Inside the Champions League’s chaotic day
18 matches. One day. UEFA’s new Champions League format is the biggest shake-up in decades—bringing more chaos, more stakes, and plenty of pushback from managers and fans alike.
Yesterday, a total of 18 Champions League matches all kicked off at the same time.
It was the first time that many league matches have been played in a single day. It also marks the debut of a new format – “the most radical re-working of the [sic] Champions League in 25 years” – that aims to include more clubs, stretch out the group stage, and drive up the price of TV rights.
Behind the move: The new format had originally been a Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) strategy to counter the failed Super League project launched by a group of elite European clubs. The executives behind the attempted breakaway, which included the leadership at Manchester City, were looking to run their own competition and grab a larger slice of the TV rights pie.
The new format is working. It’s resulted in “[m]ore dynamic, more unpredictable and more top contests,” according to UEFA. 27 of the 36 teams playing yesterday had something on the line, such as securing a bye or facing elimination.
But…Not everyone’s on board. Critics say the single group stage is too long and confusing. Managers are also worried about the added uncertainty it creates for clubs planning around the January transfer window, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The results: Manchester City limped into the next round; Paris Saint-Germain also advanced; Liverpool held on to the top spot. See the full results here.
