Did you like the old Champions League format? It was easy enough to follow. There were 32 teams. Those teams would be drawn into eight four-team groups. If you finished in the top two in your group, you qualified for the round of 16. From there, two-legged knockout rounds occurred until the final. Simple, elegant, and now part of the past.
UEFA added four more teams to the Champions League. With 36 teams, we also get a whole new format. Now, we begin with a “League Phase.” All 36 teams play eight games, four home and four away. You can’t play against a team from your domestic league. After eight “league” games, the top eight teams move to the round of 16. Teams nine through 24 engage in a playoff. Teams 25 through 36 are eliminated. Got all that?
While this new phase is a smidge convoluted — all for a few extra (million) bucks — there are some exciting matchups in the League Phase. To try and get you excited to accept this new reality, here are the best League Phase games. We’ve chosen two from each matchday to try and extend that enthusiasm through the whole thing.
