UEFA changed the format of the Champions League and increased the number of teams to 36 from 32, with the group stage now abolished and the League Phase introduced, from the 2024-25 season in view that the competition will bring out more exciting results with each team playing eight different opposition home and away in a league format of the Swiss Model. The top eight teams qualify directly to the last 16, teams ranked 9th to 24th moving into the playoffs while those finishing 25th or below are eliminated. Their idea is working well early with teams giving their absolute best now the stakes for each game increased in the new format.
The new League Phase has also opened up opportunities for low-budget clubs to stun the top spenders in Europe. The teams are using their home atmosphere to take full points and keep the pressure on those above them in the table. The increase in domestic league slots for the Champions League has allowed them to enter the competition in the first place and they have made sure to transit their fairy tales on the continental front as well. Fans have been treating these David versus Goliath battles from the off and hoping such surprising results pop up throughout the season.
Here are the shock results in the League Phase we have seen so far:
AS Monaco 2-1 FC Barcelona - Stade Louis-11, Monaco (Matchweek 1)
The first major upset came in France when Monaco, returning to the Champions League stage after five years, hosted Barcelona making a dominating start to their La Liga campaign under new boss Hansi Flick. The Blaugranas were favourites in the tie and most expected to start the inaugural League Phase of the competition in the same fashion. However, disaster struck when centre-back Eric Garcia was sent off in just the 10th minute of the match for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Monaco, already launching attacks on the opposition box, flexed their muscle following the dismissal and took the lead through Maghnes Akliouche six minutes later. Euro star Lamine Yamal got 10-men Barcelona back on level terms with an excellent left-footed finish close to the half-hour mark for his Champions League goal but he failed to cherish the feat as Monaco eventually grabbed the winner with their youngest-ever scorer in the competition George Ilenikhena. The Principality club ended their longest winless streak by a French side in European competitions of 14 matches whereas Barca suffered the season's first defeat.
FC Salzburg 0-4 Brest - Red Bull Arena, Salzburg (Matchweek 2)
Among the teams making their debut in the Champions League is Brest whose fairytale campaign in Ligue 1, a third-place finish, allowed them to enter any European competition for the first time in their 121-year-old history. Les Pirates proved they were not just making up the numbers by clinching a 2-1 home win over Austrian champions Sturm Graz in their first-ever Champions League game but the best was yet to come. Facing another Austrian outfit in FC Salzburg who are record domestic winners and Champions League regulars, Brest was expected to feel the pressure in this first continental away trip. Eric Roy’s side again showed they are accustomed to create miracles as the visitors ran riot over the home team, who lost heavily in their tournament opener as well, with the Senegalese Abdallah Sima scoring a brace alongside strikes from Mahdi Camara and Mama Baldé in the 4-0 resounding victory. Brest became the first side since Sheriff Tirasspol in 2021 to win the first two games of their debut Champions League campaign and just the second club from France since PSG in 1994 to achieve so.
Aston Villa 1-0 Bayern Munich - Villa Park, Birmingham (Matchweek 2)
Record Europa League-winning coach Unai Emery did wonders in his first season with Aston Villa by guiding them to a top-four place in the Premier League, their highest finish since the 1995-96 season, allowing them to enter the Champions League for the first time in 41 years. The Villains opened the League Phase with a 3-0 bashing of Young Boys but their memorable night came in the second week when they welcomed Bundesliga juggernauts Bayern Munich at the Villa Park. Vincent Kompany’s side came into the match unbeaten, staying top of their domestic league table and thrashing Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 in their Champions League opener. However, the Belgian did not expect this reception on his return to England nor did Harry Kane after Villa defeated his side with substitute Jhon Duran scoring the decisive goal in the 79th minute in the 1-0 victory. Spotting Manuel Nueur off his line, the Colombian scooped the keeper to the sheer joy of the home fans. However, the result would not have been possible if captain Emiliano Martinez had not made those spectacular saves denying Serge Gnabry and Kane in stoppage time.
Lille 1-0 Real Madrid - Decathlon Arena, Lille (Matchweek 2)
Despite these fascinating results, the mother of all shocks was about to happen with a French club involved again. Going through a shaky form, Lille welcomed record holders Real Madrid expecting nothing less than a miracle to slew the Goliath. Carlo Ancelotti's team, who won their 15th crown last season, was carrying a 14-game unbeaten run in the competition and were just a win away from matching their own record set in 2017 under Zinedine Zidane. However, Lille became the unlikely team to stun the guests and nabbed their unbeaten record with their star striker Jonathan David‘s penalty in first-half stoppage-time made the difference. Despite being the only Ligue 1 outfit to lose in the opening week, Les Dogues showed determination on their own turf keeping the opposition’s second-choice keeper Andriy Lunin replacing the injured Thibaut Courtois busy and making sure Los Blancos suffer even with fit-again Kylian Mbappe’s introduction in the second-half. With Lucas Chevalier making five important saves and the back-five marshaling well to keep out an in-form attack, Lille will enjoy this win for long. This was Madrid's first Champions League loss since getting thumped 4-0 in the 2022-23 semi-finals by Manchester City and their first in the group stages since October 2022.
