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August 29, 2024

Sporting CP’s Champions League Draw Confirmed – Primeira Liga

The Portuguese champions have unveiled the identity of their eight rivals in the upcoming competition. This exciting reveal sets the stage for intense matchups as they prepare to face diverse European teams. Each opponent presents unique challenges and opportunities, making for a thrilling season ahead as the champions aim to make their mark in the tournament.

Sporting Clube de Portugal will face Manchester City FC (home), RB Leipzig (away), Club Brugge KV (away), Arsenal FC (home), Lille OSC (home), PSV Eindhoven (away), Bologna FC 1909 (home), and SK Sturm Graz (away) in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League, which features a revamped format this season.

The draw included several modifications and occurred late Thursday afternoon at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

While the opponents and match venues have been determined, the complete schedule—including the order of the rounds, fixture dates, and times—will be released on Saturday, August 31, to prevent potential conflicts with other competitions.

What is confirmed is that the European campaign will kick off between September 17th and 19th, with the eighth and final match set for January 29, 2025.

After a strong performance in the 2022/23 season, Rúben Amorim’s team is set to return as the reigning champions of Liga Portugal. Their successful campaign solidified their dominance in domestic football. It earned them a coveted spot in the revamped UEFA Champions League format. As one of the 36 teams participating in this new competitive structure, they will have the chance to showcase their skills on a larger stage against top clubs from across Europe.

The anticipation surrounding their return is palpable, as fans and analysts alike look forward to seeing how Amorim’s tactics and the team’s cohesion will translate to the single league stage. Competing in this fresh format presents challenges and opportunities, and their status as reigning champions adds extra pressure and excitement. With the chance to defend their title and make a mark in the new competition, Rúben Amorim’s team is ready to take on the best in Europe.

The draw was conducted using an automated system to adhere to the new guidelines. Each club’s ball was manually taken from its pot, and an algorithm assigned each team eight opponents.

One of the most significant changes to the tournament format is implementing a single league stage, which allows all participating clubs to compete within a unified table. This structure operates under a points system, where teams accumulate points based on their performance in each match. The introduction of this format is complemented by an increase in the number of participating teams, expanding from 32 to 36.

As a result of these adjustments, each team will now have the opportunity to play eight matches during the league phase. Following this initial stage, teams will advance to two knockout rounds featuring clubs drawn from the four pots. This new approach ultimately leads into the traditional knockout stage, maintaining the excitement and intensity that fans have come to expect from the tournament.

To qualify automatically, teams must finish the league phase within the top eight. Teams between ninth and 24th will compete in a two-legged playoff to secure a spot in the ‘Round of 16.’ Meanwhile, the final twelve teams ranked from 25th to 36th will be eliminated not only from the UEFA Champions League but also from all European competitions for the season, as there will be no ‘relegation’ that allows any teams to move into the UEFA Europa League.

UEFA Champions League SCHEDULE:

Matchday 1: September 17–19, 2024

Matchday 2: October 1/2, 2024

Matchday 3: October 22/23, 2024

Matchday 4: November 5/6, 2024

Matchday 5: November 26/27, 2024

Matchday 6: December 10/11, 2024

Matchday 7: January 21/22, 2025

Matchday 8: January 29, 2025