The Champions League underwent its biggest change in format since the second group stage was scrapped ahead of the 2003/04 season, with the 2024/25 campaign seeing the introduction of the new league phase.
After 20 seasons of 32 entrants being split into eight groups of four, with the top two qualifying for the knockout phase, UEFA revamped the format, which brought about more games, rounds and drama.
Now 36 teams play in one group stage, playing eight matches rather than six in previous editions. The top eight reach the knockout stage, while those between 9th and 24th compete in a play-off to reach the last 16. The bottom eight sides are eliminated and no longer drop into the Europa League.
Champions League 2024/25: How the new format works & current standings
UEFA has changed the Champions League format for the 2024/25 season. Here’s an overview of how things work and the current standings after Matchday 2.
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ByRoss KilvingtonNov 27, 2024 10 Paris Saint-Germain 89 wins
The big prize has eluded Paris Saint-Germain to date, but the Parisians’ 2024/25 campaign has left them on the verge of history after being transformed under the guidance of Luis Enrique.
Despite the departure of Kylian Mbappe, PSG are in their second final, having previously finished as runners-up in 2020, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern in a behind-closed-doors finale.
PSG’s run to the 2025 final saw them rack up some wins to hurl themselves into the top 10, overtaking last-16 opponents Liverpool in the process.
9 Milan 94 wins
It may sound surprising that Milan are ranked this low, having racked up 94 wins in the competition, especially considering they have won the title on three occasions in the post-European Cup era and reached another three finals.
They failed to qualify for the competition on several occasions in recent years, which is a key reason they haven’t won as many games as the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Indeed, since winning the Champions League in 2007, Milan have reached the semi-finals only once, with Inter defeating them over two legs in 2023.
8 Arsenal 97 wins
Despite Arsenal being one of the most decorated sides in England, their record in Europe is relatively disappointing.
Indeed, since making their Champions League bow during the 1998/99 season, they have reached the final just once, in 2006.
The Gunners lost 2-1 against Barcelona in Paris as Arsène Wenger came so close to triumphing in the competition.
However, the club did have a remarkable consistency in the tournament, reaching the group stages for 17 consecutive seasons, earning 97 wins since their debut.
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ByTom CunninghamDec 17, 2024 7 Porto 101 wins
Porto were no strangers to Europe prior to the inception of the Champions League, winning the European Cup in 1987 against Bayern.
José Mourinho led them to their second continental crown in 2004, surprising the whole of Europe in the process.
Since that spectacular triumph, they have qualified for the group stage 20 times, but have yet to make it past the quarter-finals, being stopped at that particular stage on four separate occasions.
Despite this, the club have still managed to win a total of 101 games in the competition since the 1992/93 season.
6 Chelsea 101 wins
Like Liverpool, Chelsea were relative latecomers to the Champions League, having to wait until 1999 to make their debut.
The Blues suffered agonising semi-final defeats to Monaco and Liverpool in 2004 and 2005 respectively, not making their first final until 2008.
They lost to Manchester United then, but glory finally arrived four years later, defeating Bayern in their own backyard to win the tournament for the first time.
A surprising win over Manchester City in 2021 saw the Stamford Bridge side claim their second title, and they rank sixth on this list with 101 wins, coming in fewer matches (197) than Porto (228).
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2 ByStephan GeorgiouAug 23, 2024 5 Juventus 114 wins
No European club has lost as many European Cup/Champions League finals as Juventus, with seven losses occurring at the last hurdle between 1973 and 2017.
Two of those losses arrived before the inception of the Champions League, but since 1993, the Old Lady have tasted defeat on no fewer than five occasions.
They won the tournament most recently in 1996, defeating holders Ajax in the final, yet lost the following two finals against Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.
It looked as though they would end that barren run in 2003, but Milan prevailed on penalties at Old Trafford. Since then, both Madrid and Barcelona have defeated the Serie A side in the showpiece event.
Despite this, they have won an impressive 114 games in the Champions League, although they would surely love to claim another title in the next few years.
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ByCharlie SmithSep 25, 2025 4 Manchester United 127 wins
It took Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson a while to get to grips with the Champions League.
Domestic dominance between 1993 and 2001 was achieved fairly easily, but Europe was a different proposition. Of course, no one will forget the stunning comeback to win the trophy in 1999 with two injury-time goals, but this was their only final between 1993 and 2007.
United won another Champions League trophy in 2008, before reaching the finals in 2009 and 2011, losing to Barcelona and Pep Guardiola each time.
Since Fergie retired, the Red Devils have qualified for Europe’s premier club competition on just seven occasions, failing to make it past the quarter-final stage.
They rank fourth on the list of most victories in the Champions League with 127.
3 Barcelona 179 wins
Barcelona won the last edition of the old European Cup in 1992, claiming the prize for the first time in their history.
Johan Cruyff’s ‘dream team’ reached the final in 1994, but were thrashed 4-0 by Milan – and this was the last time they would reach the final until 2006.
That year, they won 2-1 against Arsenal, before winning in 2009 and 2011 under the mercurial guidance of Guardiola, with Barcelona becoming one of the finest club sides of all time.
Under Luis Enrique, the La Liga side reached another final in 2015, sending Juventus packing with a 3-1 win in Berlin, giving them their fourth Champions League crown in just nine years.
They rank third in terms of victories in the tournament, racking up a staggering 179 since their first match in 1993.
2 Bayern Munich 181 wins
Bayern Munich’s tally of six continental titles ranks them as the third-best team in European Cup/Champions League history. Since the Champions League’s inception in 1992, Bayern have won three titles, although the Bavarian club have lost a further three finals.
The German side claimed the title in 2001, 2013 and 2020, but given their stature among Europe’s elite, the club should perhaps have won more, especially when Pep Guardiola took charge between 2013 and 2016.
Since their last title, Bayern have reached just one semi-final, losing to Real Madrid in 2023/24. Under Vincent Kompany, they have a vibrant, young coach who has plenty of ambition, but they bowed out in his first season at the quarter-final stage.
They rank second on the all-time victory list in the competition, recording 181 since their first match in 1994.
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