Champions League - PSG

[mjlions]

What was with that half empty Bayern stand? Surely they didn't fail to sell all their tickets?

BBC radio commentator last night stated some Bayern fans refuse to pay inflated prices for away tickets and ours were expensive.

[cdbearsfan]

I hope you're right! It just feels like there is a LONG way to go...

Oh, sure. And like last season, if we find outselves hovering around fifth / sixth in March, banking on and hoping for Spurs and Man Utd to do well is going to feel no more pleasant than hoping Liverpool and West Ham did last time around.

I think the new format for calculating which leagues are strongest is a lot more Champions League-heavy than it was last year. Tottenham or Man U could win the Europa League but it won't matter much if Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal and ourselves don't do well. Extra benefit of beating a German team yesterday. Leipzig, Girona and AC Milan all having zero points from two games can't hurt.

[PeterWithe]

What was with that half empty Bayern stand? Surely they didn't fail to sell all their tickets?

BBC radio commentator last night stated some Bayern fans refuse to pay inflated prices for away tickets and ours were expensive.

Aren't the prices capped for away fans?

[rooboy316]

I hope you're right! It just feels like there is a LONG way to go...

Oh, sure. And like last season, if we find outselves hovering around fifth / sixth in March, banking on and hoping for Spurs and Man Utd to do well is going to feel no more pleasant than hoping Liverpool and West Ham did last time around.

When we win the thing, we’ll get automatic qualification anyway won’t we?

[Dave]

Indeed, but obviously around March time we won't know for definite that we're going to win it. Which we definitely will.

[astonvilla82]

I hope you're right! It just feels like there is a LONG way to go...

Oh, sure. And like last season, if we find outselves hovering around fifth / sixth in March, banking on and hoping for Spurs and Man Utd to do well is going to feel no more pleasant than hoping Liverpool and West Ham did last time around.

When we win the thing, we’ll get automatic qualification anyway won’t we?

Believe so at £50

[Demitri_C]

My prediction is if alot of these "bigger clubs" dont finish in the top 8 automatic spots they will be kicking a stink and asking for the old format back

If so how many is that to influence a decision to change? 1 or 2 in my view and they are still in it albeit having to play an additional round. If any of the "top clubs" don't finish in the top 16 it's because they have a shite  team and a little anal examination is required rather than poking the finger at the format.

Good question- i was readibg a piece of aky sports where they had a few pundits answering whether this format is better than previous and merse for one was saying he thinks its better.

I agree with you. If you are too shit to finish in top 8 or win a play off game its nothing to do with format just you were not good enough. I bet madrid and munich are not enjoying this new format. In a few years if the lesser clubs like us start doing better than the bigger ones you know their will be grumbles from the more prestigious clubs

I like that there is no real advantage in group phase now and no more dropping into europa

[Drummond]

Indeed, but obviously around March time we won't know for definite that we're going to win it. Which we definitely will.

But won't we have the league wrapped up by then?

[AV84]

I like this format, and it's likely we'll end up with the same old teams in the final stages, but at least at this point it feels like there's way more teams in contention. It also means the 4th seed teams aren't just annihilated by the other 3 in their groups. Everyone has a chance at a win, and some money.

[Demitri_C]

I like this format, and it's likely we'll end up with the same old teams in the final stages, but at least at this point it feels like there's way more teams in contention. It also means the 4th seed teams aren't just annihilated by the other 3 in their groups. Everyone has a chance at a win, and some money.

Yeah exactly. Also you have instances were pot 4 seed like us beat pot 1 seed as we had home advantage. We also dont have to now worry about playing them again in Germany

[Somniloquism]

We had some luck in the draw that the "better" teams in the pots were drawn at home. And our away match from group one is Leipzig who, although got a reasonable record in Europe over the last 8 seasons to drop them in the pot, are not one of the big teams.

[Dave]

It's a perfect format to ensure that the bigger, richer teams qualify, removing as much jeopardy for them as possible.

Fortunately we're in that club at the moment. If it were Spurs in our place, I can't imagine I'd find it particularly interesting.

[Demitri_C]

It's a perfect format to ensure that the bigger, richer teams qualify, removing as much jeopardy for them as possible.

Fortunately we're in that club at the moment. If it were Spurs in our place, I can't imagine I'd find it particularly interesting.

I disagree

In last seasons format real madrid would avoid another elite club like arsenal munich etc probably wouldnt play them until quarters.

They dont have that advantage anymore. It benefits  teams like us. I suspect that had this format been in place last season newcastle would have qualified easy. You just have to see their group last season to see how much of a advantage it was for the regulars compared to the likes of newcastle

[Dave]

It's a perfect format to ensure that the bigger, richer teams qualify, removing as much jeopardy for them as possible.

Fortunately we're in that club at the moment. If it were Spurs in our place, I can't imagine I'd find it particularly interesting.

I disagree

In last seasons format real madrid would avoid another elite club like arsenal munich etc probably wouldnt play them until quarters.

They dont have that advantage anymore. It benefits  teams like us. I suspect that had this format been in place last season newcastle would have qualified easy. You just have to see their group last season to see how much of a advantage it was for the regulars compared to the likes of newcastle

Newcastle and us ARE bigger, richer teams. Of course Newcastle probably would have qualified under the the new system because they would have been given an opportunity to pummel someone like Young Boys, Brugge and Celtic just like we have been.

It doesn't matter that Arsenal have to play PSG and Liverpool have to play Real Madrid. All four are still going through irrespective of what happens in those games.

It's designed to make sure that there is no risk of anyone who makes money from going out too early.

[PeterWithesShin]

There's a decent chance more big sides will miss out on the last 16 with this format. And they have no Europa safety net.