New Champions League nonsense

[Mex Martillo]

This new Champions League nonsense.
Are you going to watch a game tonight?

[London_Falcons]

That should read 16 teams into the playoffs; only 12 teams are eliminated at the end of the group stage.

[London_Falcons]

The new format from UEFA concerns the fallout of the Super League proposals and staving off the big clubs' going their own way.

The big clubs are pretty much guaranteed to qualify and progress. There are no more groups of death.

More associations will have teams in the Group Stages, bringing them on the side of UEFA should the big clubs try again.

In theory, as the top 8 qualify and the next 8 go into the playoffs, it should mean that there are fewer dead rubbers.

The Champions League and Europa League have one week, during which they are the only competition playing, so they get the "limelight" as they were; this is why the Carabou Cup draw was the way it was.

For those teams that qualified regularly, they played the same teams every few years, so it mixes it up a bit.

And should we qualify again, we will not be moaning about it!!

 

[Fauxstralian]

I don’t mind this new format although you will get to about 4 of 8 games and lots of deadbeats will have nothing to play for
Aiming for top 8 does make it more interesting than the usual groups where you can pick 90% of the qualifiers before it starts

Dont want to think about Duran any more
Hopefully we learn the lesson about pushing the boat out for a genuine talent. Doubt it under Sullivan though

[Manuel]

I don't think I've ever seen a goal (Villa's 'first') celebrated so wildly only for it not to count. Utterly ridiculous. 

[Manuel]

The new format is shit, WHO says so!

No point harping on about Duran, for one we don't know for sure he was ever really available, and if he joined he would have been shit for us anyway.

[Sydney_Iron]

Has made for some decent match ups early on to be fair, the old-style format was pretty boring for the most part until you got to the knockout round, i never used to bother, but the Arsenal/PSG and Villa/Bayern where a decent watch as i expect where other match ups.

See a few of the "big clubs" are moaning already though  having to put out decent sides early on when up against decent opposition isn't going down too well, think they preferred the fodder the group stages would give them, so they could rest players and rotate, See those entitled Spanish cunts from Real Madrid lost so expect some series moaning from them in regard to this.........
 
But overall got to say im liking it so far.

[RBshorty]

Villa was never selling us Duran. Time too move on.

[goose]

Cracking finish from Duran.

Notable mention for 10 man Juve (merda).
 

[Iron Duke]

Another dagger to the heart

[fraser]

Duran is fucking class, it's OK though we've got Fullkrug 

[CanningTownWA]

Salt in the wound with Duran

[,]

We are well used to watching foreign teams these days. Arsenal started with two Englishmen last night and Man City had three to begin with.

English football at the top domestic level has changed with the number of Englishmen starting games reducing steadily over the years since the EPL came into being. As a youngster I was able to support a team containing several players who were themselves locals. Those days have long gone.

[Manuel]

Ah, the old WHO modern day football is shit spin, so edgy. I think it was Soldo0 (RIP) who first started it but even he pretty much admitted in the end he was talking bollocks.

As for this new format, don't really care either way, but you are now seeing some top sides against each other early doors, which rarely happened before and was one of the reasons they changed it. 

[Gank]

I want to join you lot with the “against modern football” narrative, but since we’re not in Europe and as a general lover of all things football, I’ve grown to like this new format.

I’ll probably change my mind if we ever get into the mix but as a neutral, it’s a new concept and one I quite like as an objective football fan without a dog in the fight.

ill admit I was horrified at the idea before it started but I can see how this will attract a worldwide audience of newly interested sports fans, which of course was the objective all along.

[Leavemyarcelona]

Football as we knew it is finished.

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

I made the amateur mistake of  tuning  in to the shithouse FC  game on Amazon for about 5 mins at the start of the second half.
It took about 2 minutes in for Tossard to go down  like he'd just had his  lower limbs chopped off by a big chopper thing...
That was enough for me.





 

[Fauxstralian]

Was watching the build up to the Dortmund game and they were very optimistic about Celtics chances as they beat ST JOHNSTONE at the weekend
Stilian Petrov gave a prediction of a Celtic 4-1 win against the beaten Champions League finalists

5-1 down at h/t & mullered for 7 by the end. Oh dear

[ray winstone]

Celtic….

[Fauxstralian]

Only saw it on the news but the Atalanta bloke had half the goal to head it into but headed it back towards the centre of the goal to give Raya a chance
Was one of those classic nice height to save pens in the first place
The pen to practice is two thirds up the post and a foot inside it. 

Nations League is meant to give friendlies some element of competition
A better idea would be scrapping friendlies completely

[Manuel]

67 - Same as me, no clue about the nations league really. England were relegated last season though, whatever that means in real terms.

The header the Atlanta pen taker missed direct from the pen save was outrageous, was literally harder to miss, yet the Arse keeper is getting all the credit I see.

[Westham67]

I still don't understand the Nations League. Getting my head around this will take time a pint of not bothered wouldn't go amiss

[Mike Oxsaw]

Make it a knockout over two legs home and  away  but they won't because that would mean more chance of the " elite " getting knocked out too early! Pah modern football is just plain shit isn't it!

This is where the fans' requirements clash with the money men's requirements.

Ever since I can remember. a "giant killing" was one of the better things about the game, whether in cup or league. Embarrassing for the dead giants but got the fans (& pundits) talking - often for weeks, maybe years.

What seems to be happening here is seeding via the back door, where (nearly) all the games are predictable and the selling of sponsorship for those games is simpler.

[Eastside surge]

Make it a knockout over two legs home and  away  but they won't because that would mean more chance of the " elite " getting knocked out too early! Pah modern football is just plain shit isn't it!

[Gaffer58]

EUFA, are absolutely pissed off that the premiership is so popular around the world so will do anything they hope will make European competition more interesting, also 5he clubs get a couple of extra games so more dosh to earn.

[kylay]

The only time I can get into the UEFA league stuff is when we are playing in it. I could give a toss whether Real Madrid or Man City are winning their 8th trophy of the season.