New Year New Luck? - UEFA Champions League MD7 21 January 2025

The first ever league phase of the UEFA Champions League is now reaching its business end. Some teams can already plan for the knock-out stages and some have not chance on that phase already. But for many of the 36 teams involved, it is now all about gathering points to make it as far as possible. Big names like Manchester City or Paris St-Germain are way down the table - not where they want to be. They will need to make the upcoming two games count to stand a chance of winning the prestigious UEFA Champions League title in spring 2025. Yet, the Road to Munich is still pretty long for everyone. Time to have a look at who needs what from these upcoming games and of course who is traveling when and how.

21 January 2025

AS Monaco vs. Aston Villa

16th/10 pts vs. 5th/13 pts

18.45h CET, Stade Louis II, Monte Carlo

Both these sides should make it into the knockout stages, but they are playing for higher ambitions. Aston Villa may not have expected to run that high in the competition. Yet they are even looking for a direct qualification for the round of 16. A win would help them a lot in achieving this particular goal on the way to Champions League glory.

LS6878 BHX xxxx-1510 NCE B738 (20/01/25)

LS6879 NCE 2300-xxxx BHX B738 (21/01/25)

G-DRTN, Jet2, Boeing 737-800
seen arriving at London-Stansted in May 2024

Atalanta Bergamo vs. SK Sturm Graz

13th/11 pts vs. 29th/3 pts

21.00h, Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo

The Austrian champions are finding life in the Champions League a bit difficult it seems. They need maximum points in Bergamo to stand a chance of qualifying for the knock-out stages. Meanwhile, the hosts are looking to consolidate their already decent outcome in the league phase with another win.

ENT568P KTW xxxx-1445 GRZ B738 (20/01/25, ferry flight)

ENT569 GRZ 1545-xxxx BGY B738 (20/01/25)

Atlético Madrid vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen

11th/12 pts vs. 4th/13 pts

21.00h, Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid

With more than two points on average per game, both teams sit nicely on the table. The visitors from Germany are up in fourth place and will definitely look to consolidate this spot in order to save themselves from the play-off round in February. The Metropolitano is not an easy place to go and play a game though. So expect Atlético to resist the German champions with everything they have. After all, the hosts still play for the direct qualification into the round of 16 as well.

PVG3992 CGN 1550-1830 MAD A321 (20/01/25)

PVG3991 MAD 1345-xxxx CGN A321 (22/01/25)

SL Benfica vs. FC Barcelona

15th/10 pts vs. 2nd/15 pts

21.00h CET (20.00h local time), Estadio da Luz, Lisbon

Visiting Barcelona have snuck through the league phase so far and worked themselves up in the table to the second spot, only behind Liverpool. Their objective for this game must clearly be to win and thereby securing the direct admission to the round of 16. Benfica will try and keep the points in Lisbon however, with the competition for the next rounds waiting in the spots behind.

UX937 BCN 1050-1100 LIS B738 (20/01/25)

UX938 LIS 0010-0310 BCN B738 (22/01/25)

Bologna FC vs. Borussia Dortmund

33rd/2 pts vs. 9th/12 pts

21.00h, Stadio Renato Dall'ara, Bologna

There are no less than 24 places between these two sides. Dortmund are right in the battle for the top 8 spots while Bologna are definitely looking for survival in the competition. Only a win will be good enough for Bologna. Anything else will mean elimination at the end of the league phase. With just two draws from six matches so far, winning against the mighty BVB may be a very tough ask however.

EW1909 DTM xxxx-1705 BLQ A320 D-AEWM (20/01/25)

EW5209 DTM xxxx-1305 BLQ A320 D-ABHF (20/01/25)

Slovan Bratislava vs. VfB Stuttgart

35th/0 pts vs. 26th/7 pts

21.00h CET, Tehelne Pole, Bratislava

As one of three teams, Slovan Bratislava are already eliminated from the UEFA Champions League this season. In six matches, they have not won a single point. German runners-up Stuttgart are not sitting that much higher on the table. In 26th position, they need points urgently to maintain their hopes about a spot in the next round. Expect Stuttgart to do everything in their power to win this game and to continue their first European season in quite some time.

LWG1314 STR 1430-1545 BTS DH8D (20/01/25)

LWG1315 BTS 1200-1315 STR DH8D (22/01/25)

Club Brugge vs. Juventus Turin

19th/10 pts vs. 14th/11 pts

21.00h CET, Jan Breydel Stadion, Brugge

These two teams are very close on the table, with notably Juventus possibly hoping for more points from the league phase so far. Yet, the Italian team must still count as favourites against the Belgian champions Brugge.

