The Champions League returns - when is it on and how can I watch?

Nathaniel Dalby • 05 Aug 2020 Features

August sees the Champions League return. Here's our guide to all the fixtures and how you can tune in.

The football has officially returned, with the majority of the 2019/20 season now wrapped up, including the Premier League, FA Cup and EFL. There is, however, one more bit of business to attend to: the Champions League. 

The meeting of Europe’s top footballing giants is a vital part of the season, but with lockdown delaying everything, it’s difficult to know how the remaining clubs will respond. Here’s everything you need to know about the Champions League restart.

What Champions League fixtures are still to be played?

When the Champions League was put on hold, the competition was half way through its Round of 16, meaning that 4 teams had already qualified for the Quarter Finals. Here’s what the results looked like before the league was suspended:

RB Leipzig def. Tottenham Hotspur (3-0)
Atalanta def. Valencia (8-4)
PSG def. Borussia Dortmund (3-2)
Atletico Madrid def. Liverpool (3-2)

For the restart, the league must finish the second leg of its remaining Round of 16 fixtures, with Juventus, Lyon, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Barcelona and Napoli all still in with a chance to make the Quarter Finals.

When will the Champions League start again?

Fixtures are set to begin on Friday, August 7th and run until the final on August 23rd. Ordinarily, these matches would have been spaced further apart, but the suspension of the league means that they have to be played in quick succession in order to keep up with the next season, which is planned to begin in September. Here’s a full list of the remaining games and when they’re being played:

Friday, 7 August

Juventus vs Lyon at 8pm (Lyon lead 1-0)
Manchester City vs Real Madrid (Man City lead 2-1)

Saturday, 8 August

Bayern Munich vs Chelsea at 8pm (Bayern Munich lead 3-0)
Barcelona vs Napoli at 8pm (First leg was a 1-1 draw)

12-15 August in Lisbon

Champions League Quarter-Finals 

18-19 August in Lisbon

Champions League Semi-Finals

23 August

Champions League Final

Will the matches still be played as normal?

The matches will be played out in the same way they normally would, although obviously much later in the year than normal. Games will be played behind closed doors with fans in the stadium, but broadcast on TV.

How can I watch the Champions League in the UK?

If you fancy catching all the Champions League action, there are a few ways you can do so. BT Sport has the full broadcast rights to the competition, meaning you’ll need to sign up to it in order to watch most of the matches. Luckily, BT Sport is widely available to UK customers.

BT TV

If you have BT TV along with BT Broadband, then you’ll already have access to BT Sport automatically. All new BT TV subscribers will get BT Sport as standard, and if you were a customer before this was put into effect, you can add it to your deal.

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Sky

If you’re a Sky TV subscriber, you can still sign up to BT Sport when as part of a Sky Sports subscription, which will allow you to watch all 3 BT Sport channels as well as BT ESPN alongside all the standard Sky Sports channels. If you’re already a Sky Sports customer, check to see if you don’t already have access to BT Sport.

Virgin Media

Virgin Media customers can sign up to BT Sport in the same way they would Sky Sports. Customers can either sign up to BT Sport on its own or get it as part of a wider deal, which will allow you to watch Sky Sports and other offerings such as ESPN. You’ll also be able to watch BT Sport in stunning 4K, provided you have a 4K TV. 

Can I stream the Champions League?

The only way to stream most of the Champions League is via the BT Sport app, which is only available if you’re subscribed to BT TV and/or BT Broadband. If you’re a customer of either, you’ll be able to download the app and watch on a smartphone or tablet.

This, however, is a different case for the Champions League Final, which you’ll be able to stream via BT Sport’s YouTube channel on any device that supports YouTube. BT has done this since it has held the rights, allowing you to watch the final for free.