More teams, more games – and more goals.
When the current League format was introduced at the start of the 2024-25 season, Europe’s elite club competition delivered all of the above and more.
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In particular, the intended part.
Already trending upwards through two campaigns, the real goals are in this year’s bombshell competition.
187 goals have been scored so far at an average of 4.16 per game – the highest in Champions League history.
“Look at how many goals they’ve scored, it’s phenomenal,” ex-Manchester United and England winger Ashley Young said on BBC Radio 5 Live. “The attackers are getting ready for the clinic.”
Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock has described his goalscoring code as “unbelievable” – just how unusual is it?
What does the city say?
Ready for many numbers?
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Not only is the current goals-per-game percentage the highest ever in the Champions League, it is the third highest in European Cup history – behind only 1959-60 (4.19) and 1955-56 (4.38).
While he scored 40 goals in nine games on Tuesday, last week was more impressive.
Last Wednesday, he is the third highest-scoring player in Champions League history (46 goals), bettered only by the 2024-25 and 2025-26 league finals, when 18 matches were played.
The 78 goals scored on Tuesday and Wednesday last week were the two highest matchday goals in history.
He scored nine more than the total in one season this season (69) – which was the second highest-scoring matchday at the time since the new league season was introduced in 2024-25.
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Will we see the rating fall again this week? It’s already the middle.
More entertainment = more quality?
Ever since UEFA announced their plans to change the Champions League format in 2021, the impact on the match has been a hot topic. Scrutiny only grew when changes were made to the season for the 2024-25 season.
After beginning life as a six-team invitational tournament in 1955-56 before growing to a 32-team knockout tournament in 1967, the Champions League as we know it began in 1992.
A group stage has been added, with the last 16 entrants knocking time. There was a brief spell with two group stages, but this reverted to a single group-stage format for the 2003–04 tournament.
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The group stage previously featured 32 teams in eight groups, with the top two sides from each of those groups qualifying for the last 16.
At the start of the 2024-25 season, the group stage was replaced with a 36-team Easter league, with each side playing eight one-off fixtures for six games against three teams.
The top eight finishers will be knocked directly to the finish line, with those placed ninth through 24th entering the dramatic double play.
The bottom eight are eliminated, meaning that after eight rounds there are still four teams in the competition. Some argue that it creates a lack of risk-taking, which encourages teams to act sooner.
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But do more goals equal better quality?
“I think the party went up, although I’m not sure how it went up,” The Times football writer Tom Arnott told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“If I’m looking for games it’s clear to watch and be happy because football itself is fantastic – but what do they mean?
“Lack of risks, why would PSG and Barcelona play to lead, why not for him? If you need five of the eight games you have on the margin. If it is good. I think the format allows all the teams to solve.
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“It’s an entertainment benefit, but I think sometimes you have to step away from these peers and still think, ‘What does it mean?’
Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.
Also the Champions League match of the day on BBC One on Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.