Champions League restructuring

[eamonn]

Yeah but wouldn't mean Chelsea getting a bye to the Champs League final? I dislike Real, but not that much...

[eamonn]

I hated Neville as a player (although he was good) but he's brilliant at his current job, and has been great on this farrago.

I’ve liked him ever since I heard his nickname was Red Nev, a nod to his firebrand shop-stewarding, not his football preference.

A member of Red Wedge as a nipper, pleading with his daddy,  Neville Neville to bring him along to meetings.

[cdbearsfan]

Yeah but wouldn't mean Chelsea getting a bye to the Champs League final? I dislike Real, but not that much...

Why do you have to spoil things? ☹

[cdbearsfan]

Perez was moaning that the Champions League Group Stage is boring because the "big teams" don't play each other. I actually agree that it's boring.

Solution: why not get rid of the seeding? You could have Man City, Real Madrid, Juventus and Bayern Munich in Group A and Rosenborg, BATE Barisov, Dinamo Zagreb and Steaua Bucharest in Group B. Pretty much guaranteed that at least one or two of the elite would get knocked out, while plenty of competitors from less-moneyed leagues would have a chance of getting through. Plus more of the big hitters would finish third and go into the Europa League, boosting that cup's profile at the same time. Win-win?

[Risso]

I really don't care how they rearrange the Champions League, as long as entry into is based on merit.

[cdbearsfan]

...and as long as they don't scrap the League Cup or reduce the size of the League to accommodate it.

[Risso]

...and as long as they don't scrap the League Cup or reduce the size of the League to accommodate it.

Obviously.

[chrisw1]

I really don't care how they rearrange the Champions League, as long as entry into is based on merit.

Agreed, although I'd rather they didn't increase the games etc - we already have enough moaning about fixture congestion and pressure for 5 subs etc.  Also, there's already too much money in it, it skews the finances of the haves and have nots too much.

[paul_e]

...and as long as they don't scrap the League Cup or reduce the size of the League to accommodate it.

I could live with teams in Europe being removed from the league cup (so long as the winners still get a Europa league place), some people will say it devalues the competition but given those teams all pick reserve teams until at least the QF I don't think this would be any worse.

[cdbearsfan]

It would be considered worse, and would mean that the trophy that has provided most success in the last sixty years of our history, and is realistically our best chance at glory in the next few years, would be rendered not much better than the Windscreen Shield.

There is absolutely no need to fuck about with it. They played twelve group games before, you can accommodate ten group games and the League Cup.

[Ad@m]

Perez was moaning that the Champions League Group Stage is boring because the "big teams" don't play each other. I actually agree that it's boring.

Solution: why not get rid of the seeding? You could have Man City, Real Madrid, Juventus and Bayern Munich in Group A and Rosenborg, BATE Barisov, Dinamo Zagreb and Steaua Bucharest in Group B. Pretty much guaranteed that at least one or two of the elite would get knocked out, while plenty of competitors from less-moneyed leagues would have a chance of getting through. Plus more of the big hitters would finish third and go into the Europa League, boosting that cup's profile at the same time. Win-win?

Or scrap the group stage completely. Have a straight knockout tournament where only each countries' respective champions gain entry and call it something like the European Cup...

[cdbearsfan]

Perez was moaning that the Champions League Group Stage is boring because the "big teams" don't play each other. I actually agree that it's boring.

Solution: why not get rid of the seeding? You could have Man City, Real Madrid, Juventus and Bayern Munich in Group A and Rosenborg, BATE Barisov, Dinamo Zagreb and Steaua Bucharest in Group B. Pretty much guaranteed that at least one or two of the elite would get knocked out, while plenty of competitors from less-moneyed leagues would have a chance of getting through. Plus more of the big hitters would finish third and go into the Europa League, boosting that cup's profile at the same time. Win-win?

Or scrap the group stage completely. Have a straight knockout tournament where only each countries' respective champions gain entry and call it something like the European Cup...

Oh yes, I'm all for that. But they aren't going to scrap the groups due to money. Next best thing, then, is to take them at their word. They want a more competitive group stage. Fine... get rid of the seeding.

[paul_e]

It would be considered worse, and would mean that the trophy that has provided most success in the last sixty years of our history, and is realistically our best chance at glory in the next few years, would be rendered not much better than the Windscreen Shield.

There is absolutely no need to fuck about with it. They played twelve group games before, you can accommodate ten group games and the League Cup.

Considered worse by who and why would we care? I just don't agree that Man Utds U23s not being involved in R3 would hugely devalue the cup and if it stops the twats moaning about fixture congestion then I'd be ok with it.

[dr.chekov]

Perez was moaning that the Champions League Group Stage is boring because the "big teams" don't play each other. I actually agree that it's boring.

Solution: why not get rid of the seeding? You could have Man City, Real Madrid, Juventus and Bayern Munich in Group A and Rosenborg, BATE Barisov, Dinamo Zagreb and Steaua Bucharest in Group B. Pretty much guaranteed that at least one or two of the elite would get knocked out, while plenty of competitors from less-moneyed leagues would have a chance of getting through. Plus more of the big hitters would finish third and go into the Europa League, boosting that cup's profile at the same time. Win-win?

Or scrap the group stage completely. Have a straight knockout tournament where only each countries' respective champions gain entry and call it something like the European Cup...

This gets my vote.

[Exeter 77]

How about one giant league unseeded for all European qualifiers with draws for the games you play however many that might be. The top 16/32 then go into a knockout for the European Cup, the next 16/32 do the same for the UEFA/Europa League Cup and another 32/16 for the new Conference trophy. The rest go out.