The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League season has kicked off in an exciting fashion, with Matchday 2 seeing several surprises and intense competition. As European teams battle for top spots and a chance to advance to the knockout stages, the new league format has heightened the competition. Over Tuesday and Wednesday, fans witnessed thrilling encounters that underscored the unpredictability of this season’s campaign.
While some clubs are winning, others, including European heavyweights like Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), are facing early challenges.
Borussia Dortmund has emerged as one of the standout teams so far. After two matches, they top the table with a perfect record of six points and an impressive +9 goal difference. Their strong performances suggest they are well on track to secure a place in the Round of 16. Brest is another team making waves, sitting in second place with six points and a +5 goal difference. The French side has shown solid attacking power and has surprised many with their excellent start.
Alongside Dortmund and Brest, Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen, and Liverpool have also secured maximum points from their opening two games. Benfica’s defensive strength has earned them a +5 goal difference, matching Leverkusen’s tally. Liverpool is close behind with a +4 goal difference, as all three teams aim to keep up with the leaders in the fight for direct qualification to the knockout phase.
Aston Villa and Juventus are proving to be serious contenders, both with six points after two matches. Villa’s impressive 1-0 win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday has boosted their hopes of advancing, while Juventus also stays firmly in the hunt. Manchester City, with four points and a +4 goal difference, is not far behind and remains a strong force in the competition.
Several of Europe’s traditional football giants are struggling to find their rhythm. Real Madrid, despite their reputation as a European powerhouse, has only managed three points, with a slim +1 goal difference. PSG is in a similar situation, also sitting on three points but with a worrying -1 goal difference. Both clubs need to improve quickly if they are to secure safe passage to the knockout stages.
Elsewhere, Bayern Munich and Barcelona have three points each, though Bayern holds a significant +6 goal difference, while Barcelona sits at +4. AC Milan, one of the most successful clubs in European history, has failed to register a single point so far, and they find themselves in a precarious position.
At the bottom of the table, clubs like Young Boys and Slovan Bratislava are in serious danger of early elimination, having lost both of their matches and carrying a dismal -8 goal difference. Teams such as Salzburg, Sturm Graz, and Leipzig are also in difficult situations, needing significant turnarounds in the coming weeks to stay alive in the tournament.
FULL TABLE BELOW
Borussia Dortmund: 6 points, +9 GD (1st)
Brest: 6 points, +5 GD (2nd)
Benfica: 6 points, +5 GD (3rd)
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)
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)
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)
