Swinging towards 10 games for all but the top 16 qualify only. Get rid of the wiffle-waffle KO round and up the league stage stakes.
What do you think?
PS: I know I am not Birdy, I think.
Champions League 2024-25
- Thread starter Messi983
- Start date
Swinging towards 10 games for all but the top 16 qualify only. Get rid of the wiffle-waffle KO round and up the league stage stakes.
What do you think?
PS: I know I am not Birdy, I think.
Temptation
Well-known member
10 games for all makes it way too group stage-heavy.
Knockout ties provide far more excitement and jeopardy on paper.
I don't think they should stretch the group stage anything over 8 games.
Me too
I'm usually not a big fan of change especially to a competition like CL. I even thought the kickoff change from 20:45 to 21 was unnecessary because for me 20:45 was always tied to CL since growing up.
But I like the current format, even was OK with it before it started. It's a lot more chaotic and unpredictable but at the same time it's made so that big teams are very unlikely to crash out. Finishing top 8 feels like a big incentive to avoid two extra playoff games plus having the 2nd leg home advantage.
We are only halfway so I expect a lot to change. I expect Brest at 4th place to eventually end up behind Atletico who are 23rd currently. For all the issues Madrid have they are only 3p behind us despite being 12 spots below.
But I like the current format, even was OK with it before it started. It's a lot more chaotic and unpredictable but at the same time it's made so that big teams are very unlikely to crash out. Finishing top 8 feels like a big incentive to avoid two extra playoff games plus having the 2nd leg home advantage.
We are only halfway so I expect a lot to change. I expect Brest at 4th place to eventually end up behind Atletico who are 23rd currently. For all the issues Madrid have they are only 3p behind us despite being 12 spots below.
Fati_Future_BallonDor
Well-known member
I feel that dude, 20.45 was always cl time time😪
The new format gives us more amazing games before knockout stage but it takes also some excitement from knockout rounds away where normally the big games are.
Temptation
Well-known member
@iniestaGOAT liking the new CL format?
iniestaGOAT
Senior Member
El Gato
Villarato!
The format is better no question
Fewer reasons to underperform early on and try to claw it back later considering for many teams it means having an even more congested January than already tends to be
The only thing SuperLeague folk ever had going for selves is the governance argument. But suspect teams will not find it beneficial enough to exit now
Fewer reasons to underperform early on and try to claw it back later considering for many teams it means having an even more congested January than already tends to be
The only thing SuperLeague folk ever had going for selves is the governance argument. But suspect teams will not find it beneficial enough to exit now
ajnotkeith
Senior Member
Djimsiti is my countryman, his rise has been incredible.
Started from the Swiss league and didn't play in a top league till about 25/26. In fact, he wasn't able to get a place in our Euro 2016 squad (a decision heavily criticised at the time though).
Now he's being mentioned as one of the best in the world on neutral forums.
It's very rare for players from Albania or Kosovo to get into top leagues and stay there and they usually peak much later because the football infrastructure in these two countries is terrible, and the diaspora usually pick their countries of birth over us (Xhaka and Shaqiri are the most prominent examples but there are many other great players who could have played for us). Brajan Gruda is another one who is choosing Germany now, but that's another topic.
Djimsiti is peaking right now and I think he'll improve yet.
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Fati_Future_BallonDor
Well-known member
CL will be good this week, every day good match:
Monday: Al gharafa vs Al Nassr
Tuesday: Barca vs Brest
Wednesday: Liverpool vs Real
Monday: Al gharafa vs Al Nassr
Tuesday: Barca vs Brest
Wednesday: Liverpool vs Real
Maradona37
Well-known member
Barca will have to feel Brest out early then try to finish on them later.
Fati_Future_BallonDor
Well-known member
Watching Al nassr, 0-0 atm
a few minutes ago there was a clear foul on Mane in penalty box
but as soon as the ref saw Ronaldo will kick the pen
he let VAR to check it
and after triple-checking as expected: No penalty!
a few minutes ago there was a clear foul on Mane in penalty box
but as soon as the ref saw Ronaldo will kick the pen
he let VAR to check it
and after triple-checking as expected: No penalty!
Fati_Future_BallonDor
Well-known member
3-1 at the end, 2x Cristiano 1x Angelo
Birdy
Senior Member
You hope so...
Even in terms of format, as long as there are so many B tier teams, and matchdays involve the mighty Sparta Prague - Red Star games, the Superleague will be better any day of the week
PS: The new format is obviously an improvement, for the reason that it eliminated the 'luck of draw' factor alone
more big games in the first phase is a plus as well
PS2: Governance is the other big factor. Ceferin and the other corrupt bureaucrats-parasites decide for the clubs, that will never be accepted
Maradona37
Well-known member
Just two points:
I think it's good that lesser teams and clubs get the chance to play in elite European competition. How else can Sparta Prague and Red Star improve? Of course you can argue that - like the previous format - they're just fodder every season. The new format doesn't address the root issue - the stark inequality in European football between and within leagues.
Second thing is, you say it eliminates the luck of the draw factor - I don't think it does. Each team has a unique fixture list and plays 8 unique teams - this means some teams can get an easier fixture list than others (on paper).
However, despite these qualms, I am on record as much preferring this format for sure.
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