UEFA looking at Champions League changes

The new-look format eradicated the old eight groups of four and installed a one-league system with an expanded 36 teams all competing with one another in separate fixtures.

Every team in the tournament got a fixture list when the league was finalised after the qualifiers and had eight matches against different opposition; instead of playing three other teams home and away over six encounters. This was supposed to be the happy medium which would prevent a breakaway Super League being founded by European football’s elite clubs by offering them more revenue through extra matches.

That has sufficed – for now.

Although according to a report from German publication Bild, it’s claimed that despite the current season’s competition not even finished yet, work is going on behind the scenes at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon to make additional changes and adapt the new model for the next campaign. The outlet claims that three major changes are being discussed currently:

1.) Penalty shoot-out instead of extra time

“The 30-minute extra time in the knockout rounds could be abolished in a draw and the winner could be determined directly on penalties. Thus, the burden on the players should be reduced somewhat.

2.) The return leg home right in the knockout phase

“Clubs that have finished in the top eight teams in the table after the league phase and have thus qualified directly for the round of 16 should be additionally rewarded. By basically playing at home in the quarter-finals and semi-finals against worse-placed teams in the second leg. This only applies to the round of 16. Criticism of the current mode, in which the lot determines from the quarter-finals over the stadium in the first and second leg, comes from Arsenal.

The English had to compete in the quarter-final second leg at Real Madrid – although they were third, eight places ahead of the defending champions after the league phase, who had to go into the play-offs.

“Nevertheless, Arsenal clearly prevailed with 3:0 and 2:1.In the semi-finals, Paris Saint-Germain (29 April/7 May) awaits – and the French also have the supposed advantage of the return leg in their own stadium. Although they had even only finished 15th after the league phase. In the second semi-final, Barcelona and Inter face each other (30 April/6 May). Barça also had second in the league phase ahead of Inter (4.) and still have to play in the second leg in Milan.”

3.) The so-called “Country Protection”

“Already after the league phase, clubs from the same country can meet. This was the case in the play-offs at PSG against Brest and in the round of 16 at Bayern against Leverkusen and Real against Atlético. So early duels are not attractive for the fans or the TV stations. In the old mode, clubs from the same country could only meet from the quarter-finals. So it could come again.”

It remains to be seen if these changes will be pushed through for next year, but it’s unquestionable that more is being done to suit bigger teams yet again. Although having said that, the early kick-offs being removed would be a bonus, as they can be a pain at times whenever Celtic are on early doors, with many supporters struggling to get home from work and other commitments at times for that 5:45pm start time.

An alternative idea 

It will never happen but given the success of the new ‘one giant group’ stage, what would improve the Champions League immensely and also return it towards its own European Cup heritage would be for the 16 teams who make it through to simply go into the hat and have an old fashioned European Cup draw. First team out plays at home and they play whoever they’re drawn against.

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