Change is rarely embraced with open arms, especially when it comes to traditions in the beautiful game. So it’s no surprise that UEFA’s bold revamp of the Champions League, expanding it from 32 to 36 teams competing in a single league table, has been met with skepticism and criticism from some corners of the footballing world. But are these concerns legitimate, or simply a knee-jerk reaction to the unfamiliar?
Uncompetitive Blowouts or Early Outliers?
One of the primary complaints leveled at the new format is that it has led to more uncompetitive, lopsided scorelines. Bayern Munich’s 9-2 thrashing of Dinamo Zagreb and Manchester City’s 5-0 rout of Young Boys stand out as prime examples. In the first 36 matches, there have been nine victories by a margin of four or more goals – a higher frequency than we typically see in the early stages of the Champions League.
However, it’s crucial to remember that we are working with an extremely small sample size at this point. Drawing definitive conclusions from just two matchdays would be premature. Additionally, the teams on the wrong end of these drubbings – Dinamo Zagreb, Young Boys, Slovan Bratislava – are hardly strangers to such results in Europe’s premier club competition.
All of this is to show, in the context of the scale of European football, that the good teams are still good, and the bad teams are still bad. And bad teams have always been present in the Champions League.
It’s entirely possible that these early blowouts are simply outliers and that the competitiveness of matches will even out as the tournament progresses. The expansion from 32 to 36 teams may have slightly diluted the quality at the bottom end, but it’s far too early to claim the entire competition has been compromised.
The Importance of Every Point
Another criticism suggests that in a bloated 36-team league, individual losses don’t carry much weight, especially early on. But a closer examination reveals that this simply isn’t true.
Thousands of simulations of the new format in the Football Manager video game indicate that 15-17 points will likely be the threshold to secure a top-eight finish and automatic qualification for the knockout stage. With that target in mind, every point dropped is significant, even against lower-ranked opposition.
Giants like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have already slipped up against Aston Villa and Lille respectively – results that could prove costly down the line, especially with clashes against fellow European titans still to come. The margin for error is slim, and early losses only ratchet up the pressure in future fixtures.
Fixture Congestion Concerns
Perhaps the most valid criticism of the revamped Champions League is the increased workload it places on already strained footballing calendars. The expansion from six to eight group stage matches, with two of those falling in the January transfer window, is undeniably problematic.
There are now eight matches instead of six in the group stage, and any team placing 9th to 24th will have to play twice more in a playoff to reach the Round of 16. Ultimately, those teams will have played 10 games to get there — whereas in the old format, it would have been just six.
This congestion issue is compounded by the introduction of FIFA’s new 32-team Club World Cup set for 2025. Prominent players like Manchester City’s Rodri and Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois have openly discussed the possibility of strikes over excessive match demands. It’s an issue that UEFA and FIFA must address collaboratively and urgently.
Variety and Voyages
On a more positive note, one benefit of the reformatted Champions League is the diversity of opponents each team faces. Rather than playing the same three teams twice in a repetitive group stage, clubs now embark on eight unique fixtures spread across the continent.
From a sporting perspective, this variety is refreshing and challenges teams to adapt to a wider range of playing styles and tactical approaches. It also makes for more compelling storylines and intriguing matchups for neutral fans.
The counterargument, of course, is that playing eight different opponents diminishes the prestige and anticipation of the knockout stages. “Grudge” return matches and the ability to immediately avenge a group stage defeat are narrative elements that some will understandably miss.
Patience and Perspective
Whenever a venerable institution like the Champions League undergoes such a transformative change, teething problems and backlash are inevitable. The disastrously staged inaugural draw ceremony certainly didn’t help matters, and UEFA must absolutely find a better way to conduct and present future draws.
But it’s crucial we reserve ultimate judgment on the new format’s merits until we have a larger body of evidence to assess. Will those early thrashings prove to be aberrations or the new normal? Will the 36-team league table coalesce into a coherent, compelling narrative? Will the fixture congestion reach a breaking point?
These are all valid questions that will be answered in due course. The only truly fair approach is to let this Champions League season unfold organically, with an open mind and without a rush to condemnation or coronation.
Change is often uncomfortable, but it isn’t inherently bad. The Champions League’s new era may have endured a rocky start, but European football’s grandest stage still has ample opportunity to win over the skeptics and showcase the merits of its metamorphosis. Time will tell, and we’ll be watching.
