UEFA Champions League format

[KingOfJC]

your missing the point completely, this isn't about the fa cup, this is about the big clubs in Europe getting far to much protection during the early rounds of the champions league oh and by the way, Southend dicked you at Stamford Bridge the other year so anything in football is possible.

Well congrats to them then.. they beat us on one occasion a year ago =/ (pretty sure it was on penalties where we just played youngsters anyway)

Fact is if they had to play in a group with 3 bigger teams, they are very unlikely to get out of it until they improve.

Seeding is the only fair way to hold a competition IMO.

This is the problem. People assume that Barca will dominate Panathinaikos. The same can happen with United or Chelsea or Arsenal or Bayern or Inter or Milan. Not to mention a certain Real Madrid, it was a really tight clasico last time out. Nobody thinks about the possibility that Panathinaikos can win it. Barca vs Rubin Kazan last year for example.

Where did Rubin Kazan finish though? They managed to get 4 points from Barca IRC, yet Barca finished 1st in the group and Rubin 3rd, because they only managed 2 points over 4 games against Inter and Dinamo Kiev. Who did Barca lose to in the semis? Inter who won it.

And El Classico was one game :S of course there will be abnormalities in football.

 

[MisterStubbs]

Well congrats to them then.. they beat us on one occasion a year ago =/ (pretty sure it was on penalties where we just played youngsters anyway)

Fact is if they had to play in a group with 3 bigger teams, they are very unlikely to get out of it until they improve.

Seeding is the only fair way to hold a competition IMO.



Where did Rubin Kazan finish though? They managed to get 4 points from Barca IRC, yet Barca finished 1st in the group and Rubin 3rd, because they only managed 2 points over 4 games against Inter and Dinamo Kiev. Who did Barca lose to in the semis? Inter who won it.

And El Classico was one game :S of course there will be abnormalities in football.

you couldn't be more wrong (great memory as a chelsea fan) they nicked a 1-1 draw after dominated the game with a FULL strenght Chelsea squad on show.

 

[CorvetteC3]

Well congrats to them then.. they beat us on one occasion a year ago =/ (pretty sure it was on penalties where we just played youngsters anyway)

Fact is if they had to play in a group with 3 bigger teams, they are very unlikely to get out of it until they improve.

Seeding is the only fair way to hold a competition IMO.



Where did Rubin Kazan finish though? They managed to get 4 points from Barca IRC, yet Barca finished 1st in the group and Rubin 3rd, because they only managed 2 points over 4 games against Inter and Dinamo Kiev. Who did Barca lose to in the semis? Inter who won it.

And El Classico was one game :S of course there will be abnormalities in football.

The Champions league final is just one game too. And I'm not talking about the end results of the group stage. I just used it as an example that a smaller club get a result against Barca (two results actually)or some other 'big' club in one game. And yes Barca lost to Inter to in the semis but they beat them in the group stage. Barca won A game and Inter won A game.

 

[CJACKO11]

you couldn't be more wrong (great memory as a chelsea fan) they nicked a 1-1 draw after dominated the game with a FULL strenght Chelsea squad on show.

We did beat them 4-1 in the replay lol.

 

[KA5A8IAN]

Yes I'd love this, but it is the way it is to keep the rich clubs rich, and the poor clubs poor. What UEFA seem unable to grasp is that poorer or smaller clubs have just as much right to compete in the competition as the Man U's/ Barcelona's of this world. Would also make every game have a degree of importance, something that certainly isn't true just now. Will never happen but I can dream :'(

 

[wunzigan]

It would be interesting but I tell you why it will never be like the previous format again.

1) You say that because you are English, and usually English teams, in the Champions League are one of the stronger teams compared to most of the other teams. Even with no seeding, and the corruption of UEFA/FIFA, the knockout rounds would be paired in order to favour the stronger teams. Other teams would complain.

2) There is a lot of REVENUE to be lost by all teams if the format changes

3) There is the issue of the 3rd Place of the group going back to the Europa League ( But that could be sorted out)

4) Imagine the same applied to a World Cup, England vs Brasil 1st Knockout Stage, 2nd vs France, 3rd vs Germany.... and Then other teams get a much easier leg. It would not be fair