Sniper 11:19 Thu Mar 24
UEFA considering champions league changes
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Seems Leicester spurs and the potential of us have really rocked the boat. Bet Man U Chelsea and Liverpool have kicked up a right stink
I'm not opposed to reducing the competition or changing the format, but the worst things they've done are to sell out coverage to paid services (blatantly why they want wild cards - fans aren't going to pay to watch neutral games in Europe so they need the biggest fan base) and the ridiculous convoluted drawing out of each round over weeks and weeks. It's just boring.
More knock out rounds all played in one week is far better.
Anyway, from the Beeb:
The Champions League may feature fewer teams in the group stages under proposals being considered by Uefa.
One suggestion is for more knockout rounds, leading to two 'super-league' groups of eight teams - the current format features eight groups of four.
A spokesman told the Guardian Uefa was in "constant contact" with clubs but "no concrete proposals" were in place.
The current structure is unlikely to change under the present TV rights deal, which runs to the end of 2017-18.
The Champions League replaced the European Cup, which was a straight knockout competition, in 1992.
There are currently three qualifying rounds and a play-off round, all played over two legs, then the group stage which features 32 teams divided into eight groups, with the top two in each group advancing to the knockout round of 16.
The European Clubs' Association, led by former West Germany international striker Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, has held discussions regarding a tournament consisting of 20 teams from Italy, England, Spain, Germany and France.
Inter Milan chief executive Michael Bolingbroke told the BBC this week that he saw merit in the idea of Champions League wildcards for teams that have not qualified through their league position.
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Replies - Newest Posts First ( Show In Chronological Order)
Lily Hammer
4:32 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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More promotion of the wild card idea from the BBC without one word of editorial challenge. Thye had Barcelona's president on recently floating the idea with out challenge, now this prick.
The money men are shitting it.
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Sniper
1:53 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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Agreed about Chelsea marston - especially with the big name recognisable players they marketed it on all gone or going. Asia recognised Lampard and Terry but without them
I don't think they would care if the team disappeared off their radar.
The argument about fantasies growing as the club succeeds is only half true - in terms of marketing and financial clout, Uefa and other clubs don't want to wait for that. They'd rather have Man U in it now than wait for another clubs fan arse to build over a decade
Like I said, don't mind a change of structure in the competition, but the root cause of its slow demise and lack of interest comes from the to rights going to pay-for channels which neutrals don't buy and dragging each round out over weeks.
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Marston Hammer
1:47 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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I predict that if Chelsea keep missing out no-one will give a fuck. Roman's financial muscle means less now than it did ten years ago and without champion's league football they'll find it harder & harder to attract the very best players.
They don't have a strong global brand like Man Utd do and I confidently predict that Abdul, Abeeku and Zhang Wei will think nothing of binning their Chelsea tops and supporting someone else. And that's just their UK fans.
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Gavros
1:47 Thu Mar 24
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One of the main reasons why the Premier League has become the world's biggest sporting league (by far) is the fact that there is a balance between revenues across teams (unlike Spain, for example) and still promotion/ relegation (unlike the NFL). The 'big' teams in the PL, which include lest we not forget two teams who a re simply there because they have been bankrolled, can't have that cake and then demand more through automatic Champions League qualification. Its an absolute heresy to the ideals of football.
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whufcroe
1:44 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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ludo21 1:35 Thu Mar 24
Every so often people talk about things like this, super leagues etc etc
Won't happen because the money comes first and foremost from domestic football. European football will never be as big for the super powers as their own domestic leagues.
Wild cards are only being mused by simpletons at teams like Inter that are now struggling. There would be no way to hand out these wild cards.
The CL is already to big, ditto the Europa, so you just simply could't start having 6 teams from England and then another 3 for the Europa League, it's simply not workable and would impact on the massive amount of work they have done to promote the Europa which is starting to look a really good alternative for the first time.
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ludo21
1:35 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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Perhaps not this time round but there will be before long if the likes of Man Utd, Chelsea etc... keep missing out.
