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2024–25 UEFA Conference League league phase

International football club competition in Europe From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The 2024–25 UEFA Conference League league phase began on 2 October and ended on 19 December 2024. A total of 36 teams competed in the league phase to decide the 24 places in the knockout phase of the 2024–25 UEFA Conference League.

Borac Banja Luka, Celje, Cercle Brugge, 1. FC Heidenheim, Jagiellonia Białystok, Larne, Noah, Pafos, Petrocub Hîncești, The New Saints and Víkingur Reykjavík made their debut appearances in a major UEFA competition group or league phase. Noah became the first club in Conference League history to successfully navigate all four rounds of qualification, while The New Saints and Larne were the first teams from Wales and Northern Ireland associations, respectively, to play in a major UEFA competition group or league stage.[note 1] A total of 29 national associations were represented in the league phase.

This was the first season with the single-league format, which replaced the group format used until the previous season.[1] With the format change, the number of matches prior to the knockout phase increased from 96 to 108. Vitória de Guimarães' Samu was the first-ever goalscorer of the competition's league phase.

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Format

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Each team played six matches, three at home and three away, against six different opponents, with all 36 teams ranked in a single league table. Teams were separated into six pots based on their 2024 UEFA club coefficients, and each team played one team from each of the six pots. The top eight ranked teams received a bye to the round of 16. The teams ranked from 9th to 24th will contest the knockout phase play-offs, with the teams ranked from 9th to 16th seeded for the draw. Teams ranked from 25th to 36th were eliminated from the competition.

Tiebreakers

Teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If two or more teams were equal on points upon completion of the league phase, the following tiebreaking criteria were applied, in the order given, to determine their rankings:[2]

  1. Goal difference;
  2. Goals scored;
  3. Away goals scored;
  4. Wins;
  5. Away wins;
  6. Higher number of points obtained collectively by league phase opponents;
  7. Superior collective goal difference of league phase opponents;
  8. Higher number of goals scored collectively by league phase opponents;
  9. Lower disciplinary points total (direct red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points);
  10. UEFA club coefficient.

During the league phase, criteria 1 to 5 were used to rank teams who had equal number of points. If any teams were equal on points and tied on the first five criteria, they were considered equal in position and sorted alphabetically. Criteria 6 to 10 were only used to break ties upon completion of all matches.[3]

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Teams and seeding

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The 36 teams were divided into six pots of six teams each, with teams allocated to pots based on their 2024 UEFA club coefficients.[4][5] The participants included:

More information Key to colours ...
More information Team, Notes ...

Notes

  1. ECL-CP Winners of play-off round (Champions Path)
  2. ECL-MP Winners of play-off round (Main Path)
  3. EL-PO Losers of Europa League play-off round
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Draw

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The draw for the league phase pairings was held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on 30 August 2024, 14:30 CEST.[6][7] All 36 teams were manually drawn using physical balls. For every team manually drawn, automated software digitally drew their opponents at random, determining which of their matches were at home and which ones were away. Each team faced one opponent from each of the six pots, three of which they faced at home and three away. For the purposes of determining match venues, adjacent pots were paired (Pot 1 with 2, 3 with 4, and 5 with 6) so that, for each pot pairing, teams faced one opponent at home and one away. Teams could not face opponents from their own association, and could only be drawn against a maximum of two sides from the same association. The draw started with Pot 1, assigning opponents to all teams, one after the other, and continued with the other pots in ascending order until all teams were assigned their opponents.[8][9][10]

The switch to a primarily computer-based draw was made due to issues with the complexity and duration required by a manual draw.[11] The draw software, developed by AE Live, guaranteed total randomness within the framework of the draw conditions and prevented any deadlock situations. The software was reviewed by external auditor Ernst & Young, which also provided review and control of the manual and digital draw operations on-site.[8]

The venue for each club's fixtures is shown in brackets below (H: home; A: away).

