From the next edition, the European competition will bring together more matches and teams in search of Orejona. Something that will also impact Europe and the Conference League.
The 2024-25 edition of the Champions League will bring about a series of changes to its structure. ANDThe format known until now will be abandoned to give way to a new style of competition that promises to bring more matches and involve more teams. . A change that will also be palpable in Europe and the Conference League.
Through a video published on the official Champions League channels, UEFA announced a series of changes. To begin with, he stressed that the ranking of the three competitions will continue to keep the same tone: sporting merit. That is to say, the final positions in the local competition tables will be decisive to establish the teams that will obtain the places to participate. .
Then, it was clarified that this format would feature an eight-day mini-league, with 36 teams instead of the 32 currently competing in the group stage over six dates.
To avoid repetition of meetings between the same clubs, Each team will face eight different opponents in a format in which matches are automatically drawn as the tournament progresses. . “In this way, clubs will have the opportunity to face a wider range of rivals and fans will be able to see the best teams compete more often and earlier in the competition,” they justify in the publication.
Once this first phase is completed, the best eight teams in the general classification will automatically qualify for the round of 16. Their rivals, for their part, will emerge from a playoff where the 16 teams who finish between 9th and 24th place will face each other. From 25th to 36th place, they are automatically eliminated from the competition and will have no chance of accessing a lower ranked tournament. as was the case with the thirds in the groups of the traditional format which went from the Champions League to the Europa League.
From the round of 16, the system remains unchanged until reaching a single final in a neutral stadium. “All matches leading up to the final will continue to be played during the week, recognizing the importance of the domestic match schedule across Europe, while the final will continue to be played on Saturday,” reads a post on the official website of the competition.
The change will apply as is to the Europa League and a little more aggressively to the Conference League, with the difference that they will play six matches in the group stage.
Thus, these changes will be extended to the rest of the competitions organized by UEFA. Champions League and Europa League matches will be played between September and January, while Europa League and Conference matches will be played between September and December. Each of the three UEFA club competitions will have an exclusive match week, as the other two competitions will not be scheduled that week. .
“UEFA has clearly demonstrated that we are fully committed to respecting the fundamental values of sport and upholding the key principle of open competitions, with rankings based on sporting merit, fully in line with the European sporting model and values based on solidarity. “, said UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin.
“I am really pleased that this is a unanimous decision by the UEFA Executive Committee, with the European Club Association, European leagues and national federations agreeing with the proposal made. Further proof that European football is more united than ever,” he concluded.
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Source: Latercera
I’m Scott Moore, a professional writer and journalist based in the US. I’ve been writing for various publications for over 8 years now, and have been working as an author at athletistic for the past five years. My work has been featured by some of the leading sports websites and magazines across Europe.
