The competition
A league phase with a knockout reward
The single table means clubs do not play a conventional four-team group. Every point contributes to an overall ranking, and finishing in the top eight avoids February's knockout play-off. From the round of 16 through the semi-finals, ties are played over two legs before a single-match final.
The winner earns a place in the following season's Champions League league phase if not already qualified domestically. That keeps the sporting stakes clear even when a club's league campaign has taken a different direction.