The Champions League is the pinnacle of club soccer in Europe. It crowns the best teams in the continent and has witnessed the evolution of the sport from its birth to the present day. Its rich history has seen the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United and Bayern Munich win multiple titles. It has also given rise to the world’s most prolific strikers such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski.
The tournament started in 1955-56 as the European Cup with 16 teams competing from different countries. It later expanded to include 24 clubs in a group phase and three knockout stages. In 1992 the competition underwent a revamp that would see it take on a new format with games played in groups before a final between the top two sides.
During the group stage, teams play three matches each against the other four teams in their pool. Two of these matches are home and one away and the team that scores more goals overall progresses.
After the group stage, the remaining eight teams enter a single knockout round draw where they are seeded based on their final league position. The top four sides go straight into the quarter-finals while those in positions nine to 24 face a playoff for the other eight spots in the semi-finals.
The semi-finals are both two legged affairs and the two winners will advance to the final at a venue that is determined prior to the tournament. The top four sides will earn a lucrative spot in the next year’s competition while those that are eliminated from the tournament go back to their domestic league to continue their quest for glory.