Was odd watching the "draw", since there wasn't even one. They just went pot by pot, picked a team, and then an "algorithm" determined the matchups. Of course this sucks, and really they should be contracting the number of teams in the competition, but money.
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So feels like the goal was 8 group stage games each instead of 6...for $$$ purposes. But this is the stupidest way to do that.
40 teams, 8 groups, 5 teams per group, 8 games per team.
Top 2 teams from each group make it, there is your round of 16.
Edit: After reading this I hate it less, but I'd still prefer a more traditional group format. This just makes the games feel more random, although does do away with some of the "easy group" issues. https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsle...ything-you-ne/
Last edited by SuperMatt18; 08-29-2024 at 01:36 PM.
- League Phase:
- The table is one big table
- Every team plays 8 games
- Top 8 teams in the complete table make it to the round of 16.
-Knockout
- Then Team 9-27 (16 more teams) play an extra knockout round (2 games)
- Then the top 8 teams and those 8 winners from the knockout round play in the round of 16
The more I think about it and the more I looked at how it will all work the less I dislike it. More match variety, more teams playing each other, and some potential fireworks in that extra round of knockouts.
Last edited by SuperMatt18; 08-29-2024 at 02:22 PM.
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I play football manager and when I first saw the new format for CL I wasn’t sure if I would like it.
After many seasons (because that’s how the FM game works), I can tell you that it’s a much better experience. It reduces the repetition of home and away matches with the same pots of teams and the same results as you get today. All matches matter because of the pairings after the initial 8 games.
Having teams play 2 matches against each pot will also put some top teams against each other earlier in the competition, but with potentially less risk of getting knocked out.
Match days 7 and 8 are interesting. And the playoff round should be amazing.
I expect the same teams to be there at the end but there should be some fabulous matches up front. It eliminates “group of death” scenarios.
I think that teams will have to get their player pool size increased in future seasons though. Maybe they could allow 5 youth players or injury alternates somehow.
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2024/2025 International Club Football Thread
