UEFA's new format: what the Champions League revamp means for clubs

Key changes

The Champions League's new format has replaced the traditional group stage with a single 36-team league phase, and the change has been more significant than many expected.

Clubs now play eight different opponents in the opening phase, and the final league table feeds directly into a revamped knockout bracket. The mathematics have become a story in themselves, with the race for the top-eight automatic qualification spots running all the way to the final matchday.

For smaller clubs, the format is a mixed blessing: more fixtures mean more revenue and more exposure, but also a heavier schedule for squads built for fewer games.

• 36 teams in a single league phase instead of 32 in groups
• Eight league-phase matches per club
• Top eight qualify directly; the rest enter a two-legged playoff round

Every match now carries consequences for the whole table. There are no dead rubbers.