Supercomputer predicts who among Arsenal, Real Madrid, Man City, Liverpool and other clubs will win Champions League
A supercomputer has predicted who among Arsenal, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Liverpool and other clubs will win the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League. The number of teams taking part has increased from 32 to 36 in the new format of the competition. All 36 clubs will participate in a single league phase, instead of the previous group stage format where 32 participants were divided into eight groups of four.
Each team will play against eight different teams, with half of those matches at home and the other half away. The teams will be divided into four pots containing teams of similar strength based on individual club coefficients. Each team will then have to play two opponents from each of these pots.
The top eight teams after the league phase will move on to the knockout rounds while the teams ranked ninth to 24th will participate in two-legged playoffs to gain a spot in the Round of 16. The ninth to 16th ranked teams will compete in the knockout phase play-off draw against teams placed 17th to 24th. The eight teams that qualify will each face one of the top-eight finishers.
From the Round of 16 the competition will progress as usual, leading to the final staged at a neutral venue selected by UEFA. Teams that end up 25th or lower in the league phase will be eliminated, with no entry to the UEFA Europa League.
Grosvenor Sport's supercomputer has predicted Manchester City to win the Champions League this season, beating Real Madrid in the final. Arsenal, however, will be eliminated in the quarter-finals by Liverpool.
The supercomputer predicted that Arsenal and Liverpool will fight for their spot in the last-16 after finishing 10th and 18th respectively. Real Madrid will top the rankings with Manchester City coming fifth and Aston Villa finishing seventh in the league phase following which they will be eliminated in the last-16 by Leipzig 5-4 on aggregate.
Liverpool are predicted to defeat Monaco in the play-offs before beating Atalanta on penalties in the last-16 and then winning 4-2 on aggregate against Arsenal in the quarter-finals. The Reds are predicted to suffer a 4-3 loss on aggregate against Real Madrid in the semi-finals.
Arsenal are predicted to defeat Sparta Praha in their play-off match prior to winning against Atletico Madrid in the last-16. According to the supercomputer, Manchester City will defeat PSG on penalties in the last-16 and then pull off a 5-2 win on aggregate against Barcelona in the last eight.
Liverpool and Real Madrid's head-to-head record in the UEFA Champions League
Liverpool and Real Madrid have faced each other 11 times in the Champions League over the years, including the 1980-81 season when it was called the European Cup. Los Blancos have bagged seven wins, including the final in 2018 and 2022, while the Reds have won three. Only one of their encounters ended in a draw (2021).
The European giants last faced each other in the Round of 16 of the Champions League in the 2022-23 campaign, where the Reds lost 6-2 on aggregate. They also squared off in the 2020-21 quarter-finals and the 2014-15 group stage, with Los Blancos securing wins on both occasions.
Overall, Real Madrid have lifted the UEFA Champions League a record 15 times, while Liverpool have won six.