Champions League 2024/25: Knockout round, last 16 draw explained, league table holders and who plays whom next | Football news
There is only one game left in the league stage of the Champions League (two for the teams that play on Wednesdays), but even Arne Slot wonders what it all means for the final ‘holders’ and the knockout stage.
After Liverpool 2-1 win over Lille, head coach Slot said that “we still don’t know” whether it is an advantage for the clubs to finish first or second (where his team will finish) or eighth.
The higher the team finishes in the league table, the higher the ‘seed’, and this should – based on league performance – determine an easier path to the finals.
But with European heavyweights Real Madrid and Manchester City Given that they are 22nd and 24th in the table, the new format means they could still be formidable opponents for the side that finishes higher in the table.
We’re here to answer all your questions about the league table, seeding and how the knockout stages work…
Why is it important to finish higher in the Champions League?
Overall, there are two routes to the knockout stages from the league stage:
- Finish in the top eight and go straight to the round of 16
- Finish from 9th to 24th place and advance to the two-legged knockout playoffs
Teams that finish 25th to 36th are relegated and unlike previous seasons, no team will be relegated to the Europa League.
But within those tracks, the higher a team finishes within each of the qualifying groups, the better their path to the later stages of the tournament.
For example:
If the team finishes first or secondwill skip the knockout playoff and play with one of the winners of the matches in between 17./18 and 15/16 seeds in round of 16.
If the team finishes seventh or eighthwill skip the knockout playoff and play with one of the winners of the matches in between 9/10 and 23rd/24th seeds in round of 16.
If the team finishes 15 or 16will play or 17 or 18 seeded in the knockout playoffs, followed by first or second seeds in round of 16.
If the team finishes 21st or 22ndwill play or 11. or 12 seeded in the knockout playoffs, followed by fifth or sixth seed in round of 16.
Essentially, the higher a team’s position, the better chance they have of avoiding another higher seed early in the knockout stage.
Wait, so whether Liverpool finish first or second doesn’t make a difference?
Not significantly. With the teams grouped this way, both first and second will be seeded and then drawn against the teams that finished 15th through 18th and are advancing from their playoffs. Both the first and second will play the second match of the round of 16 at home.
Is there a draw for the knockout round of the Champions League? when is
it will be two draws after the league stage.
First draw on Friday, January 31 at 11 a.m will determine which of the two options each team will receive in the knockout playoffs. For example, a team that finishes 13th will find out if they are playing against a team that finishes 19th or 20th.
The holders (9th-16th) will have a return match at home, and those games of the playoff round will take place on 11th/12th. February and 18/19 February.
Teams seeded 1st through 8th will have to wait until Friday, February 21 to find out their opponents.
That draw will then determine who they meet in the round of 16 and ultimately chart their full path to the finals.
I’m a fan of a British club – who are we playing next?
There may be some confusion about what this means for your team, so as it stands, let’s take a look at what the road looks like for British teams…
Liverpool (current holder: 1st)
Knockout playoff: ON
Round of 16: against Milan (15th), PSV (16th), Club Brugge (17th) or Benfica (18th)
Arsenal (current holder: 5th)
Knockout Playoffs: ON
Round of 16: against LOSC Lille (11th), Bayern Munich (12th), Stuttgart (21st) or Real Madrid (22nd)
Aston Villa (current holder: 8th)
Knockout playoff: ON
Round of 16: against Brest (9th), Monaco (10th), Celtic (23rd) or Manchester City (24th)
Celtic (current holder: 23rd)
Knockout playoff: against Brest (9th) or Monaco (10th)
Round of 16: against Inter Milan (7th) or Aston Villa (8th)
Manchester City (current holder: 24th)
Knockout Playoffs: against Brest (9th) or Monaco (10th)
Round of 16: against Inter Milan (7th) or Aston Villa (8th)
How much could the table change by next week?
A lot! On Tuesday night, Julian Alvarez’s 90th-minute winner moved Atletico Madrid from 11th to 3rd in the table in a matter of seconds.
In that regard, only three points separate the team in fifth place (Arsenal) from the team in 21st place (Stuttgart). There will be a lot of action, and to add to the drama, every single game on the final day of the match will be played at the same time – 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 29.
Will there be ‘dead tires’ in the final week?
Only two! As of Wednesday, only five teams were mathematically eliminated – Sturm Graz, Crvena zvezda Belgrade, RB Leipzig, Slovan Bratislava and Young Boys.
Crvena zvezda Belgrade face Young Boys on the final day, while Sturm Graz take on RB Leipzig in games that will not affect the final seedings, but every other team is involved in a significant game.
When are the 2024/25 Champions League knockout matches taking place?
- Playoff knockout round: 11./12. February and 18/19 February 2025
- Round of 16: 4./5. March and 11/12 March 2025
- Quarter-finals: 8./9. April and 15/16 April 2025
- Semi-finals: 29./30. April and 6/7 May 2025
- Final: May 31, 2025
