First Champions League week of the new year: Things get really hot in the 2024/25 group phase on matchday 7, because important points for direct qualification and the play-offs are at stake. From a German perspective, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund and VfB Stuttgart are in action on Tuesday, and Sturm Graz is also hoping for the second threesome. With the Flashscore tracker you stay informed about all the news, scores and votes.
Next games
Finished: Atalanta Bergamo vs. Sturm Graz 5:0
Finished: AS Monaco vs. Aston Villa 1:0
Finished: Atletico Madrid vs. Bayer Leverkusen 2:1 – To the match report
Finished: Bologna vs. Borussia Dortmund 2:1 – To the match report
Finished: Slovan Bratislava vs. VfB Stuttgart 1:3 – To the match report
Finished: Benfica Lisbon vs. FC Barcelona 4:5
Finished: Club Brugge vs. Juventus 0-0
Finished: Red Star Belgrade vs. PSV Eindhoven 2:3
Finished: FC Liverpool vs. Lille 2:1
Tracker
10:58 p.m. – END OF GAME – What a second half, but first things first: Bayer Leverkusen couldn’t build on the first half and lost 2-1 to Atletico Madrid after leading 1-0 at the break. Julian Alvarez (52nd/90th) scored for the hosts. Borussia Dortmund also had to be content with a 1:2 (1:0): a double strike from Thijs Dallinga (71′) and Samuel Iling Junior (72′) hit the black and yellow hearts.
Only VfB Stuttgart was able to take the lead at the break. After a late goal by Idjessi Metsoko (85th), Fabian Rieder (87th) made the final score 3-1 (2-0).
Things got hectic in Lisbon. After Benfica’s 3-1 half-time lead, Raphinha (64th) reduced the lead for FC Barcelona before Ronald Araujo (68th) made it 4-2 with an own goal. The final phase was tough: Robert Lewandowski (78th) shortened the score again with a penalty, before Eric Garcia (87th) and again Raphinha (90th + 6) made the final score 5:4 (1:3) for the Catalans .
There were also victories for FC Liverpool (2:1 (1:0) against OSC Lille) and PSV Einshoven (3:2 (3:0) at Red Star Belgrade). Club Brugge and Juventus TURin played a goalless game.
10:02 p.m. – BEGIN AGAIN
9:51 p.m. – HALFTIME – This looks good for the Bundesliga clubs! Bayer Leverkusen took the lead late on thanks to a goal from Piero Hincapie (45th + 1) and were also in the majority after Pablo Barrios was sent off (23rd). The battered Borussia Dortmund also leads 1-0 at FC Bologna thanks to a penalty from Serhou Guirassy (15th). There are more goals in Bratislava, where Jamie Leweling (11th/36th) made it 2-0 at halftime for VfB Stuttgart.
Benfica Lisbon also leads 3-1 against FC Barcelona, PSV Eindhoven 3-0 at Red Star Belgrade and FC Liverpool 1-0 against OSC Lille. The game between Club Brugge and Juventus is goalless.
9:00 p.m. – KICK-OFF
8:42 p.m. – END OF GAME – Sturm Graz really comes under the wheels here in the end and clearly loses 0:5 (0:1). In Monaco it remains 1-0 for the hosts against Aston Villa. To the match reports.
7:50 p.m. – LINEUPS – The lineups for the late games – and therefore also for the German teams – are there.
Bayer Leverkusen changed their team in five positions compared to the 3-1 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach: Kovar, Hincapie, Mukiele, Palacios and Frimpong replace Hradecky, Arthur, Terrier, Andrich and Schick.
Dortmund is in a crisis and Nuri Sahin is heavily criticized before the game against FC Bologna. In order to turn things around, the BVB coach made changes to three positions: Duranville, Beier and Reyna start for Bensebaini, Can and Brandt.
There are also a lot of changes at VfB Stuttgart: the quintet Al Dakhil, Hendriks, Karazor, Woltemade and Demirovic makes way for Chabot, Mittelstädt, Keitel, Führich and Undav.
7:47 p.m. – BEGIN AGAIN
7:36 p.m. – HALFTIME – We go into the break with two 1-0 home leads. In Bergamo, Mateo Retegui (12th) gave Atalanta the lead against Sturm Graz. The Austrians would have been eliminated from the LIVE table.
At the same time, top 8 team Aston Villa is 0-1 behind in Monaco. The only goal was scored by Wilfried Singo (8th) after an assist from Thilo Kehrer.
6:45 p.m. – KICK-OFF – The balls are rolling! In Monaco things start slightly delayed.
5:35 p.m. – The first lineups of the year are here: This is how Atalanta, Graz, Monaco and Aston Villa will tackle it in the early evening.