More information Club, Pot 1 opponent ...
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League phase table

More information Pos, Team ...
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: League phase tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. Away goals scored: Djurgårdens IF 5, Lugano 4.
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Results summary

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Matches

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The fixture list was announced on 31 August 2024, the day after the draw.[13][14][15] This was to ensure no calendar clashes with teams in Champions League and Europa League playing in the same cities.[8]

In principle, each team did not play more than two home matches or two away matches in a row, and played one home match and one away match across both the first and last two matchdays. The matches were played on 3 October, 24 October, 7 November, 28 November, 12 December and 19 December 2024 (exclusive week).[note 2] Matches were generally played on Thursdays. In principle, the scheduled kick-off times were 16:30, 18:45 and 21:00 CET/CEST. All fixtures on the final matchday were played simultaneously at 21:00.[17][18]

Times are CET or CEST,[note 3] as listed by UEFA (local times, if different, are in parentheses).

Matchday 1

More information İstanbul Başakşehir, 1–2 ...
Attendance: 7,622[20]
Referee: Adam Ladebäck (Sweden)

More information Vitória de Guimarães, 3–1 ...
Attendance: 10,263[22]
Referee: Lothar D'hondt (Belgium)

More information 1. FC Heidenheim, 2–1 ...
Attendance: 12,887[24]
Referee: Enea Jorgji (Albania)

More information Cercle Brugge, 6–2 ...
Attendance: 5,195[26]
Referee: Arda Kardeşler (Turkey)

More information Astana, 1–0 ...

More information Dinamo Minsk, 1–2 ...

More information Noah, 2–0 ...
Attendance: 8,000[34]
Referee: Radoslav Gidzhenov (Bulgaria)

More information Legia Warsaw, 1–0 ...
Attendance: 25,385[36]
Referee: Luca Pairetto (Italy)

More information Molde, 3–0 ...
Attendance: 3,400[38]
Referee: Dario Bel (Croatia)

More information Omonia, 4–0 ...
Attendance: 11,153[40]
Referee: Sander van der Eijk (Netherlands)

More information Fiorentina, 2–0 ...
Attendance: 10,751[42]
Referee: Sebastian Gishamer (Austria)

More information Chelsea, 4–2 ...
Attendance: 38,546[44]
Referee: Daniel Schlager (Germany)

More information Copenhagen, 1–2 ...
Attendance: 22,393[46]
Referee: Rob Harvey (Republic of Ireland)

More information Lugano, 3–0 ...
Attendance: 932[49]
Referee: David Dickinson (Scotland)

More information Petrocub Hîncești, 1–4 ...
Attendance: 3,148[51]
Referee: Mikkel Redder (Denmark)

More information Borac Banja Luka, 1–1 ...
Attendance: 4,208[53]
Referee: Elchin Masiyev (Azerbaijan)

More information LASK, 2–2 ...
Attendance: 8,500[55]
Referee: Bulat Sariyev (Kazakhstan)

More information Shamrock Rovers, 1–1 ...
Attendance: 7,111[57]
Referee: Jérémie Pignard (France)

Matchday 2

More information Víkingur Reykjavík, 3–1 ...
Attendance: 1,200[60]
Referee: Vitālijs Spasjoņņikovs (Latvia)

More information APOEL, 0–1 ...
Attendance: 9,173[62]

More information Djurgårdens IF, 1–2 ...
Attendance: 12,666[64]
Referee: Genc Nuza (Kosovo)

More information St. Gallen, 2–4 ...
Attendance: 16,747[66]
Referee: Yigal Frid (Israel)

More information Heart of Midlothian, 2–0 ...
Attendance: 17,178[68]
Referee: Michal Očenáš (Slovakia)

More information Jagiellonia Białystok, 2–0 ...
Attendance: 14,021[70]
Referee: Daniyar Sakhi (Kazakhstan)

More information Gent, 2–1 ...
Attendance: 8,027[72]
Referee: Goga Kikacheishvili (Georgia)

More information Larne, 1–4 ...
Attendance: 5,439[74]
Referee: Vassilios Fotias (Greece)

