Champions League

[El Gato]

Which amounts to 24 of 36 teams in the knockouts ;-) With 8 teams having an advantage. But I just dont see how the group stage will be exciting this way.

I mean, I don't anyway. I don't get how they choose who plays who in a single league of 36 to determine the 24. I think it's a load of nonsense, more so than Super League format which is just fundamentally wrong, but at least clarity isn't a problem...

 

[Jadentheman]

Should have top 6 in PL and La Liga make CL. Rather have a team like Everton or Villarreal than Krasnodar or Ferencvaros. Definitely not more teams though.

CL used to mean winners from every league against each other for best of Europe. If they go this route mine as well rename to European Club Cup.

 

[Vilarrubi]

So what are you saying here? It's actually not about competition and inclusion, but more like trying to add some semi-decent clubs who don't really have a chance anyway?

Are you an UEFA employee by any chance? Because that's the fucked up logic that got us in this situation. Placing small/medium teams in the same basket as the behemoths so that it looks like a competition.

I’d trim down those sorts of teams. They have to go through a qualifying process anyway.

Lokomotiv
Shakhtar
Olympiacos
Midtjylland
Krasnodar
Brugge
Zenit
Dynamo
Ferencvaros
Basaksehir

You think CL needs all of those teams? They are Europa level teams. I’m all for inclusion, just not as many of those types of teams. None of those made it past group stage either. Having an Everton/Villarreal type team in place of some of those would mean more viewers/money/better competition. Some might even make it past group stage.

 

[JamDav1982]

Best of both worlds would be if there was a way to gather the top teams together to play one another in a larger group where more qualify for last 16.

While medium and lower ranked teams play in their own groups against one another but less of them qualify for last 16.

Ten from elite group, four from average group and two from smaller group go through to last 16.

Allows for more games between top sides, less meaningless games and allows more chances for small teams to come through.

Even if gave teams more money for being in that elite group which is what they want.

 

[El Gato]

League A - 16 teams, 8 qualify
League B - 10 teams, 6 qualify
Leagues C & D - 4 teams each, 2 qualify

 

[Morten]

League looks difficult now, so lets do what we can to get into our first CL-final(traded all the other ones for ESL-trophies).

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Tor: Thibaut Courtois, Andriy Lunin, Diego Altube

Abwehr: Daniel Carvajal, ?der Milit?o, Rapha?l Varane, Nacho Fern?ndez, Marcelo, ?lvaro Odriozola, Miguel Guti?rrez

Mittelfeld: Toni Kroos, Luka Modrić, Casemiro, Isco, Antonio Blanco, Sergio Arribas

Angriff: Eden Hazard, Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Vin?cius J?nior, Mariano D?az, Rodrygo Goes

Es fehlen: Sergio Ramos (Wade), Lucas V?zquez (Kreuzband), Ferland Mendy (?berlastung), Federico Valverde (Corona)


Kroos is back, so Kroos-Modric-Casemiro again, this trio will never get old :koeman

Im excited on Hazard, maybe we will see old Hazard on english floor.

 

[Birdy]

I’d trim down those sorts of teams. They have to go through a qualifying process anyway.

Lokomotiv
Shakhtar
Olympiacos
Midtjylland
Krasnodar
Brugge
Zenit
Dynamo
Ferencvaros
Basaksehir

You think CL needs all of those teams? They are Europa level teams. I’m all for inclusion, just not as many of those types of teams. None of those made it past group stage either. Having an Everton/Villarreal type team in place of some of those would mean more viewers/money/better competition. Some might even make it past group stage.

Totally correct!

There are two separate issues with the CL:

1) The format which makes it possible that top teams go out early on the one hand, and at the same time other top teams make their way to the final facing not so top opposition (Zidane the master on this) on the other.
The format change will fix that, by unifying the many groups either in 1 large group or in 2 groups, and then by eliminating the draw factor.
Whoever finishes 1st-4th in the group stage should have a clear advantage going forward in the knockout phase as to who to face next until the semis at least.

2) The quality of teams participating.
On that front I side with PErez, he is absolutely right.
Those teams that you cite above should have no place in the top inter-national club competition.
If the Superleague had not 20 but 24-30 teams with the likes of Villareal, Sociedad, Bilbao, Everton, Napoli, Roma, Gladbach, Leverkusen, Ajax, etc (who are the top of the lot usually in Europa League) included, then one should rightfully claim that the best teams in Europe compete against one another in the top competition.

The Lokomotiv to Baskaksehir clubs could play in the 2nd tier club competition (a new Europa League) facing one another. More motivation for them also, as they could win it.

UEFA mistakes sporting merit with rights (like any champion of any country should play in the Champions League).
The concept of right entitled to a club is misguided in sports to begin with.

 

[Jenks]

I think PSG are going to take City apart. I really think the scoreline could get embarrassing.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

I think PSG are going to take City apart. I really think the scoreline could get embarrassing.

I hope not, but I would say there's a high chance. Neymar and Mbappe will be poison to City defense. Hopefully, Neymar from the second shows up and not from the first one (and first game Mbappe). They will finish every chance.

City better score at a better rate than they scored vs Tottenham in the final.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Siuuu lets hope Tuchel will outclass Zidane.

 

[El Gato]

Interested to see what Zidane does tonight

No Mendy, no Fede, no Ramos.

Chelsea seem to play 3 ATB (some variation of Christensen-Silva/Zouma-Rudiger) fairly often too with Chilwell and Azpi outwide, very few goals conceded as a result.

Means Zidane could either try to counter it by putting more men wide (4-3-3 with any 2 of Vini, Hazard, Asensio wide; Nacho probably LB, Carva back at RB) or play cagey, match their shape with 3 CBs and Nacho at LCB with Marcelo outwide

 

[Windhook]

Real Madrid are through.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

Courtois – Milit?o, Varane, Nacho – Carvajal, Modrić, Casemiro, Kroos, Marcelo – Benzema, Vin?cius
3-5-2

 

[Jenks]

Aside from that game when they went down to ten men Chelsea have been extremely solid at the back under Tuchel. The real question is whether they can score.