The Champions League returns on Wednesday (AEDT) in an expanded format with more teams and a new league structure that organisers believe will add to the drama of the world’s premier international club competition.
But at a time when players and coaches are pushing back against heavy workloads, the extra games the new format entails has been criticised by those on the inside.
Instead of 32 teams being divided into eight groups, 36 clubs will be divided across four pots of eight. After the top teams are seeded, a computer will determine a draw where each team will play eight matches against eight different opponents (although none from their own nation) – with four games at home and four away.
The top eight sides in the league will qualify automatically for the round of 16, while the teams finishing in 9th to 24th place will compete in a two-legged knock-out phase play-off to join the top eight. Unlike previous seasons, no eliminated teams will drop down to the Europa League.
Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Mark Bosnich, the former Manchester United and Socceroos goalkeeper who will be part of Stan Sport’s coverage of the tournament.
A new era of the UEFA Champions League is here, only on Stan Sport.
“A lot of people say if something’s not broken, don’t fix it. I can understand that too.
“I think they’ve come up with the best system possible to allow more teams to get in. And also it’s more games for the fans. People will counter that with it’s also more games for the players.
“But I like, personally, that there are more games because, they’ve always got an opportunity to rest those players.”
Bozza is spot on when he notes the resistance in clubs to the new format.
A club might have to play 14 matches in this season’s competition if they go all the way but place outside the top eight in the initial phase. Last season it was 10 games maximum.
On the eve of Liverpool’s opening match against AC Milan, their goalkeeper Alisson criticised the new format, adding, “maybe our opinion doesn’t matter”.
Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“I think for the supporters it’s amazing,” Alisson told reporters. “More games, bigger games, big teams playing against each other. For us as players, it’s always a good idea to add some games to a calendar that is not busy. I am being ironic a little bit.
“Nobody asks the players what they think about adding more games, so maybe our opinion doesn’t matter. But everyone knows what we think about having more games. Everybody is tired of that. But we have to stay focused on the big challenge that we have tomorrow.”
Allison said that the organisers needed to take the players’ views into account when scheduling.
“We understand we have the media side, the TV. We have UEFA, FIFA, the Premier League, the domestic competitions. We are not stupid, we understand that people want more games,” said Allison.
“But the reasonable thing would be for all the people responsible for organising the calendar to sit together and listen to all the parts, including the players. We just need to be listened to, and understand the thinking behind the direction that football wants to go. Not only adding games, adding competitions, adding this, adding that.
“At the end, all we want is to give our best. If you are tired, you cannot compete at a high level. What I want is to give the best in all the games that I play. But we need a solution, and it doesn’t look like we are close to a good solution for football’s sake and the players’ sake.”
Real Madrid will be the team to beat again in this season’s Champions League as they chase their 16th title and their coach Carlo Ancelotti also spoke out about the schedule.
Carlo Ancelotti. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
“The calendar is too demanding,” he said. “If the governing bodies don’t start thinking that the players get injured because they play too much, we have a problem. I ask that the number of matches be reduced to have more attractive competitions.”
Ancelotti has strengthened his squad for this campaign with France’s star striker Kylian Mbappe set to feature against Stuttgart on Wednesday after his move from Paris Saint-Germain.
Also available to play at the Santiago Bernabeu after injury are England’s Jude Bellingham, fellow midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, of France, and Brazilian central defender Eder Militao.
In announcing the changes to the competition structure, governing body UEFA claimed every fixture would make an impact on the league table, avoiding dead rubbers on the final matchday of four-team groups.
There are six games each on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings this week. Every match will be available live and on replay on Stan Sport.
Wednesday
Juventus vs PSV (2:45am AEST)
Young Boys vs Aston Villa (2:45am AEST)
Bayern Munich vs GNK Dinamo (5am AEST)
Milan vs Liverpool (5am AEST)
Real Madrid vs Stuttgart (5am AEST)
Sporting CP vs Lille (5am AEST)
Thursday
Bologna vs Shakhtar (2:45am AEST)
Sparta Prague vs Salzburg (2:45am AEST)
Club Brugge vs Borussia Dortmund (5am AEST)
Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava (5am AEST)
Man City vs Inter (5am AEST)
PSG vs Girona (5am AEST)
Friday
Crvena Zvezda vs Benfica (2:45am AEST)
Feyenoord vs Leverkusen (2:45am AEST)
Atalanta vs Arsenal (5am AEST)
Atletico Madrid vs Leipzig (5am AEST)
Monaco vs Barcelona (5am AEST)
Brest vs Sturm Graz (5am AEST)
(With wires)