The greatest spectacle of football is back for another season – and there are huge some changes
The Champions League is back tonight for a new season with a completely different format that has excited fans but rattled some players.
Instead of the usual group stages, teams will play eight matches (four of which at home and four away) – however no actual group will be drawn.
Instead, all teams will enter a 36-team league phase. Teams who finish in the top eight of the leagues will then automatically qualify for the last 16.
Those teams who place ninth to 24th then will compete in a two-legged knockout play-off for the chance to join the top eight while those that finish 25th or lower will be instantly knocked out and won’t enter into the Europa League either.
From the last 16 onwards, the Champions League will continue to follow the classic knockout stages of football.
The new format, known as the ‘Swiss model’, means the number of games that teams will play has increased from 125 to 189.
The minimum number of games played per team will be eight – and the maximum will be 17 and the league phase run until the end of January instead of ending before Christmas like the old-school group-stages.
After footballers have complained time and time again about fixture congestion, the new format has only increased fears that footballers will be at more risk of tiredness and injury.
Tonight, the first lot of fixtures get underway with six matches including Liverpool’s away fixture to AC Milan.
Last night, before a ball was kicked, Alisson slammed the new format saying that players’ opinions do not matter to football’s organisers.
He said: “For the supporters, it is amazing – more games, more bigger games. For us players, it is good that you are going to play against the best in Europe.
“But it is always a good idea to add some games to the calendar that is not busy… I am being a little bit ironic! Sometimes, nobody asks the players what they think about adding more games.
“So maybe our opinion does not matter. But everybody knows what we think. Everybody is tired of it. It is a matter of sitting down all together and listening to all the parties.”
Alisson is not the only player to speak out on the new format; earlier this year Manchester City’s Rodri said he ‘cannot do it anymore’.
He said: “There comes a moment when it all comes together and it’s too much.
“You need your physical condition to play but the head is important as well. People only see the game but there’s the pre-game, preparation, travel, time away in the hotel, you’re ‘in’ the game. Sincerely, something needs to be done.
“There is more and more (games) and it looks like it isn’t about to stop. You must take care of the players. I am very conscious of that. I have reached a point where I can’t (do it) anymore.”
However, four-time Champions League winner Clarence Seedorf told BBC Radio 5 Live that he thinks people should give the new format a chance.
He said: “We’ll have to live with it [the new Champions League format] to see if we like it. I was definitely okay with the format and how it was but they’ve chosen to make some changes and I think we need to give them the time to see if it works out.
“In life it’s also nice to create an expectation. Some interesting benefits for sure for the fans.”
Aston Villa are also in action tonight away to Young Boys as they return to this level of European football for the first time in 40 years.
