After a frantic last round of action Wednesday, the inaugural 36-team league phase in Champions League history is over.
Here's a look at some of the numbers that tell the story of how the first season in the new-look format has gone:
The number of games in the 36-team league phase, up from 96 last year in the old 32-team group format.
Goals per game in the new format, up from 3.09 per game in last season's group stage.
Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski and Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy are joint top scorers with nine goals each.
The number of goals scored by Barcelona, six more than any other team in the league phase. Manchester City led the way with last season with 28 goals in its entire Champions League campaign, including knockout games.
Liverpool's winning streak stopped at seven games with a 3-2 loss at PSV Eindhoven. That loss meant there were no unbeaten teams in the league phase. Six teams qualified unbeaten from their groups last season.
The number of games won by a margin of four goals or more. Bayern Munich's 9-2 win over Dinamo Zagreb on the opening night set the tone as one-sided games were more common. Last year only four group games were won by four goals or more. Having goal difference as the primary tiebreaker — unlike last year — gave stronger teams an incentive to run up the score.
The number of teams from eastern Europe that reached the knockout rounds, despite the expanded format. Clubs from Croatia, Czech Republic, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine all finished outside the top 24. Zagreb was closest in 25th but missed out on goal difference despite upsetting AC Milan 2-1. No eastern European team has played a Champions League knockout game since Shakhtar Donetsk in 2017-18.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy, centre, scores his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Shakhtar Donetsk in Dortmund, Germany, Jan. 29, 2025. (Bernd Thissen/dpa via AP)
Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski, top, heads the ball next to Atalanta's Isak Hien during a Champions League opening phase soccer between Barcelona and Atalanta match at the Lluis Companys Olympic stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Brest's Edimilson Fernandes attempts a goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Brest and Real Madrid at Roudourou stadium in Guingamp, France, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
CARY, N.C. (AP) — Clayton Kershaw isn't done pitching just yet, agreeing Thursday to join the U.S. team for this year's World Baseball Classic.
The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner wanted to pitch for the Americans in the 2023 tournament but was prevented because of insurance issues. He had a $20 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the time.
“I was too broken for the insurance to cover my arm and everything,” Kershaw said on MLB Network, “so now that it doesn't matter I get to go and be a part of this group.”
A left-hander who turns 38 two days after the March 17 championship game, Kershaw announced last September that he was retiring at the end of the season, his 18th in a stellar career for the Dodgers. He won his third World Series title and finished 223-96 with a 2.53 ERA and 3,052 strikeouts.
“I just want to be the insurance policy,” Kershaw said. “If anybody needs a breather or if they need me to pitch back-to-back-to-back or if they don’t need me to pitch at all, I’m just there to be there. I just want to be a part of this group.”
Later Thursday, new Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman announced he will join the U.S. team.
When Kershaw received a call from U.S. manager Mark DeRosa, he thought he was being invited as a coach.
“I didn't have a whole lot of interest in picking up a baseball again," Kershaw said. “I started throwing 10, 12 days ago and it doesn’t feel terrible, so I think I’ll be OK.”
Kershaw joins a U.S. pitching staff that includes right-handers David Bednar, Clay Holmes, Griffin Jax, Nolan McLean, Mason Miller, Joe Ryan, Paul Skenes and Logan Webb along with left-handers Tarik Skubal and Gabe Speier.
The American roster also includes catchers Cal Raleigh and Will Smith; infielders Ernie Clement, Gunnar Henderson, Brice Turang and Bobby Witt Jr.; outfielders Byron Buxton, Corbin Carroll, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Aaron Judge; and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.
The U.S., which lost the 2023 championship game to Japan, opens March 6 against Brazil at Houston, part of a group that also includes Britain, Italy and Mexico.
Shohei Ohtani struck out then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout to end Japan's 3-2 win in the 2023 championship. Kershaw doesn't anticipate facing Ohtani, his teammate for the Dodgers' World Series titles in 2024 and 2025.
“I think something will have gone terribly wrong if I have to pitch against team Japan in the finals or something. I think we got plenty of guys to get that guy out and not me,” Kershaw said. “But if that happens, I'll be nervous. I'll be nervous at this point.”
AP baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw celebrates the end of the top of the 12th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of baseball's World Series, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
