How the league phase works
Since 2024 the Champions League starts with a single league of 36 clubs instead of groups of four. Every club plays eight matches against eight different opponents, four at home and four away, and all results go into one table.
What each position means
- 1st to 8th: straight into the round of 16.
- 9th to 24th: a two-legged knockout play-off for the other eight places in the round of 16.
- 25th to 36th: eliminated, with no drop into another competition.
Reading the table
P is matches played, W, D and L are wins, draws and losses, GD is goal difference and Pts are points: three for a win, one for a draw. With only eight matches each, a single result can move a club across a whole zone, which is why the final matchday is often the busiest of the season.