Champions League is a competition that features some of the best clubs in the world. Winning it takes more than just a good squad, though; it also requires luck and heart. While most Champions League titles are won by the traditional powerhouses of Europe, there have been a few surprise results over the years. For instance, Porto won the tournament in 2004 and Dynamo Kyiv made it to the semi-finals in 1998-99.
Originally known as the European Cup, it started with just 16 clubs competing in four knockout rounds (first round, quarterfinals, semifinals and final). Then in 1955-56 season it expanded to include more teams from different countries, adding two more rounds and a group stage. It eventually became the Champions League in 1992, and a new format was implemented by the 2003-04 campaign.
Under this system, thirty-two qualified teams were divided into eight groups of four clubs, with a randomized draw and restrictions placed on placing teams from the same country in the same group. The winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the next round, where they were paired with a second-place finisher from another group.
The 2024-25 season marked a major change in Champions League, as the group phase was replaced by a new league phase. The league-phase rankings were based on a new system where each club played eight games, with four at home and four away. The top eight teams advance to the round of sixteen, and the other twenty-four compete in a playoff round, where the final place is awarded to a team that did not qualify through qualifying.