Matchday 8 of the league phase will determine the next chapter of the UEFA Champions League as the new format completely changed from previous seasons. While only Liverpool and FC Barcelona secured their spots for the Round of 16 phase,

With just one game left to play in the Champions League league phase, Real Madrid still have a slim chance of automatically qualifying for the round of 16.

Under the new structure, the top eight teams advance directly to the Round of 16 and those sides ranked 9th through 24th will enter a play-off round, while those in 25th or lower are eliminated from the competition.

Gooooooooaaaaaal! The UEFA Champions League has a new expanded format for the 2024-25 season. The new UEFA Champions League season is underway, with 36 teams attempting to reach the final in Munich in May.

The UEFA Champions League continues Jan. 22 with Paris Saint-Germain vs. Manchester City highlighting the day of fixtures. Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and more are in action as well. Predictions for the full slate of matches below.

The financial incentives are obvious but there is also a prestige and importance beyond money to being in Europe's premier competition

It expanded over the years and in 1992 was rebranded the Champions League. From 2003, 32 teams played in eight groups of four, with 16 advancing to a knockout stage. But for this season the group stage was scrapped and replaced by one group of 36 teams.

The Champions League group phase comes to a close this week, with only two clubs officially qualified into the round of 16.Liverpool and Barcelona have confirmed their place into the knockout rounds,