More information Celje, 5–1 ...
Attendance: 2,175[76]
Referee: Oleksiy Derevinskyi (Ukraine)

More information Panathinaikos, 1–4 ...
Attendance: 59,742[78]
Referee: António Nobre (Portugal)

More information Rapid Wien, 1–0 ...
Attendance: 18,600[80]

More information Mladá Boleslav, 0–1 ...
Attendance: 2,836[82]
Referee: Chrysovalantis Theouli (Cyprus)

More information TSC, 0–3 ...
Attendance: 3,090[84]
Referee: Julian Weinberger (Austria)

More information HJK, 1–0 ...
Attendance: 4,211[86]
Referee: Henrik Nalbandyan (Armenia)

More information Olimpija Ljubljana, 2–0 ...
Attendance: 6,558[88]
Referee: Daniele Chiffi (Italy)

More information Pafos, 0–1 ...
Attendance: 2,511[90]
Referee: Jasper Vergoote (Belgium)

More information Real Betis, 1–1 ...

More information The New Saints, 2–0 ...
Attendance: 2,202[95]
Referee: Juri Frischer (Estonia)

Matchday 3

More information Víkingur Reykjavík, 2–0 ...
Attendance: 902[97]
Referee: Jan Petřík (Czech Republic)

More information Petrocub Hîncești, 0–3 ...
Attendance: 3,879[99]
Referee: Antoni Bandić (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

More information TSC, 4–1 ...
Attendance: 8,584[101]
Referee: Jacob Sundberg (Denmark)

More information HJK, 0–2 ...
Attendance: 6,394[103]

More information Gent, 1–0 ...

More information Legia Warsaw, 4–0 ...
Attendance: 22,723[107]
Referee: Atilla Karaoğlan (Turkey)

More information Pafos, 1–0 ...

More information Shamrock Rovers, 2–1 ...
Attendance: 6,108[111]
Referee: Snir Levy (Israel)

More information APOEL, 2–1 ...

More information Chelsea, 8–0 ...
Attendance: 38,305[115]
Referee: Christian-Petru Ciochirca (Austria)

More information Djurgårdens IF, 2–1 ...
Attendance: 17,376[117]
Referee: Igor Pajač (Croatia)

More information Copenhagen, 2–2 ...
Attendance: 23,070[119]
Referee: Joey Kooij (Netherlands)

More information Heart of Midlothian, 0–2 ...
Attendance: 17,692[121]
Referee: Kristoffer Hagenes (Norway)

More information Jagiellonia Białystok, 3–0 ...
Attendance: 12,478[123]
Referee: Miloš Milanović (Serbia)

More information Larne, 1–2 ...
Attendance: 4,448[125]
Referee: Ishmael Barbara (Malta)

More information LASK, 0–0 ...
Attendance: 8,500[127]
Referee: Radoslav Gidzhenov (Bulgaria)

More information Real Betis, 2–1 ...
Attendance: 37,618[129]
Referee: Novak Simović (Serbia)

More information Vitória de Guimarães, 2–1 ...

Matchday 4

More information İstanbul Başakşehir, 1–1 ...
Attendance: 4,350[133]
Referee: Genc Nuza (Kosovo)

More information Astana, 1–1 ...

More information 1. FC Heidenheim, 0–2 ...

More information Cercle Brugge, 2–0 ...
Attendance: 7,722[139]
Referee: Elchin Masiyev (Azerbaijan)

More information Dinamo Minsk, 1–2 ...
Attendance: 0[141][note 5]
Referee: Michal Očenáš (Slovakia)

More information Noah, 0–0 ...
Attendance: 5,000[143]
Referee: Menelaos Antoniou (Cyprus)

More information St. Gallen, 2–2 ...
Attendance: 15,200[145]
Referee: Jérémie Pignard (France)

More information Borac Banja Luka, 2–1 ...
Attendance: 7,238[147]
Referee: Gustavo Correia (Portugal)

More information Molde, 0–1 ...
Attendance: 2,916[149]
Referee: Damian Sylwestrzak (Poland)

More information Celje, 3–3 ...
Attendance: 3,520[151]
Referee: Allard Lindhout (Netherlands)

More information Panathinaikos, 1–0 ...
Attendance: 18,822[153]
Referee: Donatas Rumšas (Lithuania)

More information The New Saints, 0–1 ...
Attendance: 3,568[155]
Referee: Philip Farrugia (Malta)

More information Fiorentina, 3–2 ...

