Champions League Adds Thursday Matches.

The UEFA Champions League for the 2024/2025 season has introduced a new format which includes matches being scheduled on Thursdays, alongside the traditional Tuesday and Wednesday slots. This change is part of a broader restructuring of the competition, moving from a group stage to a league phase format. Here’s what you need to know:

• New Format: The league phase involves 36 teams playing eight matches each, with fixtures spread across Tuesday, Wednesday, and now Thursday. This format aims to increase competitiveness and potentially entertainment value by ensuring teams face a broader range of opponents.
• Matchday Details: For Matchday One of the 2024/2025 Champions League, matches are scheduled from Tuesday to Thursday, with six matches specifically set for Thursday. This distribution of games across three days is unique to the first matchday, emphasizing the spread of the competition’s footprint across the week.
• Fixture Examples: Real Madrid, for instance, does not have any matches scheduled for Thursday in the initial fixtures announced, with their games set for Tuesday and Wednesday. However, other teams like Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and Monaco are among those playing on Thursdays in the first round.
• Reactions and Implications: This change has been met with mixed reactions. While it introduces new match-ups and potentially more exciting games earlier in the competition, there’s also concern about fixture congestion, especially for clubs involved in multiple competitions. The new format also aims to address criticisms about the predictability of group stages by mixing teams from different seeding pots more frequently.
• Broadcast and Viewing: The draw for these matches was live-streamed, and subsequent games will be available for viewing through various platforms, including UEFA’s official channels and possibly national broadcasters like the BBC for highlights.

This shift to including Thursday matches represents UEFA’s attempt to innovate the Champions League, aiming for a more dynamic and less predictable early stage of the competition, although it comes with the challenge of managing player workload and scheduling.