New UEFA tournament formats favoring “Big Boys”

“New” and “Improved” UEFA Champions League favors power teams

The new UEFA Champions League format kills off the European Super League threat.

Why?

Because the game’s rich and mighty essentially get everything they craved for. More money, more power and a competition of their own.

What we knew in advance…

UEFA had last revamped their flagship club competition back in 2003, but growing pressure on behalf of the continent’s elite clubs forced them into taking decisive action, despite the indisputable Champions League success. The new format, the one we’re all trying to get accustomed with today, was decided by the Executive Committee back in April 2021. But it was at exactly the same time that the ESL was announced by Florentino Pérez, still the Real Madrid president today.

In spite of overwhelming backlash, most significantly by the fans themselves, which seemed to shut down the project in its infancy, UEFA is all too aware that the threat persists. After all, barely a year has passed since the European Court of Justice ruled that banning the Super League would be against EU regulations. 

What was promised…

There was therefore only one way forward for UEFA. 

“To ensure the new 2024/25 format will deliver the best for clubs, players and fans, UEFA based its design on extensive consultations with key stakeholders in the European football community”, read an explanatory statement on their website last June. 

“UEFA has clearly shown that we are fully committed to respecting the fundamental values of sport and to defending the key principle of open competitions, with qualification based on sporting merit, fully in line with the values and solidarity-based European sports model,” said president Aleksander Čeferin.

In short, the new layout ensures more matches (a tournament total of 189, excluding qualifiers, and a minimum of eight rather than six for each team) and a prize money increase to no less than 2.5 billion euros! 

… and what we’re witnessing

All this sounds great and beneficial to everyone involved. But is it? With 3/4 of the League Phase behind us, the top-eight of the Champions League standings makes a great read – if you are among Europe’s greats.

UEFA Champions League table
UEFA Champions League table after Matchday 6

*UEFA.com

All eight teams standing closer to automatic last-16 qualification come from Europe’s five major footballing powers: England (3), France (2), Spain, Germany and Italy. 

Youl have to go as down as 15th place to encounter a club not hailing from the top-five – and that is Benfica, themselves twice winners of the old European Champions Cup. Despite their recent unfamiliar struggles, Manchester City are widely expected to make the play-ins, as are PSG, with Stuttgart also in the running. While Girona and Bologna are struggling, Leipzig are perhaps the only unexpected early casualty in the UCL, with all “lesser” sides seemingly on their way out.

How about the Europa League?

The situation is quite similar in UEFA’s second tier tournament. 

Clubs from Europe’s Big-5 occupy as many slots in the top-eight, together with Anderlecht, Galatasaray and Glasgow Rangers, who have amassed no less than seven continental trophies between them. German side Hoffenheim are still within contention for the play-ins, with only Nice looking like they’re not going to make it.

UEFA Europa League table
UEFA Europa League table after Matchday 6

Best of the rest

The Conference League is a different story. With just one matchday remaining, two Polish teams and Irish side Shamrock Rovers are a step away from a last-16 spot.

How come? It’s simple. UEFA set up this competition to give second-string footballing nations and clubs a shot at glory. Additionally, top-five countries are only allocated a single slot each in the tournament. And while French outfit Lens exited early, two-time runners up Fiorentina and Chelsea are not only propping up the table now, but are the two leading contenders to lift the trophy come May. 

UEFA Europa Conference League table
UEFA Europa Conference League table

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