MANCHESTER, England — This season has ushered in a daring reimagining of the Champions League, increasing the number of matches and financial rewards for Europe’s premier soccer clubs. This move is also a response to concerns regarding the potential emergence of a breakaway super league.
The revamped format aims to offer more excitement and competition for fans, as the former structure often felt repetitive, with the same teams consistently advancing past the initial group stage. The introduction of a 36-team league stage has led to unexpected outcomes, putting some of Europe’s top clubs at significant risk of elimination early in the tournament, including 2023 champions Manchester City.
City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, acknowledged the harsh reality, saying, “If we don’t win we won’t deserve it. We haven’t got enough points, and we’ll have to accept it,” as his team currently sits 25th in the standings before the final game.
The new structure has certainly sparked heightened interest. UEFA’s strategy to implement a 36-team league phase was aimed at ensuring that “every game counts.” With only one round of matches remaining, the stakes are incredibly high. After Paris Saint-Germain’s victory over City, they too could face missing out on the playoffs. Even Real Madrid, the defending champions and record 15-time winners, could find themselves in a playoff position after narrowly avoiding elimination.
With heavyweights like Bayern Munich, Juventus, and last year’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund also potentially facing early exits, the possibility of major teams being matched against one another remains significant, increasing the likelihood of surprises. Currently, only Liverpool and Barcelona have secured their spots in the knockout round, while the remaining clubs from ninth to 24th will enter a two-legged playoff.
Traditionally, soccer league formats have followed a set pattern, where each team plays home and away matches against others. UEFA has broken from this tradition by implementing a new schedule in which each of the 36 teams competes against eight different opponents just once.
Previously, higher-seeded teams often advanced comfortably due to favorable group draws. However, the new approach, which involved a draw from four seeding pots, has led to a less predictable competition. UEFA’s method aims to create more early head-to-head matches between the elite clubs while granting lower-ranked teams chances to secure points against similarly ranked opposition.
This shift seems to have resulted in a broader distribution of results, with higher-ranked teams unexpectedly dropping points. Paris Saint-Germain, for instance, has had a daunting series of matches against City, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, and Atletico Madrid.
Liverpool’s coach Arne Slot characterized this new first phase as “strange” and “weird,” as his team tops the standings with a perfect record despite the unpredictability seen throughout the tournament. He downplays Liverpool’s position as an indicator of being the best in Europe, as upcoming matchups may still end in unfavorable confrontations for them.
The excitement intensifies as the final round of matches approaches, with numerous positions still up for grabs, leading into a playoff round that could feature two of the most recent winners of the Champions League and three of the five past champions.
The tournament has already produced its fair share of surprises, including Lille’s stunning victory over Madrid and Aston Villa’s win against Bayern. Other notable results include Sporting Lisbon’s shocking 4-1 defeat of City, and Barcelona’s dramatic fightback to beat Benfica 5-4, scoring two late goals to seal the win. PSG also faced City in a crucial contest, emerging victorious in a match filled with tension.
With clubs excited for increased matchups between rivals, the competition has delivered thrilling moments. However, this expansion raises concerns regarding player fatigue, as some have voiced apprehensions over an increasingly packed schedule. The Champions League’s new format adds two extra matches, coinciding with FIFA’s launch of an expanded Club World Cup.
The global players’ union, FIFPRO, has expressed that many athletes are overwhelmed, often playing 60-70 matches each season, well above the recommended maximum of 55. However, the financial implications of the new structure are significant, with a boost in prize money by at least 25%, resulting in a total of a minimum of 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion).
The increased number of home matches in the first phase will also contribute to greater ticket revenue. Madrid’s coach Carlo Ancelotti noted, “We are playing two more matches, so that’s something negative about it. But it’s something new. And when there is something new, you have to look at it and evaluate it.”
