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    Everything you need to know about new Champions League format

    A new era of the Champions League arrives as the draw is held for the inaugural 36-team format.

    The old group stage is out, with a new-look league phase arriving to bring what Uefa hope will be a more exciting first stage of the competition. The draw will be different as a result, with each of the teams handed eight fixtures to play, as opposed to being selected into groups. From England, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa qualified from the Premier League while Scottish champions Celtic are also in the hat.

    As usual, teams cannot face opponents from their country, but there are set to be some blockbuster ties as for the first time clubs can face rivals from the same pot - meaning that the champions from the last two seasons, Real Madrid and Man City, could theoretically face each other. Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund at Wembley last season to become kings of Europe for a record-extending 15th time.

    Follow all the updates from the Champions League draw in our live blog below, with the ceremony starting at 5pm BST

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    Which teams have qualified?

    England: Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa

    Spain: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Girona, Atletico Madrid

    Germany: Leverkusen, Stuttgart, Bayern, Leipzig, Dortmund

    Italy: Inter Milan, AC Milan, Bologna, Juventus

    France: Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco, Brest

    Netherlands: PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord

    Portugal: Sporting CP

    Belgium: Club Brugge

    Scotland: Celtic

    Austria: Sturm Graz

    Uefa Europa League winners: Atalanta

    Champions League winner rebalancing: Shakhtar Donetsk

    Europa League winner rebalancing: Benfica

    Qualifiers: Young Boys, Dinamo Zagreb, Slovan Bratislava, Red Star Belgrade, Sparta Prague, Lille, Red Bull Salzburg

    Karl Matchett29 August 2024 16:10

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    Who were the last teams to qualify for the Champions League?

    Last night the second leg of the play-offs took place, giving us the final four sides involved.

    Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb thrashed Qarabag to book their spot, Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade overturned a first-leg deficit to beat Bodo/Glimt, Lille from France just about snuck through despite losing the second leg to Slavia Prague and Slovakian side Slovan Bratislava scored twice in the final eight minutes to leave Midtjylland heartbroken.

    Karl Matchett29 August 2024 16:00

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    When are Champions League matches played this season?

    League phase

    • Matchday 1: 17–19 September 2024
    • Matchday 2: 1/2 October 2024
    • Matchday 3: 22/23 October 2024
    • Matchday 4: 5/6 November 2024
    • Matchday 5: 26/27 November 2024
    • Matchday 6: 10/11 December 2024
    • Matchday 7: 21/22 January 2025
    • Matchday 8: 29 January 2025

    Knockout stage

    • Knockout round play-offs: 11/12 & 18/19 February 2025
    • Round of 16: 4/5 & 11/12 March 2025
    • Quarter-finals: 8/9 & 15/16 April 2025
    • Semi-finals: 29/30 April & 6/7 May 2025
    • Final: 31 May 2025

    Karl Matchett29 August 2024 15:40

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    Aston Villa’s European Cup return

    Aston Villa are a former European champion having lifted the European Cup in 1982 - but their return to the Champions League ends a run of 41 years without playing in European football’s premier competition.

    Unai Emery’s side gate-crashed the top four last season in a brilliant campaign that included wins over Manchester City and the double over Arsenal.

    The club also reached the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, where they were beaten by Olympiacos, while Emery has an excellent record in European competitions - winning the Europa League a record four times.

    Like Newcastle last season, Villa’s return to the Champions League should create some special nights under the lights at Villa Park - however, Newcastle crashed out in the group stage and it rather derailed their season, so Villa will hope to find a better balance.

    They also have a new format to contend with.

    (Getty Images)

    Jamie Braidwood29 August 2024 15:20

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    What a Champions League draw could look like

    Let’s take Aston Villa, who are in pot 4, for an example.

    Unai Emery’s side would draw two teams from each pot, including their own, to give them eight fixtures overall. One match from each pot would be home, the other away. And you can’t draw teams from your country.

    Pot 1 - Real Madrid (h), RB Leipzig (a)

    Pot 2 - Benfica (h), AC Milan (a)

    Pot 3 - Feyenoord (h), Lille (a)

    Pot 4 - Bologna (h), AS Monaco (a)

    Jamie Braidwood29 August 2024 15:01

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    Champions League: League phase draw pots

    Among the changes to the draw, you will notice that the top national champions, eg from Spain, England, Italy, are no longer allocated into Pot 1. Bayer Leverkusen are in Pot 2, despite winning the Bundesliga.

    That’s because the pots are now sorted by Uefa club coefficient, measured over the past five seasons. That’s why Aston Villa, having only returned to European competition last season, find themselves in Pot 4.

    The pots themselves don’t matter as much now anyway, as teams will be drawn against two teams from each pot, inlcuding their own.

    Every team in the draw will play two games against a team from Pot 1, for example, whether you are Real Madrid or Sturm Graz.

    Jamie Braidwood29 August 2024 14:40

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    Champions League: League phase draw pots

    • Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
    • Monaco (FRA)
    • Sparta Praha (CZE)
    • Aston Villa (ENG)
    • Bologna (ITA)
    • Girona (ESP)
    • Stuttgart (GER)
    • Sturm Graz (AUT)
    • Brest (FRA)

    Jamie Braidwood29 August 2024 14:20

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    Champions League: League phase draw pots

    • Feyenoord (NED)
    • Sporting CP (POR)
    • PSV Eindhoven (NED)
    • GNK Dinamo (CRO)
    • Salzburg (AUT)
    • Lille (FRA)
    • Crvena Zvezda (SRB)
    • Young Boys (SUI)
    • Celtic (SCO)

    Jamie Braidwood29 August 2024 14:00

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    Champions League: League phase draw pots

    • Leverkusen (GER)
    • Atlético de Madrid (ESP)
    • Atalanta (ITA)
    • Juventus (ITA)
    • Benfica (POR)
    • Arsenal (ENG)
    • Club Brugge (BEL)
    • Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
    • AC Milan (ITA)

    Jamie Braidwood29 August 2024 13:40

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    Champions League: League phase draw pots

    • Real Madrid (ESP)
    • Manchester City (ENG)
    • Bayern München (GER)
    • Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
    • Liverpool (ENG)
    • Inter (ITA)
    • Dortmund (GER)
    • Leipzig (GER)
    • Barcelona (ESP)

    Jamie Braidwood29 August 2024 13:20

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