Three teams who benefitted from the new Champions League format
The Champions League underwent one of its biggest shake-ups in decades going into this season’s renewal, replacing the traditional group stage with a Swiss-style format.
The new system most notably introduced a single league table, where each club played eight matches against different opponents.
Designed to increase competitiveness and ensure more high-stakes fixtures, the format offered fresh opportunities for clubs looking to make their mark on Europe’s premier club competition. While the changes sparked debate among football fans and pundits, some teams undoubtedly gained an edge.
It may not have made them more favourable in the Champions League winner odds, but certain clubs benefitted from increased qualification chances and kinder fixtures. In this article, we take a closer look at three teams that somewhat thrived under the new system.
Celtic
Thanks to the new format, Celtic—perhaps the side that reaped the most benefits—progressed to the knockout rounds of the Champions League for the first time since 2013.
The Hoops, who famously won the European Cup in 1967, had largely struggled in the competition over the last few years, with a win over Feyenoord in 2023, their first victory since 2017 and their only triumph of the last two group stages.
However, the new format allowed Brendan Rodgers’ men to flourish. Their unbeaten home record at Celtic Park played a big part, with wins over Slovan Bratislava, RB Leipzig and Young Boys, as well as a 1-1 draw with Club Brugge helping them progress.
Celtic by no means disgraced themselves in the play-offs, either. They were only narrowly edged by Bayern Munich in a 3-2 aggregate defeat.
Club Brugge
A name that many football fans will recognise as a regular outfit in the Champions League, Club Brugge are no stranger to the early stages of the competition.
However, they had progressed beyond the group stage just once before this year, proof that the new format has worked in their favour.
While they suffered a 3-0 defeat at home to Borussia Dortmund on matchday one, the Belgians beat Sturm Graz, Aston Villa and Sporting Lisbon and picked up crucial points against Celtic and Juventus.
The Belgians didn’t stop there either, thrashing Atalanta 5-2 on aggregate in the play-offs before Aston Villa ended their fairytale run in the round of 16.
Stade Brest
A story that’s suitable for a Hollywood blockbuster, Stade Brest went from the lows of amateur football to the Champions League in roughly 20 years.
Returning to Ligue 1 in 2019, Brest stunned French football when qualifying for the Champions League at the end of last season—marking their first appearance in any European competition.
Expectations were low for Eric Roy’s side, but they captivated football fans and pundits alike when defying the football betting markets to progress to the knockouts.
Brest beat Sturm Graz, RB Salzburg, Sparta Praha, and PSV while drawing with Bayer Leverkusen to book their place in the play-offs—where French rivals Paris Saint-Germain romped to a 10-0 aggregate win.
Despite their tournament ending in poor fashion, Roy and his men can hold their heads high and take great pride in their efforts.