Dinamo Zagreb secure place in Champions League

Dinamo Zagreb into the 24/25 Champions League

Dinamo Zagreb have secured their place in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League after an emphatic 5-0 aggregate victory over Azerbaijani champions Qarabag in the playoff round.

The Croatian champions put in a commanding performance across both legs, winning 3-0 at home in Zagreb and 2-0 in the return leg in Azerbaijan.

In the second leg played tonight in Baku, Dinamo Zagreb extended their first-leg advantage with a solid 2-0 win. Marko Pjaca opened the scoring just before halftime. The match was effectively sealed in the second half when Qarabag conceded an own goal.

Financial Windfall

Qualifying for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League comes with significant financial rewards. Dinamo Zagreb’s success has earned them a substantial €35 million windfall. This is the 9th time the club has played in Europe’s premier competition. 

New UEFA Champions League Format

Dinamo Zagreb’s qualification means they will now participate in the newly revamped UEFA Champions League, which has undergone significant changes for the 2024/25 season.

The traditional group stage has been replaced with a single league phase, featuring all 36 participating teams.

This new format guarantees every club a minimum of eight matches, each against different opponents, with four games at home and four away.

The top eight teams from this league stage will automatically advance to the knockout stages. Teams finishing between ninth and 24th place will enter a two-legged play-off to secure a spot in the last 16. This new structure ensures more competitive and varied matchups, with every point crucial in the battle for progression.

The Draw

The draw for the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League will take place on Thursday, 29 August, at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, starting at 18:00.

Fixture Dates

The fixtures for the league stage will be played across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Matchday 1: 17-19 September 2024.

Matchday 2: 1/2 October 2024.

Matchday 3: 22/23 October 2024.

Matchday 4: 5/6 November 2024.

Matchday 5: 26/27 November 2024.

Matchday 6: 10/11 December 2024.

Matchday 7: 21/22 January 2025.

Matchday 8: 29 January 2025.