Football clubs discover opponents for revamped European competitions
Belgium’s football clubs have all learned of their opponents for the league phase of the revamped European competitions after a series of draws this week. Club Brugge, Anderlecht, Union Saint-Gilloise, Cercle Brugge and KAA Gent are all involved in European football this season.
UEFA has drastically changed the format of all three competitions for the 2024-25 season. The 36 participating teams in each contest are no longer divided into groups but placed in a single league.
In the Champions League and Europa League, each team plays eight matches against eight opponents, with four home matches and four away. In the Conference League, each team plays six matches, three at home and three away.
Play-offs and elimination
After the league phase, the top eight teams advance to the second round. The next 16 teams compete in play-offs, with the remaining teams eliminated. From the second round, ties are played in the standard home and away format until the finals.
In the Champions League, Club will face Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City, Juventus, AC Milan, Sporting Lisbon, Celtic, Aston Villa and Sturm Graz.
In the Europa League, Anderlecht will take on Porto, Slavia Prague, Ferencvaros, Real Sociedad, Ludogorets, Viktoria Plzen, Hoffenheim and RFS.
Union, the Pro League runners-up and last year’s Belgian Cup winners, take on AS Roma, Rangers, Braga, Fenerbahçe, Bodo/Glimt, Midtjylland, Nice and FC Twente.
In the Conference League, KAA Gent face Chelsea, Molde, Omonoia, Lugano, TSC and Larne. Cercle Brugge will play LASK, Basaksehir, Olimpija, Hearts, St Gallen and Vikungur.
Former Spanish footballer Aritz Aduriz draws Union Saint-Gilloise during the draw for the group stage of the 2024-2025 UEFA Europa League in Monaco, 30 August 2024 © PHOTO VALERY HACHE / AFP
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