Will UEFA now be able to respond to the demands of fans and some clubs? It’s the big million dollar question. The highest body of European football has decided to change the format of the new Champions League for next season. A much more open competition, with more matches and where the most important teams could face each other at the first opportunity.
Firstly, the number of clubs participating in the Champions League will increase to 36, which will compete in a first phase called ‘League Phase’. In this new phase, the teams will play eight games. In addition, the same rival will no longer be played twice, but they will face different teams, half of them playing at home and the other away.
To determine the eight rivals, the different teams will be distributed into four pots according to the UEFA coefficient. Thus, each team will play against two rivals from each of these pots, playing one match at home and another away.
Despite being divided into groups, all participants will compete in a common classification. In this way, the first eight teams will advance directly to the round of 16, while those placed between 9th and 24th will compete in a two-leg playoff tie to certify their place in the round of 16.. Finally, from 25th to 36th, they will be eliminated and will not have access to any European competition.
From that moment on, the Champions League will continue as we know it today. The round of 16, the quarterfinals and the semifinals will be played in two matches and the final of the competition will be played in a single match.
2024-03-10 07:04:34
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