3:57 p.m. – Alonso with great respect for Simeone – Bayer coach Xabi Alonso mentioned his deepest respect for his current coaching colleague at the press conference before the game that evening: “I have great respect for Diego Simeone. What he has built here at Atletico is outstanding. Being at a club for 13 years is something very special for a coach. Diego has a big influence in this club. Under him, the team has a clear idea, a clear DNA can be seen and everything has been built up.“
-To the match center: Atletico Madrid vs. Bayer Leverkusen
The current Madrilenian squad is “perhaps the best” that Simeone has ever had at his disposal. Alonso believes that the coach, who is often restless on the sidelines, can reach the final of the Champions League and win the title in Spain. Nevertheless, they definitely want to achieve direct qualification: “This is an important goal for us as a club. And we are focusing our full attention on this goal“, so Alonso.
You can read what the star football teacher answered about his own possible move to Real Madrid here.
2:30 p.m. – Outside of the German and Austrian clubs, we also have the two front runners in action today. One point against Lille in the evening is enough for Liverpool FC to secure direct qualification for the round of 16.
To the match center: Liverpool FC vs Lille
Hansi Flick’s FC Barcelona will be hoping for mistakes from Bayern and Dortmund. If the two German clubs, Atletico Madrid and AC Milan do not win, a point at Benfica Lisbon would also be enough for the Catalans. But three points probably lead to one and the same result anyway.
11:49 a.m. – BVB crisis: Schlotterbeck sees “the team’s debt” – Despite the recent crisis at Borussia Dortmund, the coach Nuri Sahin hasn’t changed – at least that’s what national player Nico Schlotterbeck thinks. “I experience the trainer as I did in the previous twelve months – very focused, very clear“, said the central defender before the Champions League game on Tuesday (9 p.m. / Prime Video) at FC Bologna, but also admitted: “It’s not an easy phase for any of us.“
Zum Match-Center: Bologna vs. Borussia Dortmund
After three defeats at the restart of the Bundesliga and slipping to tenth place, Sahin is threatened with elimination, the Dortmund management’s oaths of loyalty have a very short deadline, and another bankruptcy in Italy could cost him his job. That’s why the players are challenged, said Schlotterbeck: “The team is of course responsible.“
The 25-year-old wants to fulfill his role as a leading player. “We have to lead the way with performance and give the boys support with performance.”said Schlotterbeck, “that’s what it means for all leading players.” So far, BVB has shown significantly better performances in the Champions League than in the Bundesliga, and the defender is also counting on that: “We have to make the switch to get back into Champions League mode. We’ve always had the self-confidence in that fetched.” With a win, Dortmund could take a big step towards the round of 16.
10:14 a.m. – Hoeneß: Champions League restart “a bit” like a final – The new year begins for VfB Stuttgart with a final in the Champions League. “It feels a bit like that“, said coach Sebastian Hoeneß before the penultimate group game on Tuesday (9 p.m. / DAZN) against the Slovak football record champions Slovan Bratislava. “If we want to talk about progressing, winning the game would be very helpful.“
In fact, the starting position is difficult. With just seven points from six games, VfB is currently in 26th place, just behind the play-off places. In the event of a defeat, there would most likely be a final next week for a place in the knockout phase: in the home game against Paris Saint-Germain. “We will do everything we can to keep the dream of continuing to play in the Champions League alive“, emphasized Hoeneß, “If we bring our game to the pitch, our chances are high.” Three wins in the first three Bundesliga games of the year give you confidence. “We got off to a good start,” said the coach, “we feel good. I have the impression that we were able to gain some freshness from the days off.“
Zum Match-Center: Slovan Bratislava vs. VfB Stuttgart
Although Bratislava is one of only three clubs that have not yet won a single point in the current group stage, Hoeneß warned: “They have sold well so far. This is a team that can hurt you.“
09:15 am – The Champions League is back – with the 7th matchday of the 2024/25 group phase. The decisive period is beginning, and some teams can complete direct qualification for the knockout phase and play-off places today. From a German-Austrian perspective, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, VfB Stuttgart and Sturm Graz are in action. Below you will find an overview of our content before match day.
Leverkusen with tailwind to Madrid: “Stay on the accelerator”
Tactics, towers, tortellini: Sahin in a good starting position before the final in Bologna – BVB
It’s all in the mix: In-form VfB in Bratislava on a play-off mission
All games of the day
6:45 p.m.: Atalanta Bergamo vs. Sturm Graz
6:45 p.m.: AS Monaco vs. Aston Villa
9:00 p.m.: Atletico Madrid vs. Bayer Leverkusen
9:00 p.m.: Bologna vs. Borussia Dortmund
21:00: Slovan Bratislava vs. VfB Stuttgart
21:00: Benfica Lissabon vs. FC Barcelona
9:00 p.m.: Club Brugge vs. Juventus
9:00 p.m.: Red Star Belgrade vs. PSV Eindhoven
9:00 p.m.: Liverpool FC vs Lille
