The competition's new format has thrown up plenty of drama so far, even if the stakes didn't feel quite as high as previous years' group stages
So there we have it. After five gruelling months and 144 games, including 18 in one night on Wednesday, the inaugural Champions League league phase is finally over.
The final matchday certainly delivered on the entertainment front, with 64 goals smashed in, including five in Liverpool's clash with PSV in Eindhoven, six in Aston Villa's home win over Celtic, and seven in Lille's demolition of Feyenoord. "It was a little bit chaotic at times because there were goals going in everywhere," former Rangers striker Ally McCoist said on . "I don't think I would be able to watch just the one game in my house, on my sofa, ever again. It was sensational."
It's difficult to argue with that assessment, but the journey beforehand was a real slog. We still have another 16 games to get through before the round of 16, too, with the play-off knockout round set to be played in mid-February.
Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille and Villa don't have to worry about that; they are automatically through after finishing in the top eight. But a host of other huge clubs underperformed as the overall competitiveness levels on the elite European stage dropped significantly.
The argument over whether the new format can be considered an immediate success will very much depend on allegiances, and with that in mind, GOAL brings you the winners and losers from the 2024-25 league phase…
AFPWINNER: Liverpool
Liverpool have quickly become the best team in Europe under Arne Slot, who has overseen a remarkable revolution at Anfield since replacing Jurgen Klopp as manager in the summer. The Reds were the only side to win all of their first seven league-phase games, scoring 16 goals and conceding just two, with AC Milan, Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen all brushed aside with consummate ease.
Klopp's 'heavy-metal' style of play brought Liverpool plenty of success, but Slot has taken the squad to the next level by adding more discipline, with a focus on dominating possession, smooth transitions and clever positioning. The scary thing is, Liverpool rarely needed to get out of second gear to reach the knockout stages.
With Virgil van Dijk back to his best, Ryan Gravenberch bossing the middle of the park and the unstoppable Mohamed Salah leading the attack, Liverpool have all the tools needed to win their seventh Champions League crown. Injuries are the only thing that could derail them, but they've been setting the standard at home and abroad for some time now, and should be aiming for a clean sweep of the biggest prizes.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Man City
Liverpool might well go on to win the treble, but it's safe to say that Manchester City have no chance of repeating their 2022-23 success. Pep Guardiola's side have gone from being an all-conquering force to a feeble one with gaping holes that opposing teams have been able to exploit at will.
City only scraped into the top 24 in the Champions League after an unconvincing final matchday win over Club Brugge, and it wouldn't be a surprise if they come unstuck in the knockout-stage play-offs, where Real Madrid or Bayern Munich lay in wait. Guardiola has already seen his team comfortably beaten by Sporting CP, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, while they also blew a three-goal lead to draw at home with Feyenoord.
The injury-enforced absence of star midfielder Rodri has been a devastating blow for City from which they have still yet to recover, and no one fears them anymore. Guardiola has been able to make some vital January signings, but they won't change City's European trajectory; this disjointed team are a long way off being contenders again.
Getty Images SportWINNER: Barcelona's attack
Hansi Flick has turned Barcelona into Europe's great entertainers this season, deploying gung-ho tactics that are a far cry from his predecessor Xavi. This version of Barca looks for the most direct route to goal and presses high to force the opposition into mistakes, with a host of explosive, ruthless attackers always on hand to punish them.
Barca finished the league phase as top scorers with 28 goals, and Robert Lewandowski is leading the way in the race for the competition's Golden Boot alongside Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy on nine each, while Raphinha is just one behind on eight. With teenage sensation Lamine Yamal completing the front three, Flick's side have looked unstoppable at times, particularly in their 4-1 home win over Bayern, which saw the Bundesliga giants completely overpowered.
The caveat is, defensively they're all over the shop. Dortmund and Benfica scored six goals against Barca between them, and No.1 goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been a big miss as he continues his recovery from a serious knee injury. That frail underbelly might prove costly in the long run, but it's also possible that the Blaugrana could outscore everyone on their way to lifting their first Champions League title since 2015.
GettyLOSER: Boring, boring Juventus
Juventus pulled off one of the biggest results of the league phase when downing Man City at the Allianz Stadium, and were great value for their 2-0 victory. But aside from that memorable December night, the Bianconeri have been easily the dullest team to watch in the entire competition.
Thiago Motta's side only scored nine goals, giving them the worst attacking record in the top 23, and although they only shipped nine at the other end, that was mostly down to a staggering lack of ambition. Juve look completely stifled of creativity under Motta, whose rigid tactics and bizarre selection calls have led to a major regression.
Turkish wonderkid Kenan Yildiz has been ineffective since being moved from his favoured No.10 role out to the right flank, summer signings Teun Koopmeiners and Douglas Luiz have looked a shadow of the players they were at Atalanta and Villa, respectively, and Dusan Vlahovic has cut an all-too isolated figure upfront.
A 2-0 final matchday loss at home to Benfica summed up everything wrong with this Juve side right now; they certainly won't be in the mix for Champions League glory come May, and Motta could well be gone long before then.
