Number of participants: 76 or 77; 32 clubs – at the group stage.
Teams get into the Champions League group stage either directly or after the qualifying round. The place depends on the national championship standings position and on the country rate in the corresponding UEFA table.
Regulations provide a set of rules, dealing with situations, in which two or more teams have the same number of points. First of all, games, in which clubs act as opponents, are compared: scores, goal difference, the amount of goals and away goals. If figures are equal in these cases, rates on all matches of these teams are calculated in the same order. The overall difference between scored and missed balls, the total amount of goals and, lastly, the highest rank of a club and a national association for the recent 5 years may be taken into account, too.
The Champions League qualifying tournament consists of three qualifying rounds and a play-off. At every stage each of the teams has two (home and away) matches with one opponent. The team with a greater score resulting from two matches moves to the next round. When figures are equal, the away goals rule is applied. If this doesn’t help single out the strongest team, penalty shootout is awarded.
32 teams participate in the group stage of the tournament. Five of them have made the Way of Champions and five – the Way of Leagues Representatives. Other 22 teams get directly into the group stage. All participants are divided into eight groups of four clubs. The team plays one home and one away match with every group opponent. Two best teams of each group enter the play-off. “Bronze” places in the group stage secure a ticket to the Europa League 1/16 match.
Starting from the final 1/8 participants keep to the scheme corresponding to the qualification stage system: each has one home and one away match. According to draw group winning teams play against clubs taken second places. Herewith members of the same quartet or representatives of the same national association cannot form a pair. At the stage of the quarter-finals the draw is held without restrictions. One final match outcomes determine the winner of the tournament.
