UEFA are set to revamp the Champions League next season after the league phase was introduced this season.
The ‘Big Ears’ came to an end in Munich on Saturday night. With Paris Saint-Germain claiming their first trophy in the competition in style, beating Inter Milan.
The match concluded the first campaign of the league format. Which appeared to be a success for UEFA, while the overall atmosphere of the new format has been well-rounded this season.
However, there were still some unsatisfying results from the league phase, which saw 36 teams compete.
Under the current format. เล่น UFABET ผ่านมือถือ สะดวกทุกที่ ทุกเวลา The league positions determine the play-off places, meaning the top eight teams will automatically qualify for the round of 16. Where they will face the winner of the play-off and have home advantage for the second leg.
However, after the round of 16, the home advantage has been eliminated. With UEFA opting to use an ‘open draw’. This means that the teams that finished better in the group stage could be forced to play the first leg. At home in either the quarter-finals or the semi-finals. That is what happened to Arsenal this season.
Arsenal have impressed in the league, finishing third, ahead of Real Madrid in 11th and Paris Saint-Germain in 15th. But they have been handed a second-leg deficit in both the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
Although they beat Real 5-1 on aggregate, Mikel Arteta’s side have been unhappy with the situation. With their excellent results in the league not being rewarded with enough in the knockout stages.
Their complaints have not gone unnoticed, with German outlet เล่น UFABET ผ่านมือถือ สะดวกทุกที่ ทุกเวลา reporting that UEFA has decided to change. The way the group stages of the knockout stages are drawn.
UEFA’s club competitions committee met on Friday and reportedly agreed on the proposed changes ahead of the Champions League final, with final approval considered to be a mere formality.
Other changes have also been considered, including the inclusion of a penalty shoot-out instead of extra time and preventing two clubs from the same country. From playing each other until the end of the competition.
However, there has been no consensus on the idea. Arsenal are not the only club to fall victim to the system. In this “open draw”, Barcelona are another team that will have to play at home in the first leg of the quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund, even though they finished second in the league phase.