UEFA Champions League 2024/2025

[Kramerica Industries]

They designed the system around the idea that 1st and 2nd placed finishers in the league phase can't meet until the Final. We've had so many Real Madrid/Man City meetings in recent years but none of them in the final because of the way the draws happened. (2021 is the only year in recent memory where it could've happened in the final, but Madrid fell at the last hurdle to Chelsea.)

Of course - and this is a point I immediately argued - there's absolutely zero guarantee whatsoever that the 1st and 2nd placed teams in the league phase are going to be the best and 2nd best teams in Europe, or at least in the competition. Right now 2nd-4th place are Sporting, Monaco, and Brest. This will no doubt change between now and the 2nd half of the league phase but when all you really need to do is finish top-8, I don't think a lot of clubs are too fussed about finishing anywhere specifically in that range, they'll take their chances from there. Again, if the knockout draw happened right now, there's a decent chance Liverpool (#1) would be drawn against Real Madrid (#18) while Aston Villa (#8) could face PSV (#24). Some reward for being the best team...

 

[#NotForMe]

I have some questions, I read some of the simulations stuffs and it is kinda wide spread that the question was "How Many Points Will Be Needed to Finish in the Top Eight?"
the answer is 16, but it is ambiguous to me that top 9 can also be having 16 points, like you need 16 points to be in top 8, but 16 points might not be enough?
I think that is also why in one of the press, Inzaghi noted the reason why the bigger teams are trying to score as many as possible.

Everything looks promising, but I think aim at least for 17 points out of 4 games, 2 wins 1 draw at least?
Plus I don't see why not getting as many points as we can, without comprising the league too much.



Anyway, on the side I just want to say watching the sporting vs city, Maximiliano Araújo impresses me a lot, and he is kinda cheap, and I like his hustle defending, sprint from behind is all good, even scored a goal, but the thing is we have Carlos and DiMarco.

 

[CafeCordoba]

I don't like that fixed bracket. I would have liked one more draw, right after R16. The mini-draws after league phase and playoffs is fine, that kind of some what rewards for the good position in the league phase. Except when you get drawn Real Madrid who forgot to start playing until MD 5 (I assume)

 

[FCBarca]

Win, and you’re in

 

[Adriano@10]

I don't like that fixed bracket. I would have liked one more draw, right after R16. The mini-draws after league phase and playoffs is fine, that kind of some what rewards for the good position in the league phase. Except when you get drawn Real Madrid who forgot to start playing until MD 5 (I assume)

Honestly I prefer it this way, gives the teams more incentive to play until the last match day in the league stages

 

[CafeCordoba]

How one extra draw would reduce the incentives to play till the last match day?

 

[Adriano@10]

How one extra draw would reduce the incentives to play till the last match day?

Cause one extra draw = more randomness hence your finishing position maters less....

 

[CafeCordoba]

Cause one extra draw = more randomness hence your finishing position maters less....

Fair enough. To me it's just a bit boring. Scheduling already makes it random, some teams had lot more easier schedule than Inter for instance so the league table isn't the most fairest, maybe.

And of course my suggestion of one draw after R16 included that there are seeds based on the league phase ranking between those going to the quarters. So team going to quarters from position 24 would go to the unseeded side of the draw even if they had to beat 9th-10th positioned team first (and then another in R16). That would have put emphasis on the league phase position but would have maintained that piece of randomness and surprise, the great unknown when it comes to these CL knockouts stage draws.

 

[SiamoNoi]

It would be hilarious if Slovan take a point from Milan. About 25 minutes to go.


EDIT: Just as I wrote this...Glass box will feast on this one.

 

[syrus]

Arsenal spanking sporto

 

[delaurentis]

Damn Atalanta, are doing well it seems.

 

[Il Drago]

City are in a huge mess. Feyenord returning from 3-0 at Etihad is hilarious.

 

[NimAraya]

City lost a 3 goal lead against Feyenoord at home in 15 minutes.

 

[.h.]

psg got issues huh

not gonna lie, quite enjoying the fact that only really 4 big clubs are in the top 8, with PSG looking dicey about making knock outs at all.

 

[Hikonyán]

City f'ing up again again again is just brilliant.

To hell with that dirty club.

 

[Besnik]

Let's see how Pep is going to handle all this. Don't remember last time his teams had such a difficult period.

 

[Il Drago]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1861529097295323484

Put this image in the Louvre!

 

[vasilios]

Must be rough for Pep only having 1 billion worth of players to choose from instead of his usual 1.5 billion

 

[.h.]

Must be rough for Pep only having 1 billion worth of players to choose from instead of his usual 1.5 billion

is 1 billion in players even a full starting XI for city

 

[Glass box]

So many goals today, holy shit. 40 goals on 9 games. Only us and Bayern-psg 1 goal each, rest of it is bloodbath