Where to Watch the UEFA Champions League Draw: A Guide to Channels and Pundits
On February 21, 2025, football fans across the UK will be tuning in to watch the highly anticipated UEFA Champions League round of 16, quarter-final, and semi-final draw. This event marks a crucial stage in the competition, determining the path to the final for the remaining teams. The draw will be broadcast on several platforms, including BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Online, Discovery+, Premier Sports 1 HD (available in the Republic of Ireland only), TNT Sports 1 HD, and UEFA.tv. For those watching on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport Online, Stephen Warnock will provide expert analysis as a pundit.
Stephen Warnock is a former professional footballer who played for several clubs, including Liverpool and Aston Villa. After retiring from football, he transitioned into a successful career as a pundit, offering insightful commentary on various football events. His experience and knowledge of the game make him an excellent choice for analyzing the Champions League draw.
For viewers accessing the draw through Discovery+, Premier Sports 1 HD, and TNT Sports 1 HD, the broadcast will utilize world feed commentators. The world feed is presented by Pedro Pinto and Giorgio Marchetti, both well-known figures in sports broadcasting. Pedro Pinto is a seasoned sports presenter with extensive experience in covering major football events, while Giorgio Marchetti is the UEFA Deputy General Secretary and often participates in key UEFA events.
The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League has introduced a new format, featuring knockout phase play-offs for the first time. This format ensures that the competition remains exciting and unpredictable. The top eight teams from the league phase are seeded and will play their return legs at home, while the winners of the knockout phase play-offs join them in the round of 16. Teams like Liverpool, Barcelona, and Arsenal are among the seeded teams, while Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are notable unseeded teams.
The draw process is structured to pair teams based on their league phase positions. For instance, the top two seeded teams will face the winners of the knockout phase play-offs involving the 15th to 18th-placed teams. This system ensures a balanced competition while maintaining the excitement of potential upsets.
For those interested in watching the draw live, here are the details:
- BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport Online: Featuring pundit Stephen Warnock.
- Discovery+: Using world feed commentators.
- Premier Sports 1 HD (ROI only): Using world feed commentators.
- TNT Sports 1 HD: Using world feed commentators.
- UEFA.tv: Using world feed commentators.
The round of 16 matches are scheduled for March 4-5 and March 11-12, with the quarter-finals taking place on April 8-9 and April 15-16. The semi-finals will be held on April 29-30 and May 6-7, leading up to the final on May 31 in Munich.
For more information on the UEFA Champions League and its new format, you can visit the official UEFA Champions League website. To learn more about Stephen Warnock's career, you can check out his profile on Wikipedia. For details on football broadcasting rights, visit the BBC Sport website.
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