Good day everyone,
I hope you are all having a good day, welcome to CryptoGod-1's blog on all things sports. In this post I will be looking at how the UEFA Champions League new revamped League Phase is working out with just one game left to play.
UEFA Champions League - Is it Working as Planned?
A league table with 36 teams. Each team plays eight others. Then all the teams are ranked in one league table with the top eight guaranteed safe passage into the last 16, while teams finishing between 9th and 24th go into a playoff. Also known as the Swiss Format, this is the brainchild of UEFA and the 2024/2025 season has seen the first season played with this format. Seven games have been played and with only one game left to go I will be looking at how it is working out, and whether or not it is an improvement on the old format.
The format will see the teams ranked 9th-16th will play against one of the teams ranked 17th-24th. Where a team finishes in the league is apparently important as the route to the final is already predetermined. The graph below shows how the teams from each position in the table will be laid out for the knockout stage.
With seven of the games played Liverpool are the only team with a perfect record so far. They are guaranteed a top two finish, meaning they will be facing one of the four teams who finish between 15th and 18th (currently Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Celtic). While on paper this seems like a good draw and reward for the league winner (and runner up) it poses some questions. The table is currently as follows:
Given that Real Madrid were the favourites for the tournament before the competition began but struggled in the league stage, is it right they could potentially be paired against one of the top two teams in the league? That is assuming Madrid progress through a playoff, but they are the kings of knockout football. Questions must and will be asked over this. Assuming the current league places and looking at the above format, if Liverpool or Barcelona (the current top two) draw Real Madrid in the last 16 and progressed, they could be facing Manchester City or PSG in the Quarter Finals.
That would be conditional on Manchester City or PSG finishing in 23rd or 24th, which is quite possible, and getting past a playoff against a team in 9th or 10th, currently Aston Villa and Monaco. Assuming this was the final league standings, then the likelihood is that both Manchester City and PSG would be favourites to progress. They would then face a team from 7th or 8th in the Round of 16, which would be Atalanta or Leverkusen currently. All powerful teams, but certainly it seems like an unfair draw for those who finished so high up in the league standings to face powerhouse teams such as Manchester City or PSG. Again this is all assuming their final league positions, with one game left to play.
While I am not saying any team should be given an easy draw, lets look at the teams in 19th/20th (PSV Eindhoven/Club Brugge) and 13th/14th (Brest/Dortmund). They will face each other in a playoff before playing the teams sitting in 3rd and 4th (Arsenal and Inter) in the Round of 16. If these teams faced each other in this draw then, on paper at least, the teams finishing 3rd and 4th in the league table will have gotten an easier draw in the Round of 16 than those finishing in 1st or 2nd.
This could lead to a potential Quarter Final match against one of Feyenoord, Lille, Benfica, PSG, AC Milan, or Atletico Madrid. If, and its a big IF, this is how the table goes then clearly it is something UEFA need to reconsider. While on paper it is great to assume the better teams will all finish higher up in the table, it is not exactly fair on those who performed the best in the league stage. What will Liverpool or Barcelona really get for winning the league or being runner up? A tough route to the final going on the standings after seven games played. Of course there is still another round left and much could change, but so far it looks like those in 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th will be in the best position to get to the Semi Finals.
Possibly that will all have changed by this time next week. We shall see. Below are the final round of fixtures, which will all be played on Wednesday the 29th of January.
Have a great day.
Peace. CryptoGod-1.
Referral Links and Follow Me:
