The 2024-25 UEFA Champions League season is just around the corner, and fans are in for a treat. The competition will feature a new format, but retains all the class, history, and prestige that makes it the most highly-regarded club football competition in the world.
The playoff phase will conclude this midweek, followed by the draw for the League Phase in Monaco on Thursday, August 29. This season, 36 teams will compete in a joint group, separated into four pots based on their 2023 UEFA association coefficients. Each team will play eight games, with the top eight advancing to the last 16.
The new format introduces a knockout playoff round, where teams that finish 9th to 24th will be drawn against each other, with the winners advancing to the last 16. The bottom 12 teams will be eliminated from all European competitions.
Real Madrid, the reigning champions, will look to defend their title, while Aston Villa returns to the top European club competition for the first time since the 1982-83 season. Stade Brest and Bologna FC will make their European competition debuts.
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Viewers can watch the matches on DStv, with streaming options available on the DStv Stream app. Additional broadcasting details will be announced soon. Ticket information for the final, held at the Allianz Arena in Munich on May 31, 2025, will be available on the UEFA website in the coming weeks.
In other news, Spanish football gives you a captivating weekend as La Liga‘s top teams clash in a series of electrifying matches. The highlight of the round is the highly anticipated encounter between Real Madrid and Real Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Sunday night.
Real Madrid, the reigning champions, will be looking to end the pre-international break period on a high note, and manager Carlo Ancelotti knows the importance of this match. “These games are crucial, not just for us but also for the media narrative,” he said.
The action begins on Saturday with Barcelona hosting Real Valladolid, followed by Atletico Madrid’s challenging away game against Athletic Bilbao. Valencia will face Villarreal, and Sevilla will take on Girona in what promises to be a thrilling encounter.
Sunday’s La Liga fixtures include a potential thriller between Deportivo Alaves and Las Palmas, while Osasuna will face Celta Vigo. The night will culminate in the mouth-watering clash between Real Madrid and Real Betis.
