Champions League Draw - 29th August '24 | Opponents (pg69) | Fixtures (pg128)

[Gray]

The stakes will most likely be lower in my opinion as the top 24 out of 36 teams go through. Only the top 2 out of 4 currently go through. Time will tell but I suspect something like 8 points from 8 games might get you through to the knockout stages. So if you win your first 3 games, where is the jeopardy for the remaining 5?

Only top 8 guaranteed the last 16 knock out stages. If you finish outside you have to play 2 more games making 10 in total compared to the 6 you play now.

So 5 home games to fork out for instead of the 3 at present.

Regarding points you will need upward of 12 points to get into the top 8. The in form teams will probably get 20 points

 

[Norbert D]

As no one at the club seemed that arsed about the FA Cup Final I really don’t see the point of risking first teamers in either domestic competitions. We have won three trebles, domestic, the treble and the three last season. Fuck it. Let’s just concentrate on the two that matter.

 

[St.Pauli support]

Your view on what constitutes interesting may differ from mine but ultimately:

Its an extra home game, and if we finish 9th-24th it's an extra 2 home games.

Fundamentally it will be the same opponents. Some have qualified that haven't qualified before (Girona, Graz, Stuttgart, Bologna etc) but not because of the rule changes, they've just done well in their respective leagues. The extra home game is likely to be against an established side eg Real, Bayern, PSG. All of whom we have played recently but the price we have to pay will be higher than what we usually have to pay for a group stage game because it's a "glamorous" game.

The stakes will most likely be lower in my opinion as the top 24 out of 36 teams go through. Only the top 2 out of 4 currently go through. Time will tell but I suspect something like 8 points from 8 games might get you through to the knockout stages. So if you win your first 3 games, where is the jeopardy for the remaining 5?

Who wants 2 CL play-offs in January??
Also, the top 8 are away first vs the 8 play-off winners, 2nd leg home.

Pep will certainly want to be top 8.

 

[St.Pauli support]

For fun I made my draw (all matches with pot 1 Teams) and here's my outcome:

City - Barca
BvB - City
City - Leverkusen
Brügge - City
City - Celtic
YB - City
City - Graz
Sparta - City

(assuming YB and Sparta Prague will qualify...)

Easy peasy.

 

[Gray]

As no one at the club seemed that arsed about the FA Cup Final I really don’t see the point of risking first teamers in either domestic competitions. We have won three trebles, domestic, the treble and the three last season. Fuck it. Let’s just concentrate on the two that matter.

Only one really matters, playing 38 games and coming out on top is the true test of just how good you are.

Plenty of teams have won the Chumps who didn’t even win their home leagues.

 

[dickie davies]

Need to get used to calling it the ‘League Stage’. There are no longer groups as we’ve always known them.

Need to call the entire competition "The European League"
It's even less "champions" than it was before

 

[Gray]

Need to call the entire competition "The European League"
It's even less "champions" than it was before

Could you imagine playing each team home and away in a ‘true league’ format. 70 bloody games we would all be bankrupt.

 

[hallsteve62]

Need to call the entire competition "The European League"
It's even less "champions" than it was before

Exactly. This is the beginning of the way it's going to ultimately go

 

[Stephen230]

Your view on what constitutes interesting may differ from mine but ultimately:

Its an extra home game, and if we finish 9th-24th it's an extra 2 home games.

Fundamentally it will be the same opponents. Some have qualified that haven't qualified before (Girona, Graz, Stuttgart, Bologna etc) but not because of the rule changes, they've just done well in their respective leagues. The extra home game is likely to be against an established side eg Real, Bayern, PSG. All of whom we have played recently but the price we have to pay will be higher than what we usually have to pay for a group stage game because it's a "glamorous" game.

The stakes will most likely be lower in my opinion as the top 24 out of 36 teams go through. Only the top 2 out of 4 currently go through. Time will tell but I suspect something like 8 points from 8 games might get you through to the knockout stages. So if you win your first 3 games, where is the jeopardy for the remaining 5?

You want a higher seeding as possible. Top two and you’re guaranteed the home leg second all the way to the final.

Also much more likely to face weaker sides in the first couple of knockout rounds with a high seeding.

 

[Tbilisi]

As no one at the club seemed that arsed about the FA Cup Final I really don’t see the point of risking first teamers in either domestic competitions. We have won three trebles, domestic, the treble and the three last season. Fuck it. Let’s just concentrate on the two that matter.

