The season
The 2023/24 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 Borussia Dortmund in the final.
By our squad ratings, Atlético Madrid had the strongest squad in the field, with a best eleven averaging 86. Real Madrid had only the sixth strongest squad of 32, so their title was a genuine upset on paper. Their opponents in the final, Borussia Dortmund, rated 84.
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 Raphaël Varane of Manchester United, a CB rated 90.
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.
- 1Atlético MadridSpain86
- 2FC Bayern MunichGermany86
- 3Manchester CityEngland86
- 4Manchester UnitedEngland86
- 5Paris Saint-GermainFrance86
- 6Real MadridSpain86
- 7FC BarcelonaSpain85
- 8Inter MilanItaly85
The best players in the field
- 1Raphaël VaraneManchester United · CB90
- 2Thibaut CourtoisReal Madrid · GK89
- 3 CasemiroManchester United · CDM88
- 4 RodriManchester City · CDM88
- 5Antonio RüdigerReal Madrid · CB88
- 6Dani CarvajalReal Madrid · LB88
- 7Harry KaneFC Bayern Munich · ST88
- 8Joshua KimmichFC Bayern Munich · CM88
- 9Kevin De BruyneManchester City · LM88
- 10Kylian MbappéParis Saint-Germain · ST88
The groups
Replay 2023/24 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.