More information Lugano, 2–0 ...
Attendance: 2,672[159]
Referee: Enea Jorgji (Albania)

More information Mladá Boleslav, 2–1 ...
Attendance: 3,960[161]
Referee: Daniel Schlager (Germany)

More information Olimpija Ljubljana, 1–0 ...
Attendance: 4,954[163]
Referee: Sander van der Eijk (Netherlands)

More information Omonia, 0–3 ...
Attendance: 8,009[165]
Referee: Radoslav Gidzhenov (Bulgaria)

More information Rapid Wien, 1–1 ...
Attendance: 20,700[167]
Referee: Gergő Bogár (Hungary)

Matchday 5

More information Víkingur Reykjavík, 1–2 ...
Attendance: 1,450[169]
Referee: Luka Bilbija (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

More information Astana, 1–3 ...

More information Fiorentina, 7–0 ...
Attendance: 9,211[173]
Referee: Balázs Berke (Hungary)

More information Copenhagen, 2–0 ...
Attendance: 24,207[175]
Referee: Andrea Colombo (Italy)

More information Dinamo Minsk, 2–0 ...
Attendance: 0[177][note 5]
Referee: Sayat Karabayev (Kazakhstan)

More information Noah, 1–3 ...
Attendance: 7,500[179]
Referee: Miloš Milanović (Serbia)

More information Petrocub Hîncești, 0–1 ...
Attendance: 5,354[181]
Referee: Lothar D'hondt (Belgium)

More information HJK, 2–2 ...
Attendance: 4,454[183]
Referee: Atilla Karaoğlan (Turkey)

More information İstanbul Başakşehir, 3–1 ...

More information Legia Warsaw, 1–2 ...

More information Olimpija Ljubljana, 1–4 ...
Attendance: 5,646[189]
Referee: Adam Ladebäck (Sweden)

More information St. Gallen, 1–4 ...
Attendance: 16,249[191]
Referee: Nick Walsh (Scotland)

More information Mladá Boleslav, 1–0 ...
Attendance: 3,316[193]
Referee: David Dickinson (Scotland)

More information Gent, 3–0 ...
Attendance: 5,423[195]
Referee: Ashot Ghaltakhchyan (Armenia)

More information Omonia, 3–1 ...
Attendance: 7,801[197]

More information Pafos, 2–0 ...

More information Shamrock Rovers, 3–0 ...
Attendance: 7,442[201]
Referee: Stefan Ebner (Austria)

More information The New Saints, 0–2 ...
Attendance: 5,716[203]

Matchday 6

More information 1. FC Heidenheim, 1–1 ...
Attendance: 12,800[205]
Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas (Spain)

More information APOEL, 1–1 ...
Attendance: 11,181[207]
Referee: Sebastian Gishamer (Austria)

More information Cercle Brugge, 1–1 ...

More information Chelsea, 5–1 ...
Attendance: 38,467[211]

More information Djurgårdens IF, 3–1 ...
Attendance: 23,270[213]
Referee: David Šmajc (Slovenia)

More information Lugano, 2–2 ...
Attendance: 1,795[215]
Referee: Nenad Minaković (Serbia)

More information Borac Banja Luka, 0–0 ...

More information TSC, 4–3 ...
Attendance: 1,210[219]
Referee: Marian Barbu (Romania)

More information Heart of Midlothian, 2–2 ...
Attendance: 17,103[221]
Referee: Ondřej Berka (Czech Republic)

More information Jagiellonia Białystok, 0–0 ...
Attendance: 14,329[223]
Referee: Luis Godinho (Portugal)

More information Larne, 1–0 ...
Attendance: 2,393[225]
Referee: Sigurd Kringstad (Norway)

More information LASK, 1–1 ...

