Champions League - New Format?

Now its underway, whats the members take on this seasons new format ?

Seems to be working well from here...

Current standings via

https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/standings/

Personally I think it's a back door route to the very much hated European Champions League, but great if your a Liverpool fan . Just look at the bottom of the league table and the difference is quite alarming, & proves that some of these teams need to be in a division 2 , which would allow for a promotion & relegation system, not a closed shop . But anything would be better than the " Inconvenient Thursday Night League's " Thursday, Sunday etc,etc. You've only got to look at the very poor Premier League positions of past teams involved in it , including relegation to the Championship in a few cases.

As a football fan who watches most football across all Leagues on TV , it's Ok but if Bolton are on Sky sports+ 

 

Just more over saturation of football, more games never make anything better usually the opposite, players run in to the ground by club and country, I know they are well paid and molly coddled but they are also performers and entertainers which leads to a poorer spectacle for all concerned in the long run.

Less is better in my opinion and not all these bloated Uefa competitions.

 

 

1 hour ago, Mike said:

Champions League - New Format?

Now its underway, whats the members take on this seasons new format ?

Seems to be working well from here...

Current standings via

https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/standings/

I like it, the traditional group stages were 90% predictable with who was going into the next round, some very sterile games in the making, with this format, you need to win games from the get go to go through to avoid the lottery of a one off 2 legged play off 

Kev

As Kev says the previous format was far too predictable with far too many games no having to matter. The new format has proved far more exciting for the fans with every game seems to matter.  A lot of goals too. Real used to simply cost through to their group games, they can’t do that now and are only just in the play off positions, PSG are out as it stands. Only three teams not got a point. 

Edited November 30, 2024Nov 30 by Chalky

Seems to me that it's another league now, just like the europa league. And fans and clubs were against the "super league".  Clubs complain of to many games and want a winter break so they can get in more exotic friendlies. Fans want to see their teams play but sometimes it's just too much, especially if you lose more than you win 

4 hours ago, Soulandy said:

Seems to me that it's another league now, just like the europa league. And fans and clubs were against the "super league".  Clubs complain of to many games and want a winter break so they can get in more exotic friendlies. Fans want to see their teams play but sometimes it's just too much, especially if you lose more than you win 

Your so right Soulandy , & long term it will the Premier League that will disappear, too many games etc , and the clubs who are already involved are complaining of fatigue & injuries. Plus all the International competitions.

Years ago it was proposed, albeit as a Blueprint , but that's how these ideas are born .

European Super League ( that's if the right clubs finished in the top 4 or 5 , they didn't , but they will one day )

Championship 1 & 2 (made up of clubs with a decent Stadium & Attendances) 

The rest in a North Division 1 & South Division 1 ( to help and stabilise the lower leagues , more local Derbys less travelling etc ) 

National League .

The European Super League is not going away , just on a back burner for now .

Yes the current format is much better for now but it won't be too long though before another takes its place .

Enjoy it while you can 

 

Premier League will never disappear. National leagues are the lifeblood of these clubs and deep down they know it, a club cannot survive without fans and on TV money alone.  The current format gives the clubs two extra games if memory serves?

The current format not strictly a league as they don't play each other, there is a draw and it has only replaced the mini leagues we previously had which most of the time were meaningless. 
 

I much preferred the European Cup, Eufa and Cup Winners Cup format though. 

3 hours ago, Chalky said:

Premier League will never disappear. National leagues are the lifeblood of these clubs and deep down they know it, a club cannot survive without fans and on TV money alone.  The current format gives the clubs two extra games if memory serves?

The current format not strictly a league as they don't play each other, there is a draw and it has only replaced the mini leagues we previously had which most of the time were meaningless. 
 

I much preferred the European Cup, Eufa and Cup Winners Cup format though. 

Me aswell Chalkster, one bad day at the office and you were as good as out, teams in the Champions league format previously, have lost 2 or 3 games and still gone on to prosper 

Edited December 1, 2024Dec 1 by Kev Cane

3 hours ago, Chalky said:

Premier League will never disappear. National leagues are the lifeblood of these clubs and deep down they know it, a club cannot survive without fans and on TV money alone.  The current format gives the clubs two extra games if memory serves?

The current format not strictly a league as they don't play each other, there is a draw and it has only replaced the mini leagues we previously had which most of the time were meaningless. 
 

I much preferred the European Cup, Eufa and Cup Winners Cup format though. 

