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Rob Palmer, commentator ESPN
Friday, 31 January 2025, 17:47
Do I like the new Champions League format? Yes. Do I really understand it? No!
If there wasn't already a TV game show called ... Jeopardy, UEFA could have stolen the name as the final night of the League provided thrills and spills - and nobody quite knows how the rest of the new-look competition will pan out.
The relaunch was of course a reaction to a proposed breakaway Super League: 12 of the richest clubs in Europe had huddled together to contrive a competition where they could get even richer. The idea was to create an exclusive top table where you could only join only by invitation. It was dismissed after fan protests around the continent.
It's ironic that under the new regime only five of the 12 are guaranteed a last 16 spot, and a few of them had to sweat on the final league matchday.
At least one of Manchester City, Bayern and Real Madrid will drop out at the first knockout stage as punishment for underperforming in the league stage as they are bracketed together in the draw. Their owners wanted more frequent high-profile games, but they should have been careful what they wished for.
Pep Guardiola is always complaining about the number of matches his players have to endure; Real Madrid - who already play more games than any other club - must squeeze in one more.
The likes of Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal and Atlético have been rewarded for their impressive performances by missing out on the stress of the initial knockouts.
Its great that the likes of Aston Villa and Lille have also joined them as a result of their great results and Celtic could be the ultimate gatecrashers as they are in the Bayern/Real Madrid equation.
The final match night had all the adrenalin of the final day of the season as fans were constantly working out the changing permutations. The weak clubs and those who were just honoured to be in the competition have fallen by the wayside.
Elite owners will be delighted with the prospect of the extra money-spinners that the new structure has provided. The managers will moan at an even more congested calendar.
As it's the virgin flight, nobody quite knows what to expect. We've all been conditioned over the years by the familiar format. It's not easy, but if you sit down in a darkened room and stare at the screen, you can work it all out. There are still a couple of draws to add to the drama; institutions will fall.
We're informed that games have averaged more goals, fans have bought into the revolution, and there were far fewer worthless games on the final night, although typically I was assigned a dead-rubber in Sturm Graz versus RB Leipzig.
There are no more meaningless games going forward; it's all very exciting, especially as one of Real Madrid, Manchester City or Bayern Munich won't have a seat at the top table for the last 16 feast.
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