The second matchday of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League brought with it a wave of excitement and drama. With the new league-phase format in full swing, teams across Europe fought for crucial points to secure their place in the knockout stages.
Dortmund and Brest Dominate
Borussia Dortmund and Brest have emerged as early frontrunners, both sitting atop the standings with perfect records. Dortmund’s impressive goal difference of +9 and Brest’s solid defensive performance have them well-positioned for a Round of 16 berth.
Benfica, Leverkusen, and Liverpool in the Hunt
Benfica, Leverkusen, and Liverpool are also making strong starts, having secured six points each. Their consistent performances and positive goal differences keep them in contention for top spots.
Struggling Giants: Real Madrid, PSG, and Milan
Traditional European powerhouses Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan have faced early challenges. While they have managed to secure some points, their performances have been below expectations.
Teams in Danger of Elimination
Young Boys, Slovan Bratislava, Salzburg, and Sturm Graz find themselves in perilous positions at the bottom of the table. With zero points and negative goal differences, they face an uphill battle to stay in the competition.
Key Takeaways
- Dortmund and Brest are setting the pace.
- Benfica, Leverkusen, and Liverpool are close behind.
- Real Madrid, PSG, and Milan are struggling.
- Young Boys, Slovan Bratislava, Salzburg, and Sturm Graz are in danger of elimination.
- The race for knockout phase spots is heating up.
Full Table breakdown after Match Day 2
Automatic qualification spots:
Borussia Dortmund: 6 points, +9 GD (1st)
Brest: 6 points, +5 GD (2nd)
Leverkusen: 6 points, +5 GD (4th)
Liverpool: 6 points, +4 GD (5th)
Aston Villa: 6 points, +4 GD (6th)
Juventus: 6 points, +3 GD (7th)
Manchester City: 4 points, +4 GD (8th)
Knockout phase play-off places:
Inter: 4 points, +4 GD (9th)
Sparta Praha: 4 points, +3 GD (10th)
Atalanta: 4 points, +3 GD (11th)
Sporting CP: 4 points, +2 GD (12th)
Arsenal: 4 points, +2 GD (13th)
Monaco: 4 points, +1 GD (14th)
Bayern München: 3 points, +6 GD (15th)
Barcelona: 3 points, +4 GD (16th)
Real Madrid: 3 points, +1 GD (17th)
Lille: 3 points, – 1 GD (18th)
Paris Saint-Germain: 3 points, -1 GD (18th)
Celtic: 3 points, -2 GD (20th)
Club Brugge: 3 points, -2 GD (21st)
Feyenoord: 3 points, -3 GD (22nd)
Atleti: 3 points, -3 GD (23rd)
PSV: 1 point, -2 GD (24th)
Elimination places:
Stuttgart: 1 point, -2 GD (24th)
Bologna: 1 point, -2 GD (26th)
Shakhtar Donetsk: 1 point, -3 GD (27th)
GNK Dinamo: 1 point, -7 GD (28th)
Leipzig: 0 points, -2 GD (29th)
Girona: 0 points, -2 GD (30th)
Sturm Graz: 0 points, -2 GD (31st)
Milan: 0 points, -3 GD (32nd)
Crvena Zvezda: 0 points, -5 GD (33rd)
Salzburg: 0 points, -7 GD (34th)
Slovan Bratislava: 0 points, -8 GD (35th)
Young Boys: 0 points, -8 GD (36th)
Looking ahead
As we move into the next round of fixtures, teams like Dortmund and Brest will be looking to maintain their perfect start, while struggling giants like Real Madrid and PSG will need to rediscover their form quickly.
With many teams tightly packed in the middle of the table, every point will be crucial as the race to the knockout stages heats up.
