Football enthusiasts are not too pleased with the Champions League 2024-25 format and the way their favorite clubs are diminishing their not-so-popular opponents. Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich drove over Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 and Liverpool defeated Milan 3-1.
The popular teams breezed through like it was their warm-up match, instead of a full-fledged competition. Kane, who plays as a striker for Bayern Munich, said it was the first time that he had three penalties in one game. He shared that it was different but was overwhelmed by getting to score four goals for his team.
Given the new format of the Champions League 2024-25, the favorite teams will easily make it into the next round of play-offs. They just need nine points to finish in the top 24. There are a lot of teams, 36 to be exact, and the popular teams are pitched against those clubs that football enthusiasts barely know the names of.
The new format seems to be one of those money-making Ponzi schemes, wherein fans pay for the tickets to see their teams play and win. There’s not much hype. However, UEFA is confident that it will pull off a great tournament. According to the association, the new format no longer features a 32-group stage. The new format is a 36-team league phase.
The respective teams will play against eight different teams – four of the games will be played at home and four outside. If you are wondering, how the teams were grouped, well it was through a seeding system.
The top eight teams will advance to the Round of 16. Those who didn’t make it, that is finished ninth to 16, will be seeded for a draw. From the Round of 16, the teams will proceed to quarterfinals, semi-final, and final.
