Excitement Begins for the New Season in the UEFA Champions League
The first-week matches of European football's most prestigious tournament will be played, Turkish representatives will take the stage, and a commemoration will be held for the flood disaster.
The new season in the UEFA Champions League, the most important organization of European football at the club level, kicks off with the first-week matches to be played this week. Among the teams representing Turkey in the tournament, Galatasaray will be the guest of Sporting away, while Fenerbahçe will face Roma at home.
First Week Matches and Our Representatives' Schedule
A total of 18 matches will meet football fans in the first week of European football's most important club-level organization.
Galatasaray, one of the Turkish representatives in the tournament, will be the guest of Portuguese team Sporting away on Wednesday, August 9.
Fenerbahçe will fight by hosting Italian representative Roma at its home ground on Thursday, August 10.
Format and Criteria of the New Season
36 teams will compete in the organization, which will be played in a league format starting this season, and teams will play a total of 8 matches each.
Teams that manage to rank in the top 8 as a result of the eighth matches will advance directly to the round of 16.
16 teams ranking between 9th and 24th in the league table will fight for a place in the round of 16 through two-legged elimination matches.
Teams outside the top 24 in the points table will bid farewell to European cups.
Moment of Silence for the Flood Disaster in Nepal
Before all matches to be played this week in the UEFA Champions League, those affected by the major flood disaster that occurred in Nepal on August 26 will be commemorated.
A moment of silence will be observed for those who lost their lives and those affected by the disaster before the matches start.
Special banners reading "You are not alone Nepal" will be displayed on the field during the match ceremony.
Support Message from UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin made an institutional statement regarding the disaster and shared his feelings and thoughts.
In his statement, Ceferin stated that the entire European football family will stand together to offer its deepest condolences and support to the people of Nepal before this week's matches.
President Ceferin also wished strength and resilience to the people of Nepal during this great tragedy and the difficult process that followed.