Champions League 2024-2025: navigating the post-League phase

Now that we've covered the major changes of the new format and completely gone through the maze of the League phase, it’s time to tackle what happens next. And yes, you guessed it: it’s still a bit complicated. The new system is designed to maximize excitement and, of course, the number of matches. So, let’s break it down for you without needing a PhD in football logistics.

The cream of the crop: Top 8 teams

First things first, the top 8 teams from the League phase will have the luxury of skipping the chaos of the play-offs and will head straight into the round of 16. Think of these teams as the valedictorians of football – cruising past everyone else thanks to their stellar performance.

The play-off scramble: Teams 9th to 24th

Then we have the overachievers who didn’t quite make it to the top. Teams finishing 9th to 24th will enter the play-offs. Here’s where it gets interesting (read: mildly confusing):

- Seeded and unseeded: Teams finishing 9th to 16th will be seeded, while those finishing 17th to 24th will be unseeded. 
 
- Two-legged ties: These teams will face off in two-legged ties, with the higher-seeded teams hosting the second leg. Yes, because nothing screams fairness like giving the better teams home advantage.

The winners of these play-offs will join the top 8 in the Round of 16. That’s right, the League phase is merely the warm-up act.

Knockout stage: The real drama begins

Once the play-offs have sorted the wheat from the chaff, we move on to the knockout stage, where things start to feel a bit more familiar – but don’t relax just yet.

- Round of 16 draw: The remaining 16 teams are drawn into eight pairs, with group winners (the top 8 valedictorians, remember?) facing off against the play-off survivors. UEFA will ensure teams from the same country or those who faced each other in the League Phase don't meet – at least not yet.

- Two-legged ties again: Each pair will fight each other over two legs, home and away, to see who progresses to the quarter-finals.

- Quarter-finals and semi-finals: These will also be two-legged affairs. The draw for the quarter-finals is completely open, meaning anyone can face anyone.

- The grand finale: The last two standing will face off in a single, climactic match at a neutral venue. One game to rule them all, so to speak.

What do we think?

The football association has done a thorough job to make the Champions League more exciting. Even though they also made it quite hard to figure out – at first. We hope we could make the new set-up a bit more comprehensible. Either way, if there's one thing we can guarantee, it's that it won't be boring.

In conclusion

So, mark your calendars and get ready for the 2024-2025 season. It’s going to be a wild, exhilarating, and occasionally bewildering journey. And remember, it’s all just part of the beautiful game that’s football.

Enjoy!