The highly anticipated UEFA Champions League (UCL) draw for the 2024-25 season is taking place in Monaco, marking the beginning of a new era for the prestigious tournament. With a revamped format, the draw will see more teams competing for the coveted title, promising greater competition and excitement.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the all-time leading goalscorer in Champions League history, made a special appearance at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco to receive an award. His presence added another layer of excitement to the event.
The draw itself will be conducted using a unique method: 36 teams will be manually drawn using physical balls, and for each team, a designated automated software will randomly select eight opponents from across four pots. The software will also determine which matches will be played at home and which will be away.
The teams are divided into four pots based on their UEFA club coefficient rankings:
Pot 1:
Real Madrid (ESP), Manchester City (ENG), Bayern München (GER), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), Liverpool (ENG), Inter (ITA), Dortmund (GER), Leipzig (GER), Barcelona (ESP)
Pot 2:
Leverkusen (GER), Atlético de Madrid (ESP), Atalanta (ITA), Juventus (ITA), Benfica (POR), Arsenal (ENG), Club Brugge (BEL), Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR), AC Milan (ITA)
Pot 3:
Feyenoord (NED), Sporting CP (POR), PSV Eindhoven (NED), GNK Dinamo (CRO), Salzburg (AUT), Lille (FRA), Crvena Zvezda (SRB), Young Boys (SUI), Celtic (SCO)
Pot 4:
Slovan Bratislava (SVK), Monaco (FRA), Sparta Praha (CZE), Aston Villa (ENG), Bologna (ITA), Girona (ESP), Stuttgart (GER), Sturm Graz (AUT), Brest (FRA)The draw ceremony will feature a live performance of the iconic Champions League anthem, adding a touch of tradition and grandeur to the event. The tournament is set to kick off on September 17th.
The new format and increased participation are expected to make the 2024-25 season one of the most exciting and competitive Champions League seasons yet.
