Page 24 - Soccer360 Issue 104

‘AS EVEN UEFA PROBABLY WOULD HAVE EXPECTED, THE CHANGE IN FORMAT HAS NOT BEEN WITHOUT ITS DETRACTORS
be met. More games mean more revenue, so that part is fairly straightforward. As for the top clubs progressing? UEFA did alter their original plans
to allow legacy clubs to fill two spots - just in
case the likes of Manchester United didn’t qualify automatically - but there will still be two of the extra league stage places taken by teams from leagues that have the best coefficient ratings from the previous year. That would mean that the English Premier League would usually have a fifth club in the competition. Whether even that is still good enough for United to be involved remains to be seen.
UEFA seems to have gone down the same route as FIFA in regard to its competitions - listened to the demands for change and then came up with something that no one is happy with. Extra games for the players, a potential lack of incentive for attacking football, and what is, frankly, a confusing new format that has alienated fans already - UEFA has really outdone itself this time.
This new format might end up being a huge success, of course. Or, at least, something that the fans get used to quickly without any issue. The Champions League will still remain the biggest club competition on the planet and millions will still pay to watch the games. It is very likely the top brass at UEFA will still be smiling this time next year.
Los Blancos have still managed to keep on winning the Champions League in all its incarnations
Everything has gone wrong at Ajax since Erik Ten Hag left for the EPL
Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates after scoring his team’s 5th goal during the UEFA Champions League group B match between Arsenal and RC Len
‘‘ONE OF THE FAMILIAR CRITICISMS OF UEFA IS THAT IT IS ONLY REALLY INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT THE BIG CLUBS MAKE IT THROUGH TO THE KNOCKOUT STAGES AND THAT IT MAKES EVEN MORE MONEY
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NEW FORMAT CHAMPIONS LEAGUE