Will the 2024/2025 UEFA Champions League be a historic one? This season’s renowned soccer event is expected to be exhilarating. No club has won more Champions League titles than Real Madrid, and this year it will be looking to keep its title.
Over the course of a typical FCPS school year, 189 matches will be played – a significant increase from the 125 played last year – until the winning club is crowned. 36 clubs – compared to last year’s 32 – have earned their spot by qualifying in their respective domestic tournament or through a preliminary qualifying tournament that ran from July to August of this year.
These are only some of the considerable amount of new rules and regulations drawing praise and criticism alike. Rather than splitting a club into a confined group that is required to play the same three teams over and over, the 36 teams now compete within a single standings table and face eight opponents prior to the knockout stage. Then, the top 24 teams that emerge will battle it out in this elimination stage to earn a special piece of silverware for their trophy cabinets.
Per UEFA, “The top eight sides in the league will qualify automatically for the round of 16, while the teams finishing in 9th to 24th place will compete in a two-legged knock-out phase play-off to secure their path to the last 16 of the competition. Teams that finish 25th or lower will be eliminated.”
Essentially, 189 matches upped from 125. 36 clubs instead of 32. One league table replaces separate group knockouts. Every game counts.
The top two teams will face off in a highly anticipated showpiece finale on May 31st, 2025. Bayern Munich fans will be pleased to see the final match held at the club’s Munich home stadium Allianz Arena with over 70,000 fans in attendance.
The first action-packed match week of September 17th started off with a bang. Harry Kane spearheaded Bayern Munich in a whopping 9-2 victory over Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb. Three 3-1 matches saw Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Juventus take the first step to the top of the table.
So how is Oakton really feeling? Liverpool, a standout team with a large Oakton fanbase, gains support from students and teachers alike. Oakton math teacher Mr. Young raves about Liverpool’s first CL performance of the season facing AC Milan, observing the club “had control throughout the match, good attacking chances, scored two set pieces, and had a great counterattack for the third goal,” but sees an opportunity for growth in order “to take advantage of [the] sustained attacks and get more goals in open play.”
Or could it be a repeat Real Madrid win? Real Madrid have an opportunity to maintain their title as the reigning champions after a spectacular 2-0 defeat of Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium last year. Looking for a 16th title, the Spanish club also has a substantial following here at Oakton. Christian Hernandez (11) asserts, “I support them because I ain’t a loser. We always win, that’s the main reason.” He concedes, “It’ll be hard against teams like Liverpool and Man City, but I think we got it in the bag.”
Other Cougars remain just as hopeful. For some students like Sofia Acharya (11), the sport has been ingrained in her since she was a child. As an avid Barcelona fan, she points out the renewed youthful energy that comes from new signings. Lamine Yamal, for example, has been an international sensation after he debuted as the youngest player at the age of 16 during this past summer’s Euros. “I like Yamal because he is our age and I feel like he will shine in the Champions League,” Sofia notes, “and based on his past few matches as well since the other day he scored two goals.”
No matter what, the Champions League is undoubtedly praised for its prestige and its delivery of high-quality football. On top of that, it’s evident that sports like soccer foster community and connection here at Oakton – students rep their favorite team’s jersey in the hallways and reminisce on the class watch parties during the World Cup. Mr. Young agrees, “Football (aka soccer) is just one connection I can make with some of my students, whether it be about playing or just watching. I am always looking for those connections, but am always happy when it’s soccer.”
In fact, the Champions League is often compared to the World Cup due to its large following. The eventful World Cup back in 2022 captured the hearts of fans around the world, Oakton not being an exception. In the United States, almost 26 million people made up the record 1.5 billion global viewers. Even though the CL does not quite reach such an international scale, this competition still gives players an additional opportunity to team up with their fellow club players and, together, fight for European glory.
So for the fans who cannot wait until the next major soccer tournament in 2026, tune in to the Champions League in the meantime – it’s sure to be an exciting one.
