The UEFA Champions League features a new format this year, and the new 36 team tournament has finally drawn their fixtures for the league phase of this competition. For everything you need to know about the new tournament format, be sure to check out our overall UCL Preview below!
But since we last visiting the UCL, each of the 36 teams competing now has their 8 game schedule for the first phase of the tournament. Teams will play 8 games, 4 home and 4 away, starting Tuesday, September 17th, and ending Wednesday, January 29th of next year. While teams are not grouped in 4s, they will still earn 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. At the end of all 8 matches for each team, the Top 8 advance, the Bottom 12 are eliminated, while teams ranked 9th through 24th are redrawn for a two leg playoff match to advance to the Round of 16. Again, this is all broken down in more depth in my previous UCL preview piece.
Now for this article, we will dive into some of the Top Teams schedules, some of the best games in the league phase, as well as discussing the overall betting odds to win the UEFA Champions League Title.
Team Fixtures are Set for the 2024-25 UCL Competition
Can Real Madrid repeat as UCL Champions in 2024-25?
Real Madrid
Our defending UCL Champions have a bit of a tougher schedule. In the Top 3 pots, Real Madrid will face Liverpool, Atalanta, and Lille as their toughest road opponents. At home, they will host UCL Runner Up, Dortmund, AC Milan, and RB Salzburg. They also face Stuttgart and Brest, but both of those should be easy wins.
Manchester City
Man City has a much easier draw than some of the other big names in the tournament, which might translate to them being the overall betting favorite. City will host Inter Milan, Club Brugge, and Feyenoord as their Pots 1 thru 3 home opponents, while traveling to face PSG, Juventus and Sporting CP on the road. With a point deduction likely looming overhead in the English Premier League, Manchester City should be prone to give it all they’ve go this UCL tournament.
Bayern Munich
The team that once dominated German football has somewhat of a weaker schedule during their league phase matches. Munich hosts PSG and Benfica, and face Barcelona and Shakhtar on the road in their Pot 1 and 2 matches. As for their other games, they face GNK Dinamo and Bratislava at home, while traveling to go against Feyenoord and Aston Villa. While they are a bit further down on the odds board, Bayern Munich is used to dominating this competition.
Paris Saint-Germain
Life after Mbappe will be tough for PSG, and it won’t get any easier in the UCL. PSG has one of the tougher schedules throughout their league phase matches, and it will be very tough to overcome. They host Man City, Atletico Madrid, PSV, and Girona as their 4 home opponents. On the road, they travel to play Munich, Arsenal, RB Salzburg and Stuutgart. This could be a rough UCL competition for PSG, and they will likely focus on winning Ligue 1 in order to make it back next year.
Can Liverpool make some noise in the UCL this season?
Liverpool
Liverpool also finds themselves with quite a tough draw. They will host defending Champions Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen who tore up the Bundesliga last season, Lille and Bologna who are no slouches in their home leagues. As for their road opponents, Liverpool will face RB Leipzig, AC Milan, PSV, and Girona on the road. I have a feeling Liverpool could struggle in their league phase matches, but should do enough to advance to the Round of 16.
Arsenal
Arsenal was actually grouped in Pot 2 for seeding purposes, but I think it worked out in their favor, as they have a much easier schedule than those in Pot 1. The Gunners will host PSG and Shakhtar as their two toughest opponents at home, also facing GNK Dinamo and Monaco as well. As far as road matches go, Arsenal travels to face a pair of Italian squads in Inter Milan and Atalanta, while also facing Sporting CP and another Italian squad in Girona later in the league phase. Based on their draw, I think the Gunners are set up for success this UCL season.
Barcelona
Barcelona were grouped into Pot 1 and have a top heavy schedule. Considering their Pot 1 and 2 opponents, Barcelona will host Munich and Atalanta while traveling to face Dortmund and Benfica. While they may see some struggles in these matches, they should handle business the rest of the way. Barcelona then faces Young Boys, Crvena Zvezda, Brest and Monaco to end their league phase matches.
Inter Milan
Inter Milan found themselves in the UCL Title match two years ago, losing to Manchester City 2-0 in that final. They will be looking to get back there this year, and ironically enough, they drew a match against Man City. Inter Milan hosts Leipzig, Arsenal, Crvena Zvezda and Monaco during the league phase. As for their road opponents, they will travel to face Manchester City, Bayer Leverkusen, Young Boys and Sparta Praha.
Bayer Leverkusen won their first Bundesliga Title last season
Bayer Leverkusen
Leverkusen were able to sneak into Pot 2 for seeding, and although they certainly still have plenty of a tough draw. The unbeaten team from Germany will host both Inter and AC Milan, RB Salzburg and Sparta Praha in their league phase matches. As for their road opponents, Leverkusen will travel to face Liverpool, Atletico Madrid, Feyenoord and Brest. This team could be a sneaky dark horse in my eyes in win the UCL.
Atletico Madrid
Atletico also snuck into the 2nd seeding Pot, but like Leverkusen, they also have a tough draw. They will face RB Leipzig, Leverkusen, Lille and Bratislava at home this league phase. Atletico will then travel to face PSH, Benfica, Salzburg and Sparta Praha. While on paper this may seem weaker, Madrid could have some trouble on the road against Benfica and Salzburg, while their home matches against Leipzig and Leverkusen will not be an easy task at all.
Betting Odds to Win the UCL
Can Manchester City get back to the top of the UCL?
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- Manchester City +260
- Real Madrid +325
- Arsenal +800
- Liverpool +1200
- Bayern Munich +1200
- Barcelona +1600
- Inter Milan +1800
- PSG +2200
- Bayer Leverkusen +2500
- Atletico Madrid +2500
After those Top 10, the odds certainly have a significant drop off.
- Juventus 40-1
- Borussia Dortmund 50-1
- AC Milan 66-1
- Aston Villa 66-1
- Atalanta 66-1
- RB Leipzig 100-1
- Sporting Lisbon 100-1
- Monaco 100-1
This tournament likely stays within the Top 10, even though last year’s Runner Ups, Dortmund, are even outside of that. With the new format, I will not be placing any futures off the rip of this tournament, however I will probably start to glance at the updated odds once the league phase is over. However, if someone gave me 3 units to sprinkle on a team to come out on top, here’s where my coin would be.
Manchester City (+260)
This one is a bit obvious, because it’s Man City. However, I am taking the approach that City will give their all in the UCL this season. They are likely facing a massive point deduction in the EPL, meaning that landing in the Top 4 to return to this competition is unlikely. Therefore, I think Manchester City really focuses on the UCL this year, hoping to win the Title and return to defend it next season.
Saka and Arsenal have a weaker league phase schedule in the UCL this season
Arsenal (+800)
Based on their weaker schedule, I think Arsenal could sneak into the Top 8 and get to rest during the extra two leg playoff. Being grouped in Pot 2 gave them a much easier opponents from their own Pot in Shakhtar and Atalanta. If the Gunners can handle business against an inferior PSG team at home and Inter Milan on the road, they could put themselves in a great position going forward.
Bayern Munich (+1200)
Munich might have one of the easier draws amongst all teams in this UCL competition. They host PSG and Benfica as their two toughest opponents at home, while traveling to face Barcelona, Shakhtar and Aston Villa. While I see them making light work of the latter two opponents, I could see them struggling on the road in Spain. However this is certainly a league phase schedule that could end up with Munich winning all 8 matches, topping the table with 24 points.
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