I am a traditionalist who also follows non league football so have a lot of time for the FA Cup and what it can do for lower levels.

That said I can never understand City risking the PL and /or CL for either competition, it does not make financial sense.

 

[117 M34]

I'm looking forward to the conspiracy theories being banded around when one team gets a much harder draw than others.

 

[Gray]

I'm looking forward to the conspiracy theories being banded around when one team gets a much harder draw than others.

You can bet on that, a racing certainty.

 

[St.Pauli support]

You want a higher seeding as possible. Top two and you’re guaranteed the home leg second all the way to the final.

Also much more likely to face weaker sides in the first couple of knockout rounds with a high seeding.

That's certainly not the case.

From knockout on nothing changes.
From quarterfinals on there are no seedings, the draw defines home and away.

https://kassiesa.net/uefa/files/2024-25-uefa-cl-rules.pdf

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

I'm looking forward to the conspiracy theories being banded around when one team gets a much harder draw than others.

As MANUre aren't in it next season we might get some of the teams they used to get - Cluj, Valetta, Braga, Shamrock Rovers.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

BOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[i kne albert davy]

I am a traditionalist who also follows non league football so have a lot of time for the FA Cup and what it can do for lower levels.

That said I can never understand City risking the PL and /or CL for either competition, it does not make financial sense.

£2 million for winning the FA Cup, £17.4 million just for qualifying for Champions League group stage makes sort of chasing trophies pointless now sadly. That said I was gutted about not winning last Saturday.

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

BOOOOOOOOOOOO

They played that “jingle” on the BBC Breakfast this morning as the trophy was being wheeled through the streets of London (!) and I booed it. Just can’t stop now.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

They played that “jingle” on the BBC Breakfast this morning as the trophy was being wheeled through the streets of London (!) and I booed it. Just can’t stop now.

Haha so did I.

 

[cptaidan88]

That's certainly not the case.

From knockout on nothing changes.
From quarterfinals on there are no seedings, the draw defines home and away.

https://kassiesa.net/uefa/files/2024-25-uefa-cl-rules.pdf

My understanding is that it is predetermined to the final from the group stage positioning, but I am still figuring out these rules so not confident to say you are definitely wrong at this stage.

This will make flights to away games more expensive as people will search for routes/airlines will be able to increase costs before we know for certain if we're getting through each round (and the opposition).

 

[St.Pauli support]

... My understanding is that it is predetermined to the final from the group stage positioning, but I am still figuring out these rules so not confident to say you are definitely wrong at this stage...

Just read the UEFA rules posted in my last post:

"Article 19 Draw system – knockout phase
19.01 Once the league phase has been completed, 24 clubs enter the knockout phase in predetermined positions based on their ranking at the end of the league phase, as illustrated
in Annex B (that's the slide you have posted above).

19.02 The fixtures for the knockout phase play-offs are determined by means of a draw conducted in accordance with the following principles:
a. The clubs are paired based on their positions at the end of the league phase to form four seeded pairs (clubs in positions 9 and 10, 11 and 12, 13 and 14, and 15 and 16) and four unseeded pairs (positions 17 and 18, 19 and 20, 21 and 22, and 23 and 24).
b. The clubs in each seeded pair are drawn against the clubs in each unseeded pair, as illustrated in Annex B: clubs 9 or 10 against clubs 23 or 24, clubs 11 or 12 against clubs 21 or 22, clubs 13 or 14 against clubs 19 or 20, and clubs 15 or 16 against clubs 17 or 18.
c. In principle, the seeded clubs play the return leg matches at home.

19.03
The fixtures for the round of 16 are determined by means of a draw conducted in accordance with the following principles:
a. The clubs are paired based on their positions at the end of the league phase to form four seeded pairs (clubs in positions 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, and 7 and 8).
b. The clubs in each seeded pair are drawn into one of two positions in the round of 16, as illustrated in Annex B, against the relevant winner of the knockout phase play-offs, whose position is determined by the knockout phase play-off draw in accordance with Paragraph 19.02.
c. In principle, the seeded clubs play the return leg matches at home.

19.04
The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final pairings are determined according to Annex B. A draw is conducted to determine which team plays the first leg match at home."


Clearly 19.04 says that from QF onwards home and away are drawn as usual. Flight bookings as usual too.

Happy with that?