If it wasn’t already clear to the common man, every big club wants to play more so that they can make more money over the season- so as to fill their pockets even after paying the huge salaries of the players. The European Club Association (ECA) have already conceived the idea of breaking away from UEFA overtime to make a ‘European Super League’ a possibility to benefit all the top teams. So, UEFA are interested in reforming European competitions to suit the top clubs.
This thought also stemmed out from the fact that the last season being the first time in the competition's history that the knockout stage solely consisted of teams from Europe's top five leagues: the Bundesliga, Serie A, LaLiga, Ligue 1 and the Premier League. This change would also hand more spots to teams from less-heralded European leagues.
The latest suggestion received is of the ‘Swiss System’ and would see the competition kick-off with one 32 or 36-team division. Each team would play 10 times, 5 at home and 5 at away with randomly drawn opponents and at the end of the 10 match days, the top 16 clubs would move to qualify for the knockout rounds. Moving on the first position would play the sixteenth position, the second position would play the fifteenth position, the third position would play the fourteenth position and it goes on. If approved, this model can come into use by 2024. It is now to see, what does the majority decide on whether to change or not change how we have seen and known football. A report also adds that the extra fixtures, four more for each team than the current group stage format, could put pressure on the domestic cups in England. They are also considering whether the single-country, one-leg format from last season's knockout stages should be included in the revamp. Some PL clubs may have to drop out of the FA Cup and League cup replay games so as to make time for the extra 4 European games.
Looking at the management side of it, the pandemic has increased support for expanding the competition after initial suggestions to changing the Champions League's structure were met with a more lukewarm response earlier in the year. Despite the Project Big Picture not being considered, and domestic cup replays being scraped, most big clubs want a period of time where they can face other continental giants to bring in more revenue.
Now it is to see, which side the decision goes.
