New Champions League format

[supercity88]

It doesn't sound to me as though it will be anymore interesting than the current system. Smaller groups can lead to more drama generally. This new league system means you can jump straight into the last 16 by performing well, but unless you are a whipping boy - of which there will still be plenty, you'll have a playoff to make the last 16 anyway. The only downside is the extra 2 games, otherwise that's not really that bad a scenario to be in. You do your best to finish in the top 8 but if not you're going to probably still have a playoff. The table might change dramatically over the final couple of games, but it's not going to see many of the best sides knocked out, it just puts them in a playoff instead...hardly the drama they're pretending it offers.

 

[Eds]

I wonder which pot the likes of Barca and Bayern will end up in if they don't win the league, will it be pot 2? Can you play more than one team from the same country and could they both be away games i.e Madrid and Barca both away? Can you play teams from your own country at the group phase? Another two games possibly four games to fit in an already crowded schedule. Pure greed!

 

[TinFoilHat]

I wonder which pot the likes of Barca and Bayern will end up in if they don't win the league, will it be pot 2? Can you play more than one team from the same country and could they both be away games i.e Madrid and Barca both away? Can you play teams from your own country at the group phase? Another two games possibly four games to fit in an already crowded schedule. Pure greed!

You can see City's fixture if they do end up in Pot 2....

 

[hammocity]

I wonder which pot the likes of Barca and Bayern will end up in if they don't win the league, will it be pot 2? Can you play more than one team from the same country and could they both be away games i.e Madrid and Barca both away? Can you play teams from your own country at the group phase? Another two games possibly four games to fit in an already crowded schedule. Pure greed!

Agreed, they could have made it a 36 team competition with teams seeded in three groups of 12, playing 2 from each group.

I can’t find anything about who a team can draw other than each team plays one home and one away game from each group, it’s all on coefficients with as an example Pot One is the current holders plus the highest rated next eight teams and so on in the other groups. I’m sure they’ll stick with the country protection in the group stage but I’m guessing a team could get 2 teams from the same country but would think only one could be away, the draw will be a nightmare.

Teams that progress to the knockout out round from the top 8 will get the home advantage in the second leg of the round of 16, again I’d guess, like now, there’s country protection for this round.

We’re currently top of the coefficients but being in Pot one is not as advantageous as it was but look at the piss easy group the Tarquins had this season from Pot 2, Eindhoven, Seville and Lens.

 

[Stephen230]

Agreed, they could have made it a 36 team competition with teams seeded in three groups of 12, playing 2 from each group.

I can’t find anything about who a team can draw other than each team plays one home and one away game from each group, it’s all on coefficients with as an example Pot One is the current holders plus the highest rated next eight teams and so on in the other groups. I’m sure they’ll stick with the country protection in the group stage but I’m guessing a team could get 2 teams from the same country but would think only one could be away, the draw will be a nightmare.

Teams that progress to the knockout out round from the top 8 will get the home advantage in the second leg of the round of 16, again I’d guess, like now, there’s country protection for this round.

We’re currently top of the coefficients but being in Pot one is not as advantageous as it was but look at the piss easy group the Tarquins had this season from Pot 2, Eindhoven, Seville and Lens.

There’s no country protection in the knockout rounds. It is 100% on your seeding gained from the group stage.

As soon as the play off round is complete, you will be able to track exactly who you can play in each knockout round, all the way to the final.

They have said they’ll try and keep teams from the same country apart in the group games. But it may not be possible for countries with five teams.

 

[Quilted]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

But it IS broke to the old, big name clubs who can’t currently get in, so THAT needed fixing!!

FIFPRO needs to create some rules for players.

- No more than X games possible in all competitions in any rolling 10 month period.

- No more than 2 games in any rolling 7 day period.

- No less than 8 weeks without domestic football between domestic seasons.

- No more than 6 games in four calendar weeks for any international tournaments between domestic seasons

- All players on guaranteed pay from UEFA/FIFA for tournaments, with clubs compensated for player wages when injured on international duty.

- All contracted players in all domestic leagues provided minimum lifetime physical and mental health care insurance through their Confederation.

- All players contracted for a minimum of 36 calendar months provided a 10 yr pension equivalent to 50% of their contract as a bridge to post-contract life and lifetime education credit. Exemption for players receiving contractual pay in excess of $X/week.

- All players to receive required financial education courses during the first 3 years of being under contract.

- All players who wish to continue educational coursework while under contract will be both permitted and reimbursed for any educational costs incurred.

And so on…

While everyone is getting metric off these players, and the top players make bank, there are far too many players who are flogged like slaves and come out of the game with little more than scars, permanent injuries and some great pub stories.

With the amount of money sloshing around the game, it’s time player protection reached the street level.

 

[East Level 2]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

It is broke though. City are often through to the knock-out stages with two games remaining and while those two games are a chance for youngsters to get some experience they are unattractive to fans.
The main disadvantage is two additional games which may need to be won to ensure a top eight finish thereby avoiding a further two play-off games.
And the draw for the mini-league looks like it may not have the same TV day restrictions currently in place.
Finally we won't have the ludicrous situation we faced in 2012 when we finished third with ten points and went into the UEFA Cup while several teams qualified with fewer points from other groups.

 

[Quilted]

The main disadvantage is two additional games which may need to be won to ensure a top eight finish thereby avoiding a further two play-off games.

This is going to cause more injuries because every group stage match will now have to be played at full force for the clubs who are near the threshold.

The point about letting youngsters play or have their debut in the UCL is a good thing.

 

[shnaghaicityfish]

I usually study this sort of thing quite closely but because it’s UEFA I sort of can’t be arsed. Can anyone summarise how many “group” games we’ll have to play at home before it gets remotely interesting? Because currently 3 is too many for me.