UEFA Champions League season has rewritten the script of European football. With a new 36-team format and a single-league phase, underdog clubs like Brest, Lille, and Aston Villa have taken full advantage,

But for every top team underperforming, there's an underdog seizing their moment and taking their place. And during this phase, Aston Villa, Lille, Brest, Celtic and Club Brugge certainly rose to the occasion as they all secured unexpected placings in the next round.

School friendship may help explain mystery of why someone with no obvious connection to the club ended up becoming their most famous fan

Lille gatecrashed the top eight of the Champions League standings and booked an automatic place in the last 16 by crushing hapless Feyenoord 6-1.

Feyenoord finished 19th with 13 points, and they will face either Milan or PSV in the play-offs later this month

Ruben Amorim insisted that despite his difficult start as Manchester United manager, his side must target winning the Europa League after booking their last-16 spot with a 2-0 victory at Steaua Bucharest on Thursday.

Follow 5 Live commentary and live text as Monaco host Aston Villa and Liverpool face Lille in the Champions League.

Aston Villa transfer latest and an update on the linked playmaker Tyler Dibling, who could complete a move in either this window or the next

With two victories at the beginning of 2025, Real Madrid improved on their inconsistent 2024–2025 UEFA Champions League season's start.

The Champions League is down to 24 teams, and yes, giants such as Man City and Paris Saint-Germain made it through in the end. Let's review the league phase and the best XI, and project who's winning it all.

Here's the state of play after the conclusion of the first stage of the Champions League: Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, Aston Villa. Monaco or Brest vs. Paris Saint-Germain or Benfica (for the right to play Liverpool or Barcelona)