- Paris Saint-Germain overcame Brest, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal en route to the finale.
- The Parisians defeated Arsenal at home in the second leg of their semi-final encounter.
The Champions League Rules will undergo slight adjustments for the upcoming season following the recent developments. PSG lifting this year's trophy.
The people of Paris claimed victory in Europe's top club competition for the first time ever on Saturday evening as they crushed their opponents. Inter Milan 5-0 in Munich.
This crowned a remarkable ascent for Luis Enrique's team, who finished 15th in the League Phase prior to defeating Brest. Liverpool , Aston Villa and Arsenal heading towards the finale.
Nevertheless, starting with the upcoming season, UEFA plans to grant home advantage to the top-performing teams from the League phase during all the knockout stages.
This follows Arsenal and Barcelona , who secured third and second place respectively, experienced semi-final disappointment after playing the second leg of their matches away from home.
In the 2024-25 season, clubs that ranked within the top eight during the League Phase had the assurance of hosting the second leg of their round-of-sixteen match at home—a significant benefit. However, such an advantage did not apply to teams competing in the quarterfinals or semifinals.
PSG (15th position) defeated Arsenal (third spot) in the semifinals following the second leg held at the Parc des Princes. In another semifinal match, fourth-place Inter faced Barcelona (second rank), also during the second leg, ultimately eliminating the Spanish powerhouse.
However, starting with the upcoming season, the rankings during the League Phase will hold greater significance.
The team that places higher overall will host the second leg during the knockout stages, which means that both Arsenal and Barcelona could have ensured their home advantage had they progressed further.
The changes to the regulations were approved during a gathering held by UEFA’s club competitions committee prior to Saturday's finale, and they will only become official once confirmed by UEFA's Executive Committee, scheduled around the time of the League phase draw in late August.
During the League phase, the top eight teams secure their spot directly in the round of sixteen, whereas those finishing from ninth to twenty-fourth must compete in a knockout playoff round.
In addition, various talks during the conference covered allowing top-tier clubs to decide if they wanted to host the second-leg match either at their home ground or elsewhere, prior to switching to a predetermined sequence for the matches.
Speculation arose regarding the possibility of eliminating extra time or implementing rules to prevent teams from the same nation competing against each other in the knock-out stage playoffs – similar to how Paris Saint-Germain faced Brest earlier this season – however, no decisions were made concerning these proposals.
The updated regulations concerning group stage positioning and hosting the return matches of elimination rounds are anticipated to be implemented in both the Europa League and Conference League as well.
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