More information Molde, 4–3 ...
Attendance: 1,750[229]

More information Celje, 3–2 ...
Attendance: 2,640[231]
Referee: Lukas Fähndrich (Switzerland)

More information Panathinaikos, 4–0 ...
Attendance: 19,866[233]
Referee: Rob Hennessy (Republic of Ireland)

More information Real Betis, 1–0 ...
Attendance: 35,779[235]
Referee: Patrik Kolarić (Croatia)

More information Rapid Wien, 3–0 ...
Attendance: 24,465[237]

More information Vitória de Guimarães, 1–1 ...
Attendance: 16,466[239]
Referee: Juxhin Xhaja (Albania)
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Notes

  1. Wales-based Swansea City, who play in the English football league system, had previously qualified for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League group stage, but only did so by winning the Football League Cup to qualify via one of England's berths. England-based The New Saints play in the Welsh football league system and qualified via one of Wales' berths.
  2. As part of the scheduling for the 2024–25 UEFA men's club season, each competition had an "exclusive week" in the calendar, with no other competitions scheduled during this week. For the Conference League, this took place on matchday 6 (19 December 2024).[16]
  3. CEST (UTC+2) for dates up to 26 October 2024 (matchdays 1–2), and CET (UTC+1) for dates thereafter (matchdays 3–6).
  4. Astana played their home matches at Almaty Central Stadium, Almaty, instead of their regular stadium, Astana Arena, Astana, due to renovation works.[28]
  5. Due to the country's involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Belarusian teams were required to play their home matches at neutral venues and behind closed doors.[31] Therefore, Dinamo Minsk played their home matches at Sumgayit City Stadium, Sumgait, Azerbaijan, instead of their regular stadium, Dinamo Stadium, Minsk.
  6. Noah played their home matches at Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium, Yerevan, instead of their regular stadium, Armavir City Stadium, Armavir, which did not meet UEFA requirements.
  7. Lugano played their home matches at Stockhorn Arena, Thun, instead of their regular stadium, Cornaredo Stadium, Lugano, due to renovation work.[48]
  8. Petrocub Hîncești played their home matches at Zimbru Stadium, Chișinău, instead of their regular stadium, Stadionul Municipal, Hîncești, which did not meet UEFA requirements.
  9. The Víkingur Reykjavík v Cercle Brugge match, originally scheduled for 21:00 (20:00 UTC+0),[13] was later moved to 16:30 (15:30 UTC+0).
  10. Víkingur Reykjavík played their home matches during the league phase at Kópavogsvöllur, Kópavogur, instead of their regular stadium, Víkingsvöllur, Reykjavík, which did not meet UEFA requirements. While the Kópavogsvöllur did not meet all the requirements due to inadequate floodlights, UEFA granted an exemption to allow matches to be played there, with the condition of an earlier kick-off time.[59]
  11. Larne played their home matches at Windsor Park, Belfast, instead of their regular stadium, Inver Park, Larne, which did not meet UEFA requirements.
  12. Pafos played their home matches at the Alphamega Stadium, Limassol, instead of their regular stadium, Stelios Kyriakides Stadium, Paphos, which did not meet UEFA requirements.
  13. The New Saints played their home matches at New Meadow, Shrewsbury, England, instead of their regular stadium, Park Hall, Oswestry, which did not meet UEFA requirements.[94]
  14. The Víkingur Reykjavík v Borac Banja Luka, originally scheduled for 18:45 (17:45 UTC+0),[13] was later moved to 15:30 (14:30 UTC+0).
  15. The Víkingur Reykjavík v Djurgårdens IF match, originally scheduled for 21:00 (20:00 UTC+0),[13] was later moved to 14:00 (13:00 UTC+0).
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