pivotal match : PSG vs. Atletico Madrid — Can either side get key points to chase for top eight?
Only the top eight clubs get a free pass into the Round of 16, while the next 16 sides in the league phase table must battle for the other eight spots.
It's hard to imagine any of the big clubs falling completely out of the qualifying positions with all the room for error that comes with finishing amongst the top 24 in the table, but there will be a ton riding on this match.
PSG's brutally difficult schedule means they have to hold serve at home, and with the likes of Manchester City, PSV, and Girona coming to town, points aren't exactly going to be bountiful. If they want to secure a top-eight spot, they absolutely must beat Atletico Madrid, or else the math just seems to work out against them from every angle.
Diego Simeone's side, meanwhile, will not necessarily have considered themselves top-eight contenders until seeing the draw, which afforded them a very soft slate. Thus, pick up three points on the road in Paris, and it suddenly becomes very easy to see them landing in an automatic qualifying spot.
Toughest stretch : PSG vs. Man City, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, and Arsenal — Ouch
Oh my. If PSG make the knockout stage, they will well and truly have to earn it. Their draw from the top two pots is as ruthless as it comes.
They drew four of the toughest possible opponents amongst the biggest clubs in the competition, and it doesn't really get much easier from there. PSV and Girona will come to the Parc des Princes, while the French giants must travel to Salzburg and Stuttgart.
The matchups for PSG will be appointment viewing at every turn, and fans will surely be entertained even if the club finds it extremely difficult to navigate.
Best atmosphere : Borussia Dortmund vs. Barcelona — Catalan giants in front of the Yellow Wall
Signal Igunda Park is known for its famous Yellow Wall, and while Borussia Dortmund were handed quite a soft schedule overall, welcoming Barcelona to their daunting home atmosphere will be an event.
It will also be an extremely pivotal match for both sides. Dortmund aren't exactly thought to be contenders for an automatic qualifying position amongst the top eight, but with their extremely favourable list of opponents, they could make a run at it. If they secure points in this game, they'll be in a great position.
Meanwhile, Barcelona are hoping that the addition of Dani Olmo and the return of injured players will see them contend, but dropping points here will be a tough look.
"Welcome to Europe" award : Aston Villa vs. Bayern Munich & Juventus, Girona vs. Liverpool & Arsenal
Two clubs just happy to be in the biggest spotlight Europe has to offer now have two delicious home games with which to treat their fans and announce themselves to the global elite.
Aston Villa are back in the Champions League for the first time in 41 years, and as a reward, they have been handed matches against Bayern Munich and Juventus with Villa Park set to welcome two of Europe's most storied clubs. Girona, meanwhile, will be playing their first ever Champions League games, and to usher the Spanish upstarts onto the stage, they will host Premier League giants Liverpool and Arsenal.
For the home fans, what a spectacle these four matches will be! Consequently, however, both clubs will face an uphill challenge in the hunt for a knockout-stage spot.
Most intriguing matchup : Atalanta vs. Celtic
Atalanta are coming off a magical Europa League title run in which they took down Europe's darlings Bayer Leverkusen in the title game. Yet they haven't exactly begun this season in stellar fashion, soundly beaten in the UEFA Super Cup by Real Madrid before falling at Torino in Serie A play.
Celtic, meanwhile, have dominated the Scottish league in recent years but have failed to make noise on the European stage. This year, they've been handed a glorious Champions League schedule, and it's hard to imagine a better chance for them to reach the Round of 16 than right now given their soft path forward.
This match will be a chance for both sides to earn valuable points on the pathway towards gaining Champions League respect.
Best Pot 4 matchup : AS Monaco vs. Aston Villa
Aston Villa are just happy to be back in Europe, but their schedule is a daunting one as detailed above. While there will be plenty of difficult challenges, one of the most pivotal seems to be a tough road trip to Fontvieille.
There, they'll face a strong AS Monaco side that undoubtedly belongs in Europe's top competition. They finished second in the table last season with a respectable single-digit deficit to domestic powerhouse PSG, and they have already downed Lyon on the road to start strong in the young season ahead.
If either side wants even a prayer of making the knockout playoff round, points in this match will be critical.
How to buy Champions League tickets 2024/25
Once dates and times for Champions League fixtures are confirmed, the ticket process will begin. Other than the final itself, tickets cannot be purchased from UEFA directly for European matches.
Instead, the primary ticket sales are conducted by the participating clubs themselves so that fans can access them seamlessly just as they would other matches.
Once the tickets are distributed, fans can still get tickets on secondary market, with StubHub International as the best place to find tickets to Champions League games.
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