We are right at the home of the new league stage of the Champions League – with five British teams looking to achieve different feats in the new format.
Liverpool don't seem to mind the new 36-team league format – they have won each of their opening seven games and need just one point to secure top spot in the table.
But can Arne Slot now afford to rotate his team in the final game? Not after Barcelona's dramatic 5-4 win against Benfica. Hansi Flick's side are three points behind the Reds, but currently hold the better goal difference.
This is because there is an incentive to keep winning because every single place is important in this new Champions League format.
Read below about all the changes to the rest of the new Champions League structure and what British teams need to do to qualify…
What are the permutations of the British teams in the last two games?
Liverpool have won all six games in the Champions League this season
Liverpool have guaranteed their place in the final and will bypass the play-off round after 2-1 win against Lille.
Both Arsenal and Aston Villa are at the level of 13 points and are among the top eight in third and eighth place. They will likely need to win their final games to ensure they go straight into the round of 16 as best-of-eight.
It will take a lot to put in Manchester City and Celtic's are favored to finish in the top eight, but both currently hold the knockout places.
Celtic sit a place and a point above City in 23rd place. Pep Guardiola's team is just above the elimination places due to a positive goal difference.
One win from their last two games could be enough to secure a place in the play-off round, but they will want to win both matches to ensure they stay in the competition. The playoff rounds will be played on February 11/12 and 18/19.
Who qualifies from the league stage?
In order to achieve automatic qualification to the round of 16 in March, teams must finish in the top eight.
Those ninth to 24th enter the two-legged play-off round in February, with the winners taking the other eight places in the last 16.
Those who finish from 9th to 16th will be seeded in the playoffs, so they will have the second leg at home. Those 17-24 will not be seeded, so the first game is at home.
Teams that finish between 25th and 36th place will be eliminated from this season's competition, without access to the Europa League.
Ok, but if we're in the top eight, does it matter if I finish first or eighth?
Yes. The way the Champions League stage works is the final league position gives you a specific route – and specific opponents – into the knockout stage draw.
The graphic below shows the tournament tree for the rest of the competition. For the first time ever, the knockout rounds are decided by the league stage – with no separate draws for finals, quarter-finals and beyond.
For example, teams finishing first or second in the league stage will face the team finishing 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th.
Compare that to a team that finishes seventh or eighth, which could play a team that finishes 23rd or 24th, but also risks facing a team in ninth or 10th – which could be a big European team.
The advantage for the team that finishes first or second is that they will be guaranteed to play a team in the 'middle' of the Champions League final table. Finishing lower risks playing the better side.
Is finishing on top really an advantage?
PSG have problems this season
Not necessarily. Especially this season.
Early struggles from the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain mean Europe's top side could end up in the 'middle' of the Champions League table – and thus face one of the best sides.
Liverpool are currently top of the league table – but the teams that started this matchweek on 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th are Benfica, Monaco, Sporting CP and Feyenoord – with PSG, Real Madrid and Manchester City below those teams on table.
If the top teams continue to not perform as well as expected in the league stage, it could create some blockbuster games in the last 16, taking away the advantage of finishing in the highest possible places.
Is there a difference between ninth and 24th place?
Again, yes. The big one. And it's all about the playoffs.
The new Champions League format means that the ninth-placed team faces the 24th-placed team in the play-off round. Tenth game 23rd, 11th game 22nd and so on.
If you just miss out on a top eight finish, the blow is softened by playing the worst teams to qualify from the league stage. The more you complete, the 'easier' the game you get.
But then again, if teams like Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are struggling in the league stage, you could have the top teams meeting in the play-off round.
Who are the supercomputer favorites in the Champions League?
Liverpool are currently the favorites to win the Champions League, and Sloto's side have a 21.2 percent chance of winning the trophy in Munich after a great start to the season.
Arsenal are second favorites with 14.4 percent – just ahead of Inter from Milan with 12 percent.
Barcelona are the third favorites with a chance of 8.3 percent – Doc Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Manchester City and PSG also in the top 10.
Aston Villa they have a 0.8 percent chance of winning the entire tournament, which is four times the chance of Celtic to 0.2 percent.
When are the final stages of the Champions League 2024/25?
- Play-off knockout round: 11/12 and 18/19 February 2025.
- Round of 16: 4/5 and 11/12 March 2025
- Quarter-finals: 8./9. and 15/16 April 2025
- Semi-finals: 29/30 April and 6/7 May 2025
- Final: May 31, 2025
Where is the 2025 Champions League final taking place?
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League season will take place in Munich at the Allianz Arena on 31 May 2025.