The Premier League is now 32 years old & the Big European clubs have been discussing a European Super League since 1996, that's 28 years . A hell of a lot of clubs have almost gone bust trying to keep up with the big 6 , they couldn't care less about the rest of the teams in the Premier League or the EFL . At least one club was eventually relegated to the National league. 

The same problem is as big an issue in Europe , Barcelona & Real Madrid even tried to broadcast their own games to avoid sharing the proceeds with the rest of La Liga , and issues in Italy within the Serie A . 

I hope it never happens either but it's been bubbling under the surface for a long time now , Greed is the issue.

Tonight is the final night of this stage

All 36 teams (as in 18 games) are playing at the same time

Bbc page below covers some of the various permutations

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cy9lnw0eyy7t

 

 

Some big teams could go out soon, which makes it interesting and I'm sure is not what UEFA intended. I still don't understand how they make the 8 fixtures fair for everyone.

1 hour ago, Daved said:

Some big teams could go out soon, which makes it interesting and I'm sure is not what UEFA intended. I still don't understand how they make the 8 fixtures fair for everyone.

EUFA as always too much meddling , causing confusion , I don't think they themselves know either 

Its rubbish!!! You've got teams playing in this "competion" who shouldn't be anywhere near a champions league. 

They should go back to the original format where only the champions from each country participated in a straight knockout. No seeding ,champions of Spain could play the champions of Italy over two legs in the first round...much more exciting and you could stagger the games for the television companies. 

Unfortunately this will never happen due to the greed of fifa wanting more and more games.

The world cup is heading the same way. 

It's a greed fest and I know from bad experience trying to compete with the so called big6 is a complete no no. You spend to try to get in Europe and it destroys you , my team and others have found out its virtually impossible to join the euro club.

European cup and cup winners cup was a much better but far less lucrative option. Greed rules and always will.

If anyone can understand this lot , as it says it's supposedly for a fairer outcome I think ? 

https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0268-12157d69ce2d-9f011c70f6fa-1000--new-format-for-champions-league-post-2024-everything-you-ne/

Edited January 29Jan 29 by Happy Feet

1 hour ago, Happy Feet said:

If anyone can understand this lot , as it says it's supposedly for a fairer outcome I think ? 

https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0268-12157d69ce2d-9f011c70f6fa-1000--new-format-for-champions-league-post-2024-everything-you-ne/

Equals more matches and more revenue 😂

22 hours ago, Mike said:

Tonight is the final night of this stage

All 36 teams (as in 18 games) are playing at the same time

Bbc page below covers some of the various permutations

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cy9lnw0eyy7t

 

 

 

Last nighs outcome

Last 16: Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, Aston Villa.

Knockout phase play-offs: Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, PSV, Paris St-Germain, Benfica, Monaco, Brest, Feyenoord, Juventus, Celtic, Manchester City, Sporting, Club Brugge.

Eliminated: Dinamo Zagreb, Stuttgart, Shakhtar Donetsk, Bologna, Sparta Prague, Leipzig, Girona, Red Star Belgrade, Sturm Graz, Salzburg, Slovan Bratislava, Young Boys.

from https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c2d3n579rkjo

20 hours ago, Tobytyke said:

Its rubbish!!! You've got teams playing in this "competion" who shouldn't be anywhere near a champions league. 

They should go back to the original format where only the champions from each country participated in a straight knockout. No seeding ,champions of Spain could play the champions of Italy over two legs in the first round...much more exciting and you could stagger the games for the television companies. 

Unfortunately this will never happen due to the greed of fifa wanting more and more games.

The world cup is heading the same way. 

The only reason the governing bodies are meddling is because of the greed of the clubs.  They had to reform to stave off the threat of a super league.  The Champions League iOS nothing to do with FIFA either. 

But back to the original question, this league format has been so much better with any more games actually ,meaning something and some of the so called lesser teams having a big impact on the outcomes.  I doubt Celtic would have gone through if not had been the previous format.  Under the old format the groups had little meaning after a couple of games.

It's ours for the taking  city lucky to get where they are ,prefer this format you know where what, and why 

Tonight's Champions League games

 

UEFA Champions League

Knockout Round Play-offs

AC Milan versus Feyenoord kick off 17:45

(Agg 0-1)

Atalanta versus Club Brugge kick off 20:00

(Agg 1-2)

Bayern Munich versus Celtic kick off 20:00

(Agg 2-1)

Benfica versus Monaco kick off 20:00

(Agg 1-0)

 

The one on Prime live tonight

Bayern Munich versus Celtic kick off 20:00