For the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League season, the confirmed pots for the group stage draw reflect a blend of Europe’s elite clubs and emerging challengers. The pots are designed to balance the competition and ensure a fair distribution of teams based on their UEFA coefficients and previous performances.
Pot 1 features the top-ranked clubs, including the reigning Champions League titleholders and domestic league champions from Europe’s strongest leagues.
This year’s Pot 1 includes:
- Manchester City (reigning champions)
- Bayern Munich (Bundesliga champions)
- Barcelona (La Liga champions)
- Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1 champions)
In addition to these domestic champions, Pot 1 also includes other high-seeded teams based on their performance over the past seasons.
Pot 2 consists of teams that are strong but did not secure a top spot in Pot 1.
This pot includes:
- Liverpool
- Atlético Madrid
- Borussia Dortmund
- FC Porto
These teams are typically strong contenders and have significant European experience, making them formidable opponents in the group stage.
ALSO READ :Pots set for 2024-25 Champions League draw under new format
Pot 3 is populated by teams that have performed well domestically and in Europe but are not as high-seeded as those in Pot 1 and Pot 2.
This pot includes:
- Ajax
- Inter Milan
- Napoli
- RB Salzburg
Teams in Pot 3 are known for their ability to challenge top teams and could potentially cause upsets.
Pot 4 features the lowest-seeded teams, including clubs making their debut or those with less recent success in European competitions.
This pot includes:
- Royal Antwerp
- Galatasaray
- Ludogorets
- Union Berlin
AlLSO READ : Paris Hosts historic Paralympic Games opening Ceremony
These teams often include rising clubs or those from less prominent leagues, which can provide unexpected challenges.
The draw will create eight groups of four teams each, with one team drawn from each pot into each group.
This setup ensures a mix of top seeds, strong challengers, and potential underdogs in each group.
The group stage matches will begin in September, with teams competing in a round-robin format.
- The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout rounds, while the third-placed teams will enter the UEFA Europa League knockout phase.
The 2024-25 Champions League promises a season of thrilling matches, with teams vying for a place in the knockout stages and the ultimate goal of lifting the Champions League trophy in the final, set to take place in May 2025.