The Champions League is back with the European champions kicking off the defence of their title this Tuesday at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium against Stuttgart (9pm CEST). They are a side we have never come up against in the history of European competitions and it will be the first of eight matches our team will face in the first phase of the new format of this competition. Three of the remaining seven will be at home (Borussia Dortmund, Milan and Salzburg) and the other four away (Lille, Liverpool, Atalanta and Brest).

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIRST-ROUND FIXTURE LIST
Matchday 1: Real Madrid-Stuttgart(Tuesday, 17 September, 9pm)
Matchday 2: Lille-Real Madrid (Wednesday, 2 October, 9pm)
Matchday 3: Real Madrid-Borussia Dortmund (Tuesday 22 October, 9pm)
Matchday 4: Real Madrid-Milan(Tuesday, 5 November, 9pm)
Matchday 5: Liverpool-Real Madrid (Wednesday 27 November, 9pm)
Matchday 6: Atalanta-Real Madrid (Tuesday, 10 December, 9pm)
Matchday 7: Real Madrid-Salzburg (Wednesday, 22 January, 9pm)
Matchday 8: Brest-Real Madrid (Wednesday, 29 January, 9pm)

The new format
All 36 teams will share standings during the first round. Running from 17 September to 29 January, the top eight go straight through to the Round of 16, with the teams from 9th to 24th place playing in an intermediate round of two-legged ties. The remaining teams are eliminated, and will not qualify for the Europa League. The traditional path continues from the round of 16 to the final, which this year will take place on 31 May 2025 in Munich.