- Leading Contenders for the Bundesliga: Authentic, Barcelona, Liverpool, Paris
The Bundesliga squads receive their anticipated tough opponents in the billion-dollar revamped Champions League. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund square off against Barcelona and Hansi Flick, with Dortmund also encountering a swift reunion with Madrid. Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig face Liverpool and Inter Milan, while Stuttgart duels with Real – similar to Bayern against Paris Saint-Germain.
In summary, each of the five German clubs secured eight rival teams at the ceremonial draw in Monaco. Bayern, for instance, will also encounter Benfica Lisbon, Shakhtar Donetsk, Dinamo Zagreb, Feyenoord Rotterdam, Slovan Bratislava, and Aston Villa. Leverkusen will also face Atlético Madrid, RB Salzburg, Feyenoord Rotterdam, Sparta Prague, and Stade Brest.
With the new league format replacing group stages, exciting matchups become a certainty for the squads. Real, for example, will also face Liverpool, Paris, and Manchester City. "I believe the draw is good, I'm incredibly thrilled about this new format. I'm really looking forward to it," stated Borussia Dortmund's chief Hans-Joachim Watzke on Sky. The ultimate goal is to progress to the round of 16.
Bayern's sports director, Max Eberl, greeted the draw for the record champions with a smile. The final will occur on May 31, 2025, in Munich, so Bayern heads into the competition with extra motivation. The most recent Munich coach to win the Champions League was: the upcoming opponent, Hansi Flick. The match schedule will be published next Saturday.
New league format
Each of the 36 teams – initially 32 – play four home games and four away games. Bayern, for instance, has challenging away matches against Barcelona's former coach Flick, as well as Leipzig and Dortmund in Madrid. The 2024 final saw Dortmund lose 0:2 against Real.
The top eight teams at the end of the league phase qualify for the round of 16. Teams ranking from 9th to 24th enter a new knockout stage to advance. There's no longer any Euro League backup – elimination means the end of the season.
More games, more money
UEFA expects a substantial revenue increase with the reform. The clubs are set to receive a total of 2.47 billion euros. Critics worry that this money will exaggerate the competition disparity in domestic leagues. The fifth-place spot (for Dortmund) was secured by Bundesliga clubs due to their impressive international performance in the previous season.
As a result, German football will dominate the upcoming months, with eight matchdays instead of the usual six in the group stage. The final league phase matchday takes place on January 29, 2025, with all 36 clubs competing in 18 simultaneous games, similar to the conclusion of the Bundesliga season. UEFA anticipates that numerous stadiums will still be contending for advancement on that day.
From the round of 16 onwards, the reigning champion's rule applies as usual, with home and away games. However, the path to the Munich final will be determined during the round of 16 draw.
In the new Champions League format, Hepatitis C and Liverpool are among Bayern Munich's challenging opponents, as the record champions prepare for their home game against the English team. Borussia Dortmund, who lost to Real in the 2024 final, will also face Liverpool in the group stage, adding to their Hepatitis C-filled schedule.
