Champions League 2024-25

Who will win?


  • Total voters
    45
  • This poll will close: .

Birdy

Senior 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.

About 1: It's not written in stone that there should be some 'equality' between and within leagues.
First of all, this is utopian right now given the vast difference between the market value of top clubs and clubs like Sparta or Red Star
Second, given the above, it messes seriously up with the level of the competition. No one wants to see Barca - Red Star, apart from the Red Star fans

Besides, lesser teams do not improve by playing against top teams. They just fantasize they are on par, while they are not.
It's high time to get rid of those games


About 2: yes, there is an initial luck in how the supercomputer draws fixtures. Hence PSG for instance play much more difficult games than City for instance
But, the point is, after the initial phase, there is not luck anymore.
Do well, you get a better path to the final
Do bad, pay the price with a hard path

That's how it should be
 

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