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

[Stephen230]

The new CL format looks shit with even more meaningless games in the early stages and less chance of any upsets. I can’t see what these changes bring. There should be more knock- out games.

No one really knows until we see it in action but I’m hopeful the opposite might be so.

At the moment, we’re so good, that the downside of that is the group stages are one big yawn fest. We know we’re virtually certain to win the group before it even starts and it’s usually more or less confirmed after the first three games.

At least with this, you’ll need to keep going and win probably 7/8 games to have a chance of one of the top two seeds and the most favourable positions in the knockout out table.

Time will tell though.

 

[train man]

The new CL format looks shit with even more meaningless games in the early stages and less chance of any upsets. I can’t see what these changes bring. There should be more knock- out games.

I always wondered why European football would want to adopt something referred to as 'the Swiss model'.
Really? Football following the Swiss route? Hmmm.
I could understand using their template for, say, skiing, or chocolate making maybe...

 

[Gray]

I always wondered why European football would want to adopt something referred to as 'the Swiss model'.
Really? Football following the Swiss route? Hmmm.
I could understand using their template for, say, skiing, or chocolate making maybe...

Use it for money laundering is probably the best way to go.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

The new CL format looks shit with even more meaningless games in the early stages and less chance of any upsets. I can’t see what these changes bring. There should be more knock- out games.

It's more loot for the money men at Uefa. It seems there's eight games to play in the 'group stage' instead of six so that's a 33% increase where Uefa can fine clubs for kicking off late in the second half, flying a 'Fuck off, Uefa' flag, et al! The money just rolls in!

 

[BlueMoonAcrossThePond]

I started to watch the final, but my God, Clive Tyldesley and Rob Green are shit announcers. Stopped watching. Will try to pick it up again.

 

[M18CTID]

Looking forward to this, not a bad thing to revamp things every now and again. The old format had become a bit stale and we had dead rubbers at the end of the group stage.

Until players start withdrawing from shitty International shite then I'm not arsed about their complaints of too many games.

The Rags for example made themselves unavailable at the end of the season but appeared for the Cup Final.

Hopefully more game time for squad players and avoidance of promising talent having to move on to play (Palmer).

Final is in Munich btw. City v Vinnie, it could happen.

I'm not a fan of the extra games but I think from the point of view of us fans who like our European away trips it should throw up some extra variation which would be great.

 

[hammocity]

Draws for the 1st and 2nd qualifying rounds take place on the 18th and 19th of June respectively.

42 cannon fodder teams before the competition even starts to get anything like serious.

Yep, it's the minnows that go through the "champions route" or other qualifier's based on League positions, most of these will be Pot 3 at best but more likely Pot 4 b

 

[hammocity]

The new CL format looks shit with even more meaningless games in the early stages and less chance of any upsets. I can’t see what these changes bring. There should be more knock- out games.

The idea is good, playing teams from all Pots equals more competitive games than the current group basis where you could predict the qualifiers most of the time.

I just think they've got the numbers wrong, should be 36 teams spilt into 3 groups, seeded 1, 2 and 3. 6 games v 2 different teams in each set of seeds with 8 going through and 9-24 playing a one game play off with teams 9-16 getting home advantage.

Then knock outs, only potentially one more game per team in the competition over the current format.

 

[Blue Maverick]

Straight two legged knockout every tie, you have to go for it, everyone in the pot.that would make it very exciting

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

The idea is good, playing teams from all Pots equals more competitive games than the current group basis where you could predict the qualifiers most of the time.

I just think they've got the numbers wrong, should be 36 teams spilt into 3 groups, seeded 1, 2 and 3. 6 games v 2 different teams in each set of seeds with 8 going through and 9-24 playing a one game play off with teams 9-16 getting home advantage.

Then knock outs, only potentially one more game per team in the competition over the current format.

Not convinced. I think the top eight will pick itself and there will be many dead games at the bottom of the big league. I agree that 3 groups would be better though.