AZ9014 TRN 1530-1710 OST A20N (20/01/25)

AZ9927 OST 1800-2020 FCO A20N (20/01/25, ferry flight)

Red Star Belgrade vs. PSV Eindhoven

31st/3 pts vs. 23rd/8 pts

21.00h CET, Maksimir, Belgrade

CD1913 EIN xxxx-1115 BEG B738 (20/01/25)

CD040 EIN xxxx-1215 BEG B39M (20/01/25)

Liverpool FC vs. Lille OSC

1st/18 pts vs. 8th/13 pts

21.00h CET (20.00h local time), Anfield Road, Liverpool

VOE9240 LIL 1630-1635 LPL A320 EC-NOY (20/01/25)

ENT553 LIL 1800-1805 LPL B738 SP-ENM (20/01/25)

ZT751 LIL 1000-1000 LPL A321 G-POWN (21/01/25)

VOE9238 LIL 1015-1020 LPL A320 EC-NON (21/01/25)

UEFA Champions League League Phase MD3 - 22 October 2024

For a lack of available time, the data for this week's matches will be pretty raw. I apologize for that, but will hopefully be able to add more style again from next rounds' matches on.

AC Milan vs. Club Brugge

ENT57WD OST 1100-1245 MXP B738 SP-ESH (21/10/24)

ENT52JD OST 0900-1045 MXP B738 SP-ESH

AS Monaco vs. Red Star Belgrade

JU9040 BEG 1330-1535 NCE A320 YU-APO (21/10/24)

JU9041 NCE 2330-0120(+1) BEG A320 YU-APO (22/10/24)

An AirSerbia Airbus A320 seen at Zurich in June 2023

Aston Villa vs. AC Bologna

AZ9028 BLQ 1455-1625 BHX A20N EI-HOJ (21/10/24)

NO9050 BLQ 1050-1125 BHX B38M EI-RZC

ED4402 BLQ 1100-1210 BHX B738 OM-KEX

HT4891 BLQ 1100-1210 BHX B734 9H-GTC

Girona FC vs. Slovan Bratislava

ENT559 BTS xxxx-1145 GRO B738 SP-ESA (21/10/24)

ENT558 GRO 1100-xxxx BTS B738 (23/10/24)

Juventus Turin vs. VfB Stuttgart

ATV210H STR 1145-1255 TRN DH8D D-AASH (21/10/24)

ENT54BE STR 1200-1305 TRN B738 SP-ENL (21/10/24)

ATV230H TRN 0100-0205 STR DH8D D-AASH (23/10/24)

Paris St-Germain vs. PSV Eindhoven

CD040 EIN 0905-1015 CDG B39M (21/10/24)

YW2032 EIN 1130-1240 LBG CRJX EC-MTZ (21/10/24)

YW2033 LBG 1000-1115 EIN EC-LOV (23/10/24)

CD040 CDG 1010-1120 EIN B39M (23/10/24)

Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund

EW5202 DTM 1005-1205 MAD A20N D-AENE (21/10/24)

EW1909 DTM 1500-1700 MAD A320 D-AEWM (21/10/24)

EW1909 MAD 1200-xxxx DTM A320 D-AEWM (23/10/24)

EW5209 MAD 1320-xxxx DTM A320 (23/10/24)

SK Sturm Graz vs. Sporting CP

3L871 BYJ 1530-1920 KLU A343 9H-SUN (21/10/24)

3L872 KLU 1500-xxxx BYJ A343 9H-SUN (23/10/24)

All of Stuttgart on the move - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Matchday 1 - 17 September 2024

Six matches will take place on the first proper day of UEFA Champions League football this season. It is also the Champions League's exclusive week to start with, so Wednesday and Thursday will be packed with Champions League action as well. On every game day, two matches start in the early slot at 18.45h CET, with the remainder to kick off at 21.00h CET.

BSC Young Boys vs. Aston Villa

18.45h, Stadion Wankdorf, Bern

While Young Boys have been to the Champions League three times before, Aston Villa will make their debut in the group or league stages of the competition. In fact, the last time the club competed in the main European Cup was in 1982/83, off the back of winning the European Cup the season before. They qualified for the 2024/25 edition as the 4th-placed team of the Premier League.

