A supercomputer has produced surprising predictions for the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League, including shock outcomes for Premier League sides Liverpool and Arsenal in the league stage.
The tournament, which has kicked off tonight, introduces a revamped format, with 36 teams competing in a single-league phase before advancing to the knockout rounds.
New Format Explained:
- Single League Table: Instead of traditional group stages, all 36 teams are placed in a single league. Each team plays eight matches—four at home and four away—against different opponents.
- Qualification for Knockout Rounds: The top eight teams will advance directly to the last 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th will face off in a two-legged playoff for the remaining spots. Teams finishing 25th or lower will be eliminated from all European competition.
- Knockout Rounds: From the last-16 stage, the competition follows its traditional knockout format.
Grosvenor Sport’s supercomputer (via The Sun) has delivered a bold set of predictions, naming the teams likely to finish in the top 8 and those expected to battle it out in the playoff rounds.
Top 8 Predictions:
- Manchester City (5th)
- Aston Villa (7th)
- Real Madrid
- Inter Milan
- Bayern Munich
- Barcelona
- Atlético Madrid
- Atalanta
Arsenal and Liverpool’s shocking fate
Arsenal, last season’s Premier League runners-up, are predicted to finish 10th, narrowly missing out on automatic qualification to the knockout stages.
Liverpool, in a stunning twist, are tipped to finish as low as 18th, placing them in a perilous position in the playoff round.
Despite these results, the supercomputer predicts both English sides will progress to the last-16 through the playoff route.
Manchester City and Aston Villa are the only Premier League teams expected to finish in the top 8, with Aston Villa making a surprising appearance in 7th. Arsenal and Liverpool, while predicted to struggle in the league phase, are still expected to reach the last 16.
See the full league stage prediction below
Predicted knockout outcomes
Manchester City are backed to make a deep run, beating Barcelona in the quarter-finals and setting up a semi-final showdown against RB Leipzig.
Arsenal are expected to fall short once again, facing a quarter-final exit at the hands of Liverpool, who would go on to lose to Real Madrid in the semi-finals.
Final Prediction
The supercomputer has set up an exciting final between defending champions Real Madrid and Premier League champions Manchester City.
However, Pep Guardiola’s side is predicted to secure a 2-0 victory, earning the club its second Champions League title and avenging previous defeats to the Spanish giants.