I will admit that I was skeptical about the new UCL format. My main concern was that the group stage excitement could be annihilated due to so many teams making it past that round, 24 out of 38, to be exact. 

Although we haven’t even made it out of the group stage, my worries have been shut down. 

First off, what’s been going on with Real Madrid? They find themselves, as of writing this, in 24th place, just barely clinging on to a knockout spot. Their most recent defeat in the Champions League was against Liverpool, a team that they haven’t lost against in years. Their rivals FC Barcelona are amongst the top eight teams, which would secure them an automatic spot in the Round of 16.

Bayern Munich and PSG also find themselves in tricky situations. They’re sitting at 13th and 25th respectively. And who can forget Manchester City! Their Autumn collapse can also be seen in the UCL standings as they’re sitting in 17th place, below teams like Benfica, Monaco, and Brest.

What’s funny about the current table is that all of the teams in the top eight aren’t scrubs that don’t deserve to be there. Barcelona, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Arsenal, and more have deserved these spots with their current form. In the previous format, maybe these teams wouldn’t have hit their stride. 

In some warped way, the way the group stage has been modified has left some more room for the underdogs to find success, especially when the usual favorites are having a tough time. 

I will have to admit, seeing such a long table of teams will take some getting used to, but that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to accept. 

Oh, and how could I forget? The format is the same for the Europa and Conference Leagues. It’s pure mayhem. You have teams like Manchester United and Tottenham facing teams like FC Twente and Qarabag FK.

At the end of the day, who doesn’t enjoy some pure continental chaos? That’s why I love this new format; it’s different, and it’s adding some much needed spice to European competition.

After the group stage, the knockouts will begin, and we’ll talk about them later once they become relevant to the bigger picture. But if they’re as exciting as the group stage has currently been, football fans across Europe and the world are going to be treated to some fireworks in 2025.