New Champions League: These matches are a must-see

Football Trips Champions League in a new format! UEFA has revamped its premier competition, and on September 17, 2024, it enters a new era. With 5 clubs from the Bundesliga, two teams from Austria, and without the group stage, which had been a core part of the Champions League since 1992 despite all format changes. Event-breaks.com takes a look at the highlights of the new Champions League. 

At Bayern Munich, the goal in this season's "premier competition" is clear: to reach the "Finale dahoam" 2.0, so to speak, on May 31, 2025, in the home Allianz Arena. There was already a final in the Bayern Arena in 2012.

That final, after a dramatic course and a penalty shootout, went to FC Chelsea, who is not part of the new CL format this time. "We want to reach the Finale dahoam," declared Bayern's goalkeeping legend Manuel Neuer (38) before the first home game against Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb. The 2014 World Cup winner was already there back then.

FC Bayern at home against Benfica and PSG 

During the 8-match "league phase," Bayern must travel to one of their favorite opponents: On Matchday 3 (October 23, 2024), it's FC Barcelona vs FC Bayern Munich. Bayern has won all of the last 6 encounters in the "premier competition" against "Barca," including the legendary 8:2 on August 14, 2020, at the final tournament in Lisbon.

One of the two Lisbon clubs, Benfica, will be Bayern's home opponent on November 6. 

Without Kylian Mbappé but still with a top squad, Paris Saint-Germain travels to FC Bayern Munich on November 26.

Real welcomes VfB and BVB 

For PSG, the dream of a Wembley final shattered last year in their own stadium with a 0-1 loss to BVB. It was Mbappé's last CL match for the French record champion. 

The 2018 World Cup winner will face his new club Real Madrid on September 17 against VfB Stuttgart. The Swabians have not been in the "premier competition" since the round of 16 in 2010.

"I believe VfB can surprise the big teams," says ex-Madrid player and CL winner Sami Khedira. Like Stuttgart, last year's finalist Borussia Dortmund must also play away at Real Madrid (October 22).

BVB: Reunion with Lewandowski

BVB will face an opponent at home on Matchday 2 (October 1, 2024), with whom the Black and Yellow fans have maintained a fan friendship since the 1980s: Celtic Glasgow. The 54-time Scottish champion was Dortmund's opponent in the UEFA Cup in 1987 and 1992. Fun fact: In the 1992/93 season, Dortmund reached the finals. Not a bad omen.

Another, on paper, manageable opponent for Borussia Dortmund is Austrian champions Sturm Graz (November 5), while the clash against FC Barcelona (December 11) at the end of the year will be quite a challenge. Robert Lewandowski returns to Dortmund – it's worth getting Champions League tickets for this match. 

Two times Milan under the Bayer Cross

German champions Bayer Leverkusen start the new CL format on September 19, 2024, away at Feyenoord Rotterdam, a relatively easy start...

This also applies to Leverkusen's home debut on October 1 against AC Milan. Bayer Leverkusen will face both Milanese clubs, with Inter Milan visiting the BayArena on December 10. 

Austrian runners-up RB Salzburg, who qualified through the playoffs against Dynamo Kiev, will face Leverkusen on Matchday 5 (November 26) under the Bayer Cross.

Liverpool and Klopp successor Slot in Leipzig

RB Leipzig begins on September 19 at Atlético Madrid and then hosts Italian record champions Juventus Turin (Matchday 2) in a home thriller. 

The next opponent for RBL is just as prominent: On October 23, Liverpool FC, with their new coach Arne Slot and former Leipzig player Dominik Szoboszlai, comes to the Red Bull Arena. A highlight! 

The second Premier League opponent for the "Red Bulls" is Aston Villa (Matchday 6, December 10), who will also face Bayern Munich at Villa Park on October 2. 

"You can never get enough of the Champions League"

The first match, however, will be a team that, as Swiss champions, currently sits at the bottom of their domestic league: Young Boys Bern. "YB" will face Aston Villa on September 17, 2024, at the early kickoff time of 18:45. 

YB defender Mohamed Ali Camera sums up the "Champions League feeling": "The Champions League is never routine. Every time I step onto the pitch and hear the anthem, it evokes certain emotions in me. I can never get enough of it."

When does the new Champions League play?

The matchdays of the new "league phase" are: September 17/19, October 1/2, October 22/23, November 5/6, November 26/27, December 10/11, 2024, January 21/22, and January 29, 2025.

The playoffs for the knockout rounds will take place on February 11/12 and 18/19, 2025, followed by the round of 16 on March 4/5 and 11/12, 2025.

The quarterfinals are scheduled for April 8/9 & 15/16, 2025, while the semifinals will be held on April 29/30 and May 6/7, 2025, with only 4 of the original 36 teams remaining by then. 

Which German teams are involved?

Just like in 2022/2023, five German clubs are competing in the "premier competition": Champions Bayer 04 Leverkusen, runners-up VfB Stuttgart, FC Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, and last year's finalist Borussia Dortmund. 

Who advances? 

The top 8 teams go directly to the round of 16. The teams ranked 9 to 16 in the overall Champions League standings will face the teams ranked 17 to 24 in the knockout round playoffs to determine the final 16. The teams ranked 25 to 36 are eliminated and do not drop into the Europa League.

When is the final?

It's "Finale dahoam" time again – the Champions League final will take place on May 31, 2025 – just like in 2012 – at the football stadium in Munich.