The Champions League has been around for nearly seven decades and it’s become the pinnacle of club soccer. From the first edition in 1956, the tournament — known as the European Cup at that time — has consecrated the best clubs in Europe with Real Madrid still holding a monopoly of 15 titles, followed by AC Milan and Bayern Munich (seven each) and Barcelona and Liverpool (five each). It has immortalized players from all over the world, including Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
Originally the tournament featured only the champions of different domestic leagues, but in 1991 a group stage was introduced and teams from the same country could be drawn together. For the 2024-25 season, the number of teams was increased to 36, and a new format was implemented.
The first phase of the competition is known as the league stage and it features eight groups of four teams, with a randomized draw used to determine the matchups. The winner of each group and the runners-up advance to the next stage, while the third-placed team transfers into the Europa League.
In the knockout rounds, teams play home-and-away ties and the team that scores more goals over the two legs — known as aggregate goals — advances. Previously, home advantage was determined by the results from the league stage; however, starting with this season’s draw, UEFA has moved to award teams who ranked higher in the second phase of the competition greater advantages in the quarterfinals and semifinals.