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

Interesting but you have to factor on the coefficient of the team so Celtic may have on paper easier fixtures than us but they were in pot three for a reason.
Not really. The team's own coefficient makes no difference to the teams it could draw. We all got 2 teams each from Pot 1, Pot 2, Pot 3 and Pot 4. Despite being a worse team than City in CL coefficient terms, we could both have got each other's draw (except we couldn't draw Villa), so any way you look at it, their draw is easier than ours [in other words, it would have been easier for us to progress with Celtic's draw, and much harder for them with our draw]. In the previous version with groups, a Pot 3 team could not get an easier draw than a Pot 1 team.

That's not to say they have a better chance to progress than we do, but that's a different point.
 
There will be very few dead rubbers (less than in the old format even). I would be shocked if the difference in points between the 1st and the 9th is more than 6 points in match 7, and it's mathematically impossible for the difference between the 5-8th and 9th-12th, and 22-24th and 25th-30th, to be bigger than 6 points in matchday 7.

For the last matchday, probably the 1st-4th will already be secured in the first 8, but all the teams from 5th- 30th will have chances to secure direct qualification, or get a better position to get a weaker team in the 9th-24th, get to the 24th position... the last matchday will be far more interesting than what it is right now.

Plus we have so many great matches now. I love the new format (if it weren't for an already very heavy calendar).
 
So am I right in thinking this new format almost guarantees all the big teams are through to the last 16 eventually? Unless they massively fuck up? One of the big guns could quite conceivable go out in the old group stage, but now it's almost impossible for them to miss out?
It’s (almost) a pity the rags didn’t make it as I’m sure they would have found a way.

Tough draw from our perspective but think Pep and the players will enjoy a different type of challenge, and rise to it once again.

Not complaining about the new system, freshens it up a bit, Pep’s new target will be to ensure a top 8 finish as quickly as possible.
 
Like most I probably need to read up a little bit on the rules but so far I've got

Top 8 qualify for knock out.

Teams finishing 9 to 24 going into a 2 legged knockout with 1 of the others in the same bracket to play I believe, 1 of the top 8.

That suggest a huge 36 team league table will be shown? (Reckon Celtic will still finish bottom with 1 point :-)

With only 7 games to play in the group/ league stage there will be a lot of teams tied on points so is goal difference to be used?

A team can finish 24th in the league stage and still go on to be European Champions :-)

I like it and think it will be good but maybe more than top 8 should qualify automatically with less teams having a chance to join them in the first knockout stage.

At least they have done away with that ridiculous drop down into the Europa League.
 
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i give up on trying to understand the whole thing with the new system, From now on it will be just turn up and play anybody I don't care, because we are a great team and we fear nobody
 
Interesting format and should make for more exciting games. The previous format needed shaking up. In terms of City the PSG, Juventus and Milan games stand out.
 

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