Real Madrid Begins UCL 2024-25 Season Against VfB Stuttgart at Santiago Bernabeu
Real Madrid is set to start their UEFA Champions League (UCL) 2024-25 season on Wednesday, September 18, as they welcome VfB Stuttgart to the iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid. The European giants, who boast a record 15 UCL titles, will begin this season without their star midfielder Tony Kroos, who retired last season. However, they have reinforced their squad with the marquee signings of French sensation Kylian Mbappe and Brazilian Endrick.
New UCL Format
This season marks the debut of the new UCL format. A total of 36 clubs from Europe’s premier football leagues will compete in a league phase, which replaces the traditional group stage. Each team will play eight matches against eight different opponents, with an equal split of home and away fixtures. Every match’s outcome will significantly impact the league table standings.
The top eight teams will automatically advance to the UCL round of 16. Teams finishing between 9th and 24th place will enter a two-legged knockout play-off phase, with the winners securing the remaining eight spots in the round of 16. Teams finishing below 24th will be eliminated from the competition.
Real Madrid’s Fixtures
In this new league phase, Real Madrid will face VfB Stuttgart, LOSC Lille, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Liverpool, Atalanta, Salzburg, and Brest. Their away fixtures include matches against Lille, Liverpool, Atalanta, and Brest. A notable fixture is the home game against Borussia Dortmund on October 23, a rematch of the UCL 2023-24 final, where Real Madrid triumphed 2-0 to secure their 15th title, followed by another home fixture against AC Milan on November 6. Another highly anticipated match is the away game against Liverpool on November 28, rekindling a rivalry that saw Real Madrid victorious in the UCL finals of both 2017-18 and 2021-22.
They will kick off their campaign against VfB Stuttgart at home on September 18. They will then travel to face LOSC Lille on October 3. A highly anticipated home match against Borussia Dortmund is scheduled for October 23. December 11 sees them away again, this time against Atalanta. They will host Salzburg on January 23 and conclude the league phase with an away match against Brest on January 30.
Knockout Stages and Other Competitions
According to Olympics.com, the knockout stages will begin in February. The grand final is set to be held on May 31 at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. Alongside their Champions League campaign, Real Madrid will also compete in La Liga, the Supercopa de España, and the Copa del Rey, making for a packed and challenging season.
Doubts Revealed
Real Madrid -: Real Madrid is a famous football (soccer) club from Spain. They are known for winning many trophies and have a lot of fans around the world.
UCL -: UCL stands for UEFA Champions League. It’s a big football tournament in Europe where the best teams from different countries compete.
VfB Stuttgart -: VfB Stuttgart is a football club from Germany. They play in the Bundesliga, which is the top football league in Germany.
Santiago Bernabeu -: Santiago Bernabeu is the home stadium of Real Madrid. It’s a very big and famous stadium in Madrid, Spain.
36 clubs -: In the new league format, 36 football teams from different countries in Europe will compete in the UEFA Champions League.
Borussia Dortmund -: Borussia Dortmund is a football club from Germany. They are known for their passionate fans and strong team.
AC Milan -: AC Milan is a football club from Italy. They have won many trophies and are one of the most successful clubs in Europe.
Liverpool -: Liverpool is a football club from England. They have a rich history and have won many titles, including the UEFA Champions League.
Atalanta -: Atalanta is a football club from Italy. They have been performing well in recent years and are known for their attacking style of play.
knockout stages -: The knockout stages are the part of the tournament where teams play against each other in matches where the loser is eliminated from the competition.
Allianz Arena -: Allianz Arena is a big football stadium in Munich, Germany. It is the home stadium of Bayern Munich, another famous football club.
La Liga -: La Liga is the top professional football league in Spain. Real Madrid competes in this league against other Spanish teams.
Supercopa de España -: Supercopa de España is a football competition in Spain. It features the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
Copa del Rey -: Copa del Rey is a knockout football competition in Spain. Teams from different levels of Spanish football compete in this tournament.