With one match to play (CL Final) the new format champions league is beginning to take shape.
We will be in the highest seeded pot of nine teams along with Bayern, Real Madrid, PSG, Liverpool. Inter Milan, Dortmund, Leipzig and Barcelona.
Under the new format we will play two of those teams along with two seeded 10 to 18. two seeded 19 to 27 and two seeded 28 to 36.
As England has four qualified teams we can also play one of the other three Arsenal, Liverpool or Aston Villa.
You play eight league matches four at home and four away against eight different teams.
With our luck we will probably end up with Bayern, Real Madrid, Athletico Madrid and Arsenal plus four others.
Points are awarded as at present and the top eight teams out of the 36 go through to the knock out stages.
Teams placed 9th to 16th play the teams placed 17th to 24th on a two legged system with the higher ranked teams playing the return leg at home. The winners then play one of the already qualified teams home and away in the first knock out round.
This adds an extra two matches to the already insane schedule, no wonder players are contemplating going on strike.
I'm sure I read you can play one from the same country.This isn’t accurate.
We can only play them from the knock outs - inc now from the last 16.
According to this 15th June to 13th July 2025.
Me too. I am just a bit confused re the new format. For example could we play eg Dippers and Arse in the mini league ( up to January) then potentially get them again in the knock outs?Agreed it needed a bit of a refresh and the possibility of playing in the same group as the Dippers or Arsenal will certainly make it a lot more interesting.
I was gutted when we went out to Madrid this year and would mw love to win it next season.
That is seven games instead of the two we played last year.According to this 15th June to 13th July 2025.
Imagine being in it and preparing for Barrow away first game.That is seven games instead of the two we played last year.
So with the extra CL games that is a further seven games possible.
I give up, we should just pull out in protest.
Imagine being in it and preparing for Barrow away first game.
Your view on what constitutes interesting may differ from mine but ultimately:From the pure perspective of being a punter on the cup scheme, I prefer it tbh. More interesting games, more interesting opponents, higher stakes.
I guess my thinking is if you draw one team you've played a lot from pot 2, 3 or 4 then you've got two games of them. And we don't get a "blockbuster" game before the QFs these days. Just feels like we are guaranteed a couple of more interesting games or new opponents. Also feels like more teams will have more to play for, and that you can potentially impact other teams by forcing them to play a knockout game or two. Winning your first two games probably does put you in a comfortable position, but one of those will be against another top European side so that has knock ons.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?