The Champions League Format

[phild]

Will WBA ever play in Europe again? Just wondering, but anyway the Champions League looks like it will adopt the swiss model when the present Champions League format ends in 2024. Below is an extract from the Telegraph as they attempt to explain how it works.
--

"The competition will be expanded from 32 to 36 teams and there will be one big league – except each team only plays 10 other opponents. They will be in that one league but will not face 25 other teams. They will all be seeded with a mixture of ‘high’, ‘medium’ and ‘low’ fixtures to try and encourage competition but it will be a jumble, a lop-sided, manufactured mess.

They will not play the same team home and away (so straight away that is skewed) with the top eight qualifying automatically for the last-16 and the teams finishing ninth to 24th entering play-off round. Those finishing ninth to 16th will be seeded and play the second leg at home against a team who finished 17th to 24th. So there are yet more matches and only eight teams are actually eliminated after 10 groups games.

Any objective analysis of this will see it is ‘gaming the system’. It is claimed there will be more meaningful matches but, instead, there is an even greater danger than the top teams will win their first few fixtures and qualify and have to fulfil maybe three, four games of no significance to them but which might affect the outcome of the league. If one of their greatest rivals is in danger of going out they could field a weakened side against a team that could take their place.

It just feels all wrong: a league that is not a league, playing some opponents at home and others away, even more dependent on a seeding system – and a greater chance that it can all be manipulated by dominant teams"
______

Bring back the Fairs Cup

[DaveP67 is back!]

Absolute farce, TV revenue pressure has ruined the competition, if each game is a straight knockout you have interest, this ridiculous format creates more nomark games than the current crap system. Problem is the big clubs now need the monopoly and can’t afford to get knocked out early hence the system is set in their favour..

[kettering_baggie]

There is only one cup format that works and that is the used for the FA Cup; all teams go into the hat and are drawn at random. Of course, this could mean a ‘big’ club being knocked out in the first round, oh dear, calamity! I’m sick to death of football being weighted more and more in favour of these already wealthy clubs. I have absolutely no interest in this level of football, it may as well be a different sport altogether.

[BaggieSingh]

Absolute joke
Having a mini league (with seedlings) then knock out makes it easy enough for top teams
But at least there is some chance for smaller teams
This looks to remove that

[Albionic68]

Never mind, they've got three years to come up with a better idea than that sack of shyt nonsense. The powers that be are certain to use that time wisely. Moving swiftly on.........

[soulman101]

Last time I watched it was when only the champions took part, The European Cup.

[kettering_baggie]

It’s probably an attempt to bring in the European Super League by the back door. Those sort of people don’t give up, they expect to get what they want regardless of other opinion. I will only watch it if WBA are in it, i.e. never!

[Leicesterbaggie]

Champions League is of little interest to me. It's not for the champions any more, it's for four of the so called 'big' clubs. As many of you say, let's get back to European Cup, Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Cup. It won't happen of course because only one of the big boys' could compete, and that's the winners.

[Q165]

Champions League is of little interest to me. It's not for the champions any more, it's for four of the so called 'big' clubs. As many of you say, let's get back to European Cup, Cup Winners Cup and UEFA Cup. It won't happen of course because only one of the big boys' could compete, and that's the winners.

Quite agree. It is a further step towards the creation of a European super league by stealth

[WBA1955]

Last time I watched it was when only the champions took part, The European Cup.

Absolutely old chap. Spurs have been in it lot's of time's yet I was only five the last time they won the league.
Champions and holder's are the only ones who should be in it.
The legendary Real Madrid side of the fifties set a record that will probably never be beaten.