After the third round of the 2024/25 Champions League group stage, Dortmund lost their top spot to Aston Villa. Notably, all three leading positions are occupied by Premier League teams.
Dortmund held the top spot after two dominant wins, but in the third round, they were defeated 2-5 by defending champions Real Madrid, losing their lead.
Now, Aston Villa has surprisingly taken the number one spot. Despite returning to the Champions League after 41 years, they have emerged as a sensation with three consecutive wins, earning 9 points and a +6 goal difference, without conceding a single goal.
Liverpool, under new coach Arne Slot, sits in second place with 9 points but trails Villa due to goal difference (+5). Third place goes to Manchester City with 7 points, completing the Premier League’s top three dominance.
The four Spanish teams rank as follows: Barcelona (10th), Real Madrid (12th), Girona (24th), and Atletico Madrid (27th). Atletico is at risk of early elimination, while the other teams are not performing well either.
PSG, Bayern, and Milan have had slow starts, currently sitting in 19th, 23rd, and 25th places respectively. However, they still have 5 matches left to turn things around and at least secure a spot in the top 24.
In the top scorer race, Harry Kane leads with 5 goals, followed by Raphinha with 4, while Haaland and Vinicius are among 11 players who have scored 3 goals.
The fourth round will take place on November 5th and 6th, featuring key matches such as Liverpool vs Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid vs AC Milan, Inter Milan vs Arsenal, and PSG vs Atletico.
Group advancing to the round of 16
The top 8 teams will automatically advance to the round of 16 and will be seeded during the draw. In theory, teams need 17 points to secure a top 8 spot.
Playoff group
According to the Champions League regulations, 8 points are enough to qualify for the playoffs, but 10 points may be required for safety.
Eliminated group
These teams will be eliminated from all European competitions. A new rule this season means they will not be eligible to participate in the Europa League, unlike in previous seasons.
