European Super League: UEFA presented "the new Champions League"

With the scandal over the creation of the European Super League, UEFA presented on Monday the new format of the Champions League that includes changes in the group stage and a greater number of participating teams. It will come into effect from the 2024-2025 edition.

The governing body in Europe, chaired by the Slovenian Aleksander Ceferin, met this Monday in Montreux, Switzerland, to agree on the bases of the new format, in which there will be an increase in quotas -from 32 to 36- and changes in the first phase of the competition, which will replace the eight groups with a single league.

"Each club will be guaranteed a minimum of 10 league phase matches against 10 different rivals (five at home and five away), instead of the previous six matches against three teams, played at home and away," UEFA reported in the official statement that he published on his website.

“The top eight teams in the league will automatically qualify for the knockout phase, while teams between ninth and 24th place will compete in a two-legged play-off to make it to the knockout stage. competition”, he adds. Those located from 25 to 36 will be eliminated.

Subsequently, and subject to modifications, the Champions League will continue with the current format of two-legged knockouts from the eighth to the semi-finals, the final being a single match. Thus, the winner or the runner-up will play a total of 17 matches instead of the current 13, or even 19 if they have to overcome the play-off.

The four major leagues (England, Spain, Germany and Italy) will keep four classified. France, currently fifth, will have three insured. The winner of the Europa League from the previous season will also have their place, as well as the winner of the domestic league, increasing the number of clubs that qualify through the so-called “path of champions” from four to five.

The last two places will be for the clubs with the highest coefficient of the last five years that have not qualified for the group stage of the Champions League, but have qualified for the qualifying phase of the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League.