Old Style Champions League

[Southern]

If the original format was in place, ie. only the actual Champions of the previous season qualify,would we have a better chance of winning it?

There were five different winners in the first 5 years before non-champions were included in group stages.

That would leave only Barcelona Juventus and Bayern (and possibly Liverpool) next season who we might struggle against.

Or would UEFA still find a way to screw us over?

 

[Silvas' left eyebrow]

Old comp was far better. More like a European FA cup. Miles easier to win. Only champions of Germany, Italy and Spain now also France.would be difficult.all others over two legs should be easy.

Sorry Liverpool old uefa cup was much tougher to win. Second , third and fourth in Italy Germany and Spain all were tougher opponents than champions of Ireland,Finland , Norway,Rumania etc,etc

 

[GaudinoMotors]

But far harder to qualify for and certainly something the dippers would have no part in.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Prefer the new format. Think it provides a fairer system. Why should a country as small as Macedonia (pop 2.1 million) get as many places as Germany (pop 82.8 million)? That’s ridiculous and offends logic.

I think the competition broadly represents the spread of talent across Europe. Didn’t like the recent moves by the ‘big 4’, though. I think it’s the beginning of a particularly ugly spell in the sport.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

I'd go back to 3 comps with finalists from the other 2 getting into the Euro Cup the following year.

Never happen as not enough 'top' games for UEFA to cream the cash and other things...

 

[Southern]

Prefer the new format. Think it provides a fairer system. Why should a country as small as Macedonia (pop 2.1 million) get as many places as Germany (pop 82.8 million)? That’s ridiculous and offends logic.

But it’s not really a ‘champions’ league is it when s team like arsenal or spurs who’ve never won it nor won their domestic league for years are in it every year.

There were teams from Serbia and Romania and Holland winning it in the past - surely they deserve to dream too?

It’s not like some of the smaller nations would automatically qualify anyway if it starts out as a 32 team competition.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

But it’s not really a ‘champions’ league is it when s team like arsenal or spurs who’ve never won it nor won their domestic league for years are in it every year.

There were teams from Serbia and Romania and Holland winning it in the past - surely they deserve to dream too?

It’s not like some of the smaller nations would automatically qualify anyway if it starts out as a 32 team competition.

I’m not remotely bothered what they call it.

They way that finances in football have gone now, I doubt clubs from any of those countries would have any realistic hope of even winning a knock out tournament.

I’ll concede your last point, which is fair comment, but my point still stands, albeit less forcefully!

 

[BimboBob]

The winners from each country in a two leg knock out competition with no seeding. Just like the old days.

Fat chance. One big cash cow.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

The fact that Real Madrid who finished 14 points behind Barca and the Dippers 25 points behind us , really makes this competition irrelevant when working out which is the best football team in europe , would love the old format to return , no group games , straight into knock-out competition over two legs. The clue is in the name "The Champions League" not the "we finished in the top four league" , but this bent competition is way too far down the line and UEFA will only make this competition bigger and include more teams in the future. Wouldnt be surprised if they increased ours and other stronger football nations entries to six teams , its all about the ££££££££££ , nothing to do with who are the best football team.

 

[buckshot]

I still find it weird that it's called Champions League. It should be Elite League or something like that when more than half of the teams who qualify aren't champions. The other option would be to make it open only to league and domestic cup champions. It would make the cup competitions more interesting and wouldn't award teams for finishing 4th.