T3 9597 BHX xxxx-1645 BSL BRN E170 (16/09/24)

BRO988A BHX 1100-1330 BRN B737 G-NEWG (16/09/24)

BRO999P BRN 1445-1515 LTN B737 G-NEWG (16/09/24)

T3 9598 BSL 2330-xxxx(+1) BHX E170 (17/09/24)

Juventus Turin vs. PSV Eindhoven

18.45h, Juventus Stadium, Turin

Two traditional guests to the group or league stage meet in Turin for their first league phase match. Surely Juventus would have to be favourites on the day. But a Dutch side can never be ruled out completely in international football.

AP1439 EIN 1100-1235 TRN B738 EC-MUB (16/09/24)

CD040 EIN 1115-1250 TRN B738 PH-HXD (16/09/24)

Real Madrid vs. VfB Stuttgart

21.00h, Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid

Last season's Champions League winners are up against one of the more surprising entries for the first match. Real Madrid has made it a habit of winning this particular title. Their opponents Stuttgart however are only rarely in Europe's prime club football competition. A second-place finish in the Bundesliga ahead of Bayern München came as a major surprise. But they will look to replicate performances of past Stuttgart teams for sure. Not only will the VfB Stuttgart team fly to Madrid - there will be plenty of German supporters down in the Spanish capital as well:

DE9140 STR 1115-1330 MAD A320 D-AICE (16/09/24)

SEK1491 STR 1120-1335 MAD A320 (16/09/24)

NGN6902 STR 0740-0955 MAD A320 D-ANDI (17/09/24)

AP1447 STR 0800-1100 MAD B738 EC-MTV (17/09/24)

ART5103 STR xxxx-1100 MAD A333 9H-PTP (17/09/24)

EVE6202 STR 1120-1335 MAD A320 (17/09/24)

NGN6904 STR 1305-1520 MAD A320 D-ANDI (17/09/24)

EC-LZD, Iberojet, Airbus A320

seen at Madrid-Barajas in March 2023

AP1448 MAD 0410-0610 STR B738 (18/09/24)

EVE6201 MAD 0500-0700 STR A320 (18/09/24)

NGN6903 MAD 0630-0830 STR A320 (18/09/24)

ART5104 MAD 0700-0900 STR A333 (18/09/24)

SEK1341 MAD 1330-1530 STR A320 (18/09/24)

DE9141 MAD 1345-1545 STR A320 (18/09/24)

NGN6905 MAD 1240-1440 STR A320 (19/09/24)

AC Milan vs. Liverpool FC

21.00h, San Siro, Milan

These two heavyweights have both seen many successful European campaigns. But none would have started with a wide open league phase like the 2024-25 Champions League. Milan qualified as the runners-up of the Italian Serie A, while Liverpool come into the Champions League as the third-placed team of last season's Premier League. After eight years with Jürgen Klopp on the sideline, Arne Slot is the new manager at Liverpool. Whether he can coach his side to victory away at the iconic San Siro?

BA703P LCY 0730-0815 LPL E190 G-LCAE (16/09/24, ferry flight)

BA7031 LPL 1100-1420 MXP E190 G-LCAE (16/09/24)

BRO990P BOH 1300-1355 LPL B733 G-SWRD (16/09/24, ferry flight)

BRO990 LPL 1540-1840 MXP B733 G-SWRD (16/09/24)

FC Bayern München vs. Dinamo Zagreb

21.00h, Allianz Arena, Munich

Whenever Bayern start into a new season, they do that as favourites for pretty much every competition they play in. Their motivation for the Champions League should be particularly high this year however, with the final taking place at their home ground on 31 May 2025. Having had to watch compatriots Borussia Dortmund playing (although losing) the final this year should be another bit of extra motivation. On the other hand, Dinamo Zagreb do not have much to lose in the Champions League. Yet, after beating Azerbaijan's FK Qarabag to make the Champions League proper, they will look to sell themselves at a high price.

OU1400 ZAG 1350-1445 MUC A319 9A-CTH (16/09/24)

Sporting CP vs. Lille OSC

21.00h (20.00h local time), José Alvalade, Lisbon

This fixture may go slightly under the radar of other matches on this opening day. But Portugal and France are high up in the UEFA rankings for good reasons. Sporting qualified as Portugal's national champion, ahead of Benfica. Lille had to go through the third round and the play-off round to qualify as they only finished their league in fourth position. LOSC will travel to Lisbon with ASL Airlines.

5O735 LIL 1545-1655 LIS B738 F-HIXC (16/09/24)