German media: Teams with high rankings in the Champions League stage can get the advantage of being away first and then home in the knockout stage

Sports     2:27am, 17 September 2025

German media sports1 reported that the UEFA Champions League system will usher in major adjustments starting this season, and the team with the highest ranking in the league stage will gain a home advantage in the key second leg from the quarter-finals.

Specifically, the top four teams will play at home in the second leg of the quarterfinals, and the top two teams will also enjoy home privileges in the second leg of the semifinals.

If a team with this privilege is eliminated early in the knockout round, its opponent team will gain a home advantage, and the home advantage of last season was decided by a draw.

Clubs such as Barcelona and Arsenal have raised objections to this rule after being forced to play the second leg away in the knockout stage.

The home advantage in the second round also includes that if the game enters overtime, the home team can enjoy 30 more minutes of home game time than the away team.