On June 1st, Real Madrid defeated the yellow-black Dortmund at Wembley Stadium, claiming their 15th Champions League title in history. Atalanta Bergamo secured the Europa League victory thanks to a hat-trick from Ademola Lookman, and Greek side Olympiakos won the Conference League. As the new season of European football begins, we once again look for champions in these competitions. Read all about it in this article.
Champions League
In London, Madrid’s “Los Blancos” proved too strong for Borussia Dortmund, but their victory was not an easy one. They were tested early on, starting from the round of 16, and had to give their all in every match. They won 2-1 against RB Leipzig, and both legs against Manchester City ended in draws, with penalties deciding in favor of the Spaniards. Bayern Munich also couldn’t stop Real Madrid on their path to the final.
Once again, Real Madrid is one of the favorites to lift the trophy. Especially with new signing Kylian Mbappé, who joins star players Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior in the attack. With many other big names on the team, Real Madrid has one of the most talented squads ever assembled. They are challenged by the likes of Manchester City and Bayern Munich, two of last year’s rivals, led in attack by Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, respectively.
The Champions League will also follow a new format this year, like the other European competitions. Starting this season, 36 teams will compete for the title, four more than in previous years. These teams will face off in a league format to collect as many points as possible. The top 8 teams will advance to the round of 16, while 16 other teams will play in a playoff round for qualification. The round of 16 begins on March 4, 2025, and the final will take place on May 31, 2025, at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena.
Europa League
Ademola Lookman was the hero for Bergamo with his hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen. The Bundesliga winners had been undefeated in all competitions up to that point, but the Italians walked away with a 3-0 win and the Europa League title. Belgian player Charles De Ketelaere also shared in the celebration.
Whether the Italians will be favorites for the title this year remains to be seen. With his first league goal of the season, Charles De Ketelaere led Atalanta to a narrow victory against Fiorentina, last year’s Conference League finalist. After four matches, Atalanta sits in 9th place with two wins and two losses.
Like the Champions League, the Europa League follows a new format this year. With the addition of four extra teams, there will be more matches—189 instead of 141. Atalanta will not be able to defend their title, as teams eliminated from the Champions League knockout rounds will no longer drop into the Europa League. As last year’s Europa League winners, Atalanta is automatically qualified for this year’s Champions League. The knockout stage begins in January, and the final is set for May 21, 2025, at Athletic Bilbao’s San Mamés Stadium.
Conference League
Just like the previous year, Fiorentina lost another Conference League final. The first time was against West Ham United, and the second time, Olympiakos Piraeus proved to be the better team. After extra time, Olympiakos won their first European trophy on home soil.
Last year, Olympiakos qualified once again for a European competition. After an interesting season in Greece, they finished third, behind PAOK and their rival AEK Athens. This year, after four matches, Olympiakos shares first place with those same two opponents.
Since Olympiakos is qualified for the Europa League this year, they will not be able to defend their Conference League title. The final of the 2024-2025 Conference League will be held at the Wroclaw Stadium in Wroclaw, Poland. The winner will automatically qualify for the Europa League, unless they can qualify for the Champions League through domestic football.
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