Obviously I hope it doesn't but money talks and this will happen eventually... hope I'm wrong.
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whufcroe
1:28 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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ludo21 1:23 Thu Mar 24
That's not what it is all about, that's the opinion of someone at a once great club that are going to miss out.
They change the CL every 3 years to try and make it more interesting.
There wont be wild card entries or nonsense like that.
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ludo21
1:23 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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Croe - have a look at the last line of the OP... that is what this is all about!
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goose
1:23 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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they are running scared with this 'wild card' business. too many so called big teams have had it too easy for too long. would love to see leicester upset a few in the CL.
if there was a super league we'd prob win it - beating man city, chelsea, arsenal, liverpool is a piece of piss these days.
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whufcroe
1:21 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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" the intention is to presumably have guaranteed entry into these 'super leagues' for the big clubs"
How would they manage to do that and who are these big clubs?
Leicester? Tottenham? West Ham?
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whufcroe
1:19 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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Not sure how it will make the rich richer as the rich clubs generally are the best who get to the later stages now, so that won't change.
People bitch and complain about the format now and rightly so, the groups at present are pretty shit and that's where they are losing the figures. The bigger groups would mean bigger sides playing each other more.
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ludo21
1:17 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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The idea is obviously to have these two 8 team 'super leagues' made up of the big clubs... the intention is to presumably have guaranteed entry into these 'super leagues' for the big clubs and perhaps allow a couple of 'small' teams to qualify into the 'super league' stage by getting through multiple knock out rounds.... otherwise it would make it even worse for a team like Man Utd if they are knocked out in qualifying and miss out on the league stage.... how would they cope with seeing their peers all playing each other and them missing out.
As others have said I hope this does happen 'cos it will ultimately hasten the demise of these big clubs.... they should be careful what they wish for!
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Keep dreaming
1:10 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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It's all about money, always has.
This will ensure a guaranteed income over 14 matches.
Make the richest richer
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icwhs
1:01 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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If the divided into 8, H/A is 14 games.....
Widen the gulf even more!
Smaller teams knocked out in 1st or 2nd round less stash...
Even if they get in it every year
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icwhs
12:58 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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However the change it , it'll be to satisfy the big teams.
They don't want Sturm Graz in a group obviously... Hoping the "smaller" teams will be knocked out in the earlier new knock out rounds, so they'll be left with the elite 16, divided into 2 groups of 8...
Has to be what they want.
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RM7
12:57 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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Well Leicester would plastered all over Bangkok as their owners are Thai.
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CanningTownWA
12:54 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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I think that if Man Utd and Chelsea etc spend a few years in the wilderness the Asians and Africans whoever, would not have any hesitation in jumping ship onto whoever is
winning games. They are not exactly season ticket holders just glory hunters.
I was in Bangkok 2 weeks ago and Leicester were plastered everywhere so no problem with a following there if they carry on as they are.
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whufcroe
12:53 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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El Scorchio 12:37 Thu Mar 24
How would it widen the gulf even more if the teams are not the usual suspects?
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El Scorchio
12:37 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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The convenient thing about this would be the Lion's share of the money would only have to be split 16 ways, rather than 32.
Lucky old 16 top clubs, eh? Always about the money...
Would actually be good in small leagues like the Scandie ones where the likes of Copenhagen won't get into the super 8 round and financial parity will be closer in their domestic game, but it would just widen the gulf even more in Spain, Germany, Italy, France and here.
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Sven Roeder
12:30 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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At the moment you sometimes get two big teams in a group by accident and then they only play each other in quarter finals and beyond as knockouts.
I think they want bigger groups so you can have games between big teams earlier and they both still go on to the knockout stages and play more of their PEERS.
If you had an eight team group you could risk (and they see it as a risk with the possibility of elimination) having Barca, Man Utd & Bayern all in together with say 4 teams going through.
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whufcroe
12:20 Thu Mar 24
Re: UEFA considering champions league changes
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Sven - That's not clubs want as they know the money and interest wouldn't last
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