Champions League still belongs to the strong

PSG had a devastating 7-2 victory over Leverkusen.

The new format of the 2025/26 Champions League has long been expected to bring more fairness and drama. However, what has happened since the beginning of the season has only shown a significant improvement in the number of goals and entertainment. Surprises are rare.

A total of 71 goals were scored on the 22nd and 23rd of October, setting a new tournament record. Most of the matches were a feast for the eyes, surpassing the tight defensive rounds of the past.

However, when looking at the rankings updated to October 23, everything seems to be "back to normal": the European giants continue to dominate, while surprises are just temporary spices.

Goal explosion

The new format of the tournament once again brought out the attacking instinct, with each club playing just eight games (four home, four away) before being ranked overall. With goal difference being the primary factor in the overall standings (after points), matches were now more open, leading to a flurry of goals in the third round.

On October 22, PSG crushed Leverkusen 7-2, Barcelona destroyed Olympiacos 6-1, and PSV Eindhoven crushed Napoli 6-2. On October 23, Chelsea "ripped apart" Ajax 5-1, Liverpool crushed Frankfurt 5-1, and Bayern Munich easily defeated Club Brugge 4-0. These numbers not only attract audiences but also prove that, when the pressure of caution is removed, coaches are willing to take more risks with their attack.

The total number of goals scored in this round reached 71, the highest since the new format was introduced last season. This makes the Champions League more "breathable" for viewers, but also raises the question: Is this explosion sustainable, or is it just an illusion from the initially comfortable schedule?

The strong assert their position.

The overwhelming victories of PSG, Barca, Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Bayern not only brought home 3 points but also consolidated their position in the top half of the table. In contrast, teams like Ajax, Kairat or Copenhagen can hardly create a surprise. Even teams expected to be dark horses like Leverkusen, Napoli, Benfica are struggling and are at risk of being eliminated early.

No one can stop Bayern.

This proves that the new format is not enough to overthrow the old order. After the third round of matches, the overall standings (based on points, goal difference and other criteria) show a clear division.

Top 8 (directly entering the knockout round) is still the playground of clubs with rich traditions and big budgets such as Bayern Munich, PSG, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Arsenal (all 9 points) or Dortmund, Manchester City (all 7 points).

Looking at this situation, it is easy to see that "strong players" such as PSG (reigning champion), Inter (reigning runner-up), Bayern, Arsenal, Real Madrid or Man City, Liverpool are still leading the race. Surprises such as Newcastle (8th place with 6 points after beating Benfica) or Galatasaray (14th place with victory over Bodø/Glimt) are just small sparks, not enough to challenge the order.

The new Champions League format has certainly brought an explosion of goals and drama, making the tournament more accessible to fans. However, things have remained the same: the strong continue to dominate the rankings, and the real battle only begins in the knockout stages.

Will there be any surprises in the next rounds? We'll see, but one thing is for sure: European football's power is still in the hands of the giants.

Source: https://znews.vn/champions-league-van-thuoc-ve-ke-manh-post1596155.html