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

[MCFC1993]

Top 8 automatically qualify for the round of 16. 9th-25th enter a playoff round for the other 8 spots.

Round of 16 is seeded so 1st plays 16th 2nd plays 15th and so on so it is beneficial to get in the top 8 as hopefully you'll get an easier draw.

Ive done a few simulations on FM and the 8th place side gets between 14-17 points

Ah cheers for the FM bit. So if you win your first 5 games you might be able to chill for the last 3.

As @WickyWain mentioned I believe there could be pairings to keep 1st and 2nd (possibly more) on the opposite side of the draw in the knockouts. Not convinced that's a big enough incentive to go all out in 8 groups games though.

 

[Vic]

Yes looks like there will be some pairings based on finishing league position:

"In the knockout phase, the teams that finish between 9th and 16th will be seeded in the knockout phase play-off draw, meaning they will face a team placed 17th to 24th – with, in principle, the return leg at home. The eight clubs which prevail in the knockout phase play-offs will then progress to the round of 16, where they will each face one of the top-eight finishers, who will be seeded in the round of 16.

To strengthen the synergy between the league and knockout phases, and to provide more sporting incentive during the league phase, the pairings of the knockout phase will also be partly determined by the league phase rankings, with a draw which likewise determines and lays out the route for teams to reach the final.

From the round of 16 onwards, the competition will continue to follow its existing format of knockout rounds leading to the final staged at a neutral venue selected by UEFA."

Still not sure that's a big enough incentive between 1st and 8th though. If 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th are paired on one side and 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th on the other, you're still getting strong teams on either side.

I take that as just meaning that in the round of 16 any of the top 8 can play any of the bottom 8 (after the play offs). After that, anyone can play anyone else, but as before the quarter-final draw includes who the winners of QF games will play in the semi-fimals.

 

[brummie blue]

Just wondering why Liverpool are in pot one

 

[mancityscot]

honestly, this format sounds much better than the previous one.

 

[Vic]

Top 8 automatically qualify for the round of 16. 9th-25th enter a playoff round for the other 8 spots.

Round of 16 is seeded so 1st plays 16th 2nd plays 15th and so on so it is beneficial to get in the top 8 as hopefully you'll get an easier draw.

Ive done a few simulations on FM and the 8th place side gets between 14-17 points

If the round of 16 were seeded like that, you wouldn't need a draw.

 

[kippaxwarrior]

Just wondering why Liverpool are in pot one

They are in the top 8 teams who have qualified under the Uefa coefficient rankings

Club coefficients | UEFA rankings

UEFA.com is the official site of UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations, and the governing body of football in Europe. UEFA works to promote, protect and develop European football across its 55 member associations and organises some of the world’s most famous football competitions...

www.uefa.com

 

[kippaxwarrior]

If the round of 16 were seeded like that, you wouldn't need a draw.

There is no draw for the round of 16. It will already be determined on who finishes 1st-16th in the league phase.

So if we finish 1st we will play the 16th placed team 2nd will play 15th 3rd will play 14th and so on

 

[MCFC1993]

I take that as just meaning that in the round of 16 any of the top 8 can play any of the bottom 8 (after the play offs). After that, anyone can play anyone else, but as before the quarter-final draw includes who the winners of QF games will play in the semi-fimals.

It's the paragraph about strengthening the synergy between league and knockout that makes me believe there will be some pairing. They wouldn’t need to say that otherwise as the top 8 will all be seeded and avoid each other anyway.

Unless it means 1st will play the lowest ranked qualifier in the last 16 and so on. That would also make sense and then a random draw from the QF onwards.

 

[bluesmith]

There is no draw for the round of 16. It will already be determined on who finishes 1st-16th in the league phase.

So if we finish 1st we will play the 16th placed team 2nd will play 15th 3rd will play 14th and so on

That's not correct, as there is a round before that where 9th play 24th 10th play 23rd and so on. 1st would play the lowest finisher who qualifies from that round.

 

[MCFC1993]

There is no draw for the round of 16. It will already be determined on who finishes 1st-16th in the league phase.

So if we finish 1st we will play the 16th placed team 2nd will play 15th 3rd will play 14th and so on

9th - 24th play a playoff round first and the winners play the top 8.

So it could mean 1st plays the lowest ranked qualifier and so on.