TODAY IS THE CURTAIN RAISER FOR THE GROUP STAGES OF THE MOST PROLIFIC CLUB COMPETITION IN EUROPE..........................GET TO KNOW WHAT MAKES CLUB BATTLE EACH OTHER INTERMS OF PRIZE...........THE ROAD TO WEMBNLEY BEGINS

UEFA Champions League The current UEFA Champions League official logo, in use since 1992 Founded 1955 (1992 in its current format) Region Europe (UEFA) Number of teams 32 (group stage) 76 or 77 (total) Current champions Chelsea (1st title) Most successful club(s) Real Madrid (9 titles)   As of 2010–11, UEFA awards €2.1 million to each team in the play-off round. For reaching the group stage, UEFA awards €3.9 million, plus €550,000 per group match played. A win in the group is awarded €800,000 and a draw is worth €400,000. In addition, UEFA pays teams reaching the first knockout round €3 million, each quarter-finalist €3.3 million, €4.2 million for each semi-finalist, €5.6 million for the runners-up and €9 million for the winners.[49] Playoffs: €2,100,000 Group stage: €3,900,000 For each match in group stage: €550,000 Group match victory: €800,000 Group match draw: €400,000 Round of 16: €3,000,000 Quarter-finals: €3,300,000 Semi-finals: €4,200,000 Losing finalist: €5,600,000 Winning the Final: €9,000,000 A large part of the distributed revenue from the UEFA Champions League is linked to the "market pool", the distribution of which is determined by the value of the television market in each country. For the 2010–11 season, Manchester United, who lost the final, earned nearly €53.2 million in total of which €27.3 million was prize money, compared with the €51.0 million earned by Barcelona, who won the tournament and was awarded with €30.7 million of prize money.[50]