The nueva Champions League It continues to advance and, although it has barely reached the halfway point of the group stage, the possible crossings of the playoffs and the round of 16 are already beginning to be glimpsed. With a completely different dynamic than previous years, this edition has introduced changes to the format that directly impact the way in which the teams will face each other in the decisive phases of the tournament.
One of the big changes is the creation of a round of playoffs or round of 32in which teams that do not qualify directly to the round of 16 must fight for their place. Currently, clubs like Real Madrid and the FC Barcelona are well positioned, while others like the Atlético de Madrid They would be eliminated if the group stage ended today. Teams like the Gironadespite still being alive in the competition, would need to win their ties away from home in this first knockout phase.
This would be the crosses of the playoffs or round of 32: Champions League
- 9º/10º vs 23º/24º: Arsenal/Barcelona vs Bayern Munich/Girona
- 11º/12º vs 21º/22º: Dortmund/Real Madrid vs Sparta Prague/Dinamo Zagreb
- 13º/14º vs 19º/20º: Benfica/Juventus vs PSG/Celtic de Glasgow
- 15º/16º vs 17º/18º: LOSC Lille/Feyenoord vs Atalanta/Stuttgart
Once the playoffsthe winners will advance to the round of 16, where teams that have already secured their direct passage will await them. This is where the Real Madridhe FC Barcelona and the Girona They could meet great rivals if they overcome their respective crosses.
Possible crosses of the round of 16
- 1st/2nd vs Ganadores 15th/16th vs 17th/18th: Aston Villa/Liverpool vs Lille Winners/Feyenoord vs Atalanta/Stuttgart
- 3rd/4th vs Ganadores 13th/14th vs 19th/20th: Manchester City/Monaco vs Benfica/Juventus Winners vs PSG/Celtic Glasgow
- 5th/6th vs Ganadores 11th/12th vs 21st/22nd: Brest/Bayer Leverkusen vs Winners Dortmund/Real Madrid vs Sparta Prague/Dinamo Zagreb
- 7th/8th vs Ganadores 9th/10th vs 23rd/24th: Inter Milan/Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal/Barcelona Winners vs Bayern/Girona
Although there are still several days left to determine who will be the teams that will finally compete in these phases, current projections show high-level confrontations that could early define the future of some of the most important clubs in Europe.
