The season
The 2021/22 competition used the format we call “eight groups, then knockouts”. Eight groups of four, then two-legged knockout rounds from the last sixteen. 32 clubs from 15 countries took part, and Real Madrid won it, beating Liverpool in the final.
By our squad ratings, Real Madrid had the strongest squad in the field, with a best eleven averaging 88. The champions were also the favourites on paper, and they delivered. Their opponents in the final, Liverpool, rated 87.
Spain sent the most clubs, 5. 8 of the 15 nations in the field had a single representative.
The highest-rated player in the competition, by our estimates, was Neymar of Paris Saint-Germain, a CDM rated 91.
Thirty-two clubs played eight groups of four, home and away. The top two from each group went into the round of sixteen, and from there every tie was played over two legs until the single-match final. There was no away-goals rule: ties level on aggregate went to extra time and penalties.
The strongest squads
Our rating for each club is the average of its best eleven players that season, on the scale the game uses.
- 1Real MadridSpain88
- 2FC BarcelonaSpain87
- 3LiverpoolEngland87
- 4Manchester CityEngland87
- 5Manchester UnitedEngland87
- 6Paris Saint-GermainFrance87
- 7Atlético MadridSpain86
- 8ChelseaEngland86
The best players in the field
- 1 NeymarParis Saint-Germain · CDM91
- 2Kevin De BruyneManchester City · LM90
- 3Paul PogbaManchester United · CM90
- 4Raphaël VaraneManchester United · CB90
- 5Thibaut CourtoisReal Madrid · GK90
- 6 CasemiroReal Madrid · CDM89
- 7Antoine GriezmannAtlético Madrid · ST89
- 8Antoine GriezmannFC Barcelona · ST89
- 9David de GeaManchester United · GK89
- 10Mohamed SalahLiverpool · LW89
The groups
Replay 2021/22 in Magic Nights
In Magic Nights you can take charge of any of these 32 clubs, with the squad they had that season, and play the competition in this exact format. Win it with the favourites, or try the hardest job in the game: lifting the trophy with a club from the bottom half of the field.