‘It was time to CHANGE!’ Why the new Champions League format should excite fans | ESPN FC

ESPN FC’s Julien Laurens joins Gab Marcotti on the Gab & Juls Show to discuss the new Champions League format. Plus, the guys speak about Manuel Ugarte’s move to Man United and Scott McTominay’s transfer to Napoli.
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[@Vociferous]

The home-away games are basically a lottery, teams only play once against each other.

[@Mexi.r.n]

I dont understand why they fix something thats not broken. Just leave the group stage. We have had it for the longest no one complained about it

[@isaiahh4108]

It was broken because usually the top team was locked in and the bottom team was locked out in group play by the last 2 games

[@BobbyBoy007]

@@isaiahh4108yep I agree with you. It was broken but people don’t notice it. September, October, and November are very boring in UCL. Now it’s gonna be pure entertainment

[@kicapanmanis1060]

I've been complaining about it for years.

[@BobbyBoy007]

@@kicapanmanis1060 me too lol

[@raynight7]

The new format sucks. I hope it gets boycotted like the super league. Considering it’s pretty much what the super league was/is😡 plus more teams more games. So lame

[@raghidramiz9870]

End of the day there making money and laughing at us

[@tonisosic5075]

This is not even remotely like the Super League😂😂no similiraties whatsoever

[@shortfilmscopes4962]

To add extra there should put back the home and away aggregate rule in the round of 16 … mew format gives smaller clubs a chance to knick a win on home ground against a bigger club which creates intensity

[@kicapanmanis1060]

Excited for the new format. It was about time the change was made.

[@liamconverse8950]

So basically they decided to make the champions league more like college football?

[@davidjonas6939]

The new format will spawn a LOT of meaningless games, since only 12 of the teams will be knocked out after the first round; so that´s 144 games to eliminate just 12 of the 36 teams. There will be too many games, and a resultant fixture pile-up. It is going to be very hard for the "big" teams (Real Madrid, Man utd etc) to be knocked out of the opening round, and many such teams will rest players for their Champions league games.

[@wemadeitpodcast]

They're trying to make super league

[@ACEKING26]

can't wait to see how this new format gonna work out

[@garbi27]

If you loose your home game, you done.

[@YTA5690]

The draws have just finished now, Bayern have got Barca away. If Kane scores against them, eL-RaL's reaction will be hilarious.

[@ivonacindric6417]

Format is great.. It is not SuperLeague at all

[@liamconverse8950]

It does seem like an actual league now not just a cup

[@mustsilm]

HOW ABOUT SOME QUICK HITS

[@cloudsurgery]

This is just a moneymaking system. More games, more tickets, and more TV rights

[@kicapanmanis1060]

Yea how dare they make a better format that makes more money! They shouldn't ever change the format ever! It's not like they have done it before......

[@davidjonas6939]

also more meaningless games, since only 12 of the 36 teams will be elimated after the first round ---- thats 144 games to eliminate just 12 teams!!

[@YTA5690]

This new format is so annoying, literally it doesnt give teams a chance to go into the Europa League. Its either youre through to the RO16 or youre out. Also the format is just weird overall. It feels like its a carbon copy of the Super League.

[@ivonacindric6417]

But teams play CL untill end of January

[@kicapanmanis1060]

Um why should they go to Europa? They're separate competitions. So Europa teams should be fodder for UCL clubs who screwed up? If you're out, you're out.

[@jjsamuelgunn1136]

funny hearing you say that. when they first came up with the idea of qualifying to the Europea League from the UCL, people were saying it's a nonsense idea that you can qualify for another tournament after going out in the first. actually this format gives those teams that would normally qualify for the Europa in the old UCL group stage in 3rd place, the chance to still go on and win the UCL, because they still get to play in the KO stage to qualify for the Round of 16. So you are wrong to say that they will either make it to the R16 or they are out.

[@MollHyman]

Garcia Laura Clark Michelle Gonzalez Richard

[@LuisHernandez-cd4in]

It was time for a change? Florentino Perez was right

[@KyleFritz_86]

😂😂😂 this a joke

[@mukeshthakur1894]

Yes it was bad bcoz your team can't finish in first place in group stage and now PSG won't be knocked out in first round😂😂😂

[@Babylonian_Escapee]

It's funny, sad and very telling who gets subtitles and who doesn't. That accent is too much to have him on TV like he's speaking clear English

[@eddy73]

This new format sucks… 😡

[@kicapanmanis1060]

Nah it's awesome. You're just close minded and hate change.

[@joshb1137]

This is so bad, what an awful idea.

[@drv137ab8]

how lol

[@joshb1137]

​@@drv137ab8Group stage has always been the most boring part and they just made it bigger, longer and more unfair.

[@drv137ab8]

@@joshb1137 and why would you want to wait until quarters to get a good match? and also the new league format is easier for small teams because in the old league format small teams had no chance

[@joshb1137]

@@drv137ab8 Thing is group stage matches usually aren't good, there is no stakes and nothing on the line, I'd prefer a straight up knockout competition with no group stage.

[@captainfalconmain6576]

@@joshb1137i agree

[@cryptocrypto152]

1st comment lol