Page 21 - Soccer360 Issue 104

FORMAT FLUX
DAN ROBERTS LOOKS BACK ON HOW THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FORMAT HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS.
We have come a long way since the first European Cup competition in 1955 when 16 invited clubs competed to become crowned the champions of the continent. Real Madrid won the first final - and the next four, so in that respect it could be said that maybe there isn’t much difference today. But the format
of the Champions League, to use its current name, has certainly evolved.
In those early years, it wasn’t even always
the champions of the respective countries that took part. But the basic format
remained the same for almost 40 years.
More rounds and teams were introduced but the straightforward knockout round system remained in place. That was until 1991 when the first group stage was brought in. In those days the group games came after the initial knockout rounds, with the winners qualifying for the final. The entire competition was rebranded to become the Champions League the next year but it would take another two years for UEFA to decide that the group stage should happen before the knockout rounds. More entrants meant more rounds and, as well as an increase in qualifying rounds, a second group phase was introduced in 1999. For four seasons, clubs faced an even more complicated and long-winded route to the final. UEFA realised that quantity doesn’t always equal quality and since 2003 there
has been a qualifying rounds, group stage, knockout rounds format in place. That will all change next season, of course. But it could well still be the case that Real Madrid ends up lifting the famous old cup in the end.
UEFA has come a long way since Real Madrid won the very first Champions League Cup in 1955
2023-24
KEY DATES
Dec 12-13 2023
ROUND OF 16
DRAW
December 18
Feb 13-14, 20-21, 2024
Mar 5-6, 12-13, 2024
DRAW
March 15, 2024
April 9 - 10, 2024
April 16 - 17, 2024
April 30 - May 1, 2024
May 7-8, 2024
FINALS
June 1, 2024
at Wembley Stadium, London
GROUP STAGE
MATCH DAY 6
ROUND OF 16
FIRST LEG
ROUND OF 16
SECOND LEG
QUARTER FINALS
& SEMI FINALS
QUARTER FINALS
FIRST LEG
QUARTER FINALS
SECOND LEG
SEMI FINALS
FIRST LEG
SEMI FINALS
SECOND LEG
‘ALTHOUGH THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIELD HAS BEEN EXPANDED, THESE 36 SIDES WILL NOT ALL PLAY EACH OTHER’
Right: Julian Alvarez is having a great Champions league, having scored 4 goals already
competition at the end of the league phase.
The headline news from this new format is that even though all the clubs will be lumped into one big league - or group, if you prefer -
they will not play all the other teams. If this move seems strange, it should be said
that the format has been used in elite competitions before, such as with the CONCACAF Nations League. That might
not make it any easier to understand or comprehend, however.
As even UEFA probably would have
expected, the change in format has
not been without its detractors. In fact,
while it may not have come in for as
much criticism as the expansion of the
men’s FIFA World Cup to 48 teams, it is
fairly difficult to find anyone outside of
UEFA headquarters who thinks it is a good
idea. The existing Champions League group stage may not be the most loved round of football on the planet but it seems as though changing to this new ‘Swiss model’ was the wrong move.
Those in charge have explained that the new format will get rid of some of the predictability that the current group stage is bogged down in. Even though there is still seeding involved, there will be more games between the top teams. This is something that for years the fans have been
DID YOU KNOW?
Manchester City have become the 12th team to score 250 UEFA Champions League goals; they’ve reached the milestone in fewer games than any other side (119).
SOCCER360 19
Could even more games mean more injuries?