Many doubts arise among fans about what are the differences between the Champions League, the Champions League and the European Cup. In general usage today, all three are used to refer to the same competition. However, there is a difference between one of them and the other two.
First, we must start from the basis that the Champions League and the Champions League are the same. The official name that UEFA gives to the competition is ‘Champions League’ and ‘Champions League’ is nothing more than its translation into Spanish.
However, a differentiation could be made between the European Cup and the Champions League or the Champions League. Being the same competition, The European Cup encompasses the editions from its creation, 1955-56, to 1991-92. From then on, there is talk of the Champions League. The first edition was won by Marseille, beating Milan 1-0.
The reason is the restructuring of the competition from that year. However, the changes were gradually introduced over several seasons until reaching the current format. One of the most significant differences between both formats is that the European Cup was played only by the champions of each national league, while, starting in 1997, more teams from each country began to enter, expanding participation in the final phase from 16 to 24 clubs. Currently, 32 teams compete and from 2024 it will be expanded to 36.