⚽⭐⚽ Rainbet’s BTT Champions League – Road to Glory ⚽⭐⚽

[slaman29]

I remember a time when only the national champion could play in this competition, so often big clubs like Real, Barcelona, ​​PSG, etc. had to play in a lower tier of European club competition, which is no longer the case.

Quality of individual matches probably improves if you keep seeing good teams playing each other.

But quality of the class, or how do I say it... Champions League is not Champions League if you are seeing people who finish 6th in their league compete here with champions of other smaller leagues.

Seeing Tottenham win easily in Group Phase for example proves quality of teams and players but not Champion quality. I don't know how to express this.

[LTU_btc]

I think it's a good idea to take a longer break for national team appearances in the Nations League, 1 longer break instead of 2 or 3 shorter breaks, so that everyone can focus on club competitions afterwards.
In any case, as soon as this long break is over and the Champions League returns, the Crovengers team will be ready. 

Having international breaks every month like it used to be was annoying, but not sure that this long break is better thing. It's about 20 days without club football. Big clubs who send most of their players to national teams, their training porccess is stopped. These who don't have national team players or have to, probably some of them will have to even look to make friendly game during this break to not lose form.

This one also puzzled me. Why couldn't we have two rounds of the UCL and Europa League instead of each competition having games played in different weeks? In the last season the UCL games were played on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while Europa League games were played on Thursdays. How come that it's different this time?

It's already several seasons when we have Champions and Europa league opening rounds separated. Next rounds will be same days like it always used to be.

I have to repeat again they added so many new teams and in reality they lowered the quality of Champions League.

Number of teams changed from 32 to 36. I don't think it played big role, it's not like adding 16 extra team to World Cup.

I think everyone hated it when they hear it for the first time, but that's no surprise since the previous format was being used for decades (with some changes) and it was basically the one we grew up with. So, knee jerk reaction was to say that it sucks, but after you see it in the practice, it looks better.

It's already 3rd season, but I'm still not sure which format is better. Yeah, we got more games between big clubs, but importance of these games is much smaller than it used to be in 4 teams group. Yeah, everyone wants to get into Top 8, but not sure that playing 2 extra games for club like PSG is big challenge if you ended between 9-24.
But there is one thing which is great IMO - no more relegation to Europa league. I didn't liked this consolation prize for 3rd placed teams.

[Trofo]

I have to repeat again they added so many new teams and in reality they lowered the quality of Champions League.

Number of teams changed from 32 to 36. I don't think it played big role, it's not like adding 16 extra team to World Cup.

I actually like the new CL format very much. Before it was always walk in the park for top teams in the group stage. Now they have something to play for in every single round since better placement means more money and return knockout game played at home. Viewers are also profiting from big games in every single round. Previously we had to wait until knockout stages for those clashes. Now we have several in every group round.

I was skeptical when it was introduced, but it was a good improvement in the end.

[Rikafip]

Yeah, everyone wants to get into Top 8, but not sure that playing 2 extra games for club like PSG is big challenge if you ended between 9-24.`

Dunno, I think everyone will want to avoid playing two extra games and not only because they already have a hectic schedule, but also because playoffs can be tricky, even if you are playing vs lower seeded team.

Last season, PSG played Monaco in the playoffs, and they didn't have it easy. They won the first game 3-2 after going 0-2 down, and then drew 2-2 in Paris, so it wasn't exactly a walk in the park. The same goes for Real, who also didn't have it easy against Benfica.

[Upgrade00]

Seeing Tottenham win easily in Group Phase for example proves quality of teams and players but not Champion quality. I don't know how to express this.

It may just be an isolated situation like villareal last season. They were brilliant in the laliga but had a woeful performance in the UCL.

Chelsea has won the UCL while finishing 6th and 4th in their league. Spurs have reached the final of the champions league before while finishing 4th in the league behind the leaders with about 20 points. Knockout format can help teams sometimes who find ways to manage games individually while the league requires consistency from start to finish.

[LTU_btc]

I actually like the new CL format very much. Before it was always walk in the park for top teams in the group stage. Now they have something to play for in every single round since better placement means more money and return knockout game played at home. Viewers are also profiting from big games in every single round. Previously we had to wait until knockout stages for those clashes. Now we have several in every group round.

I was skeptical when it was introduced, but it was a good improvement in the end.

Yeah, there is more clashes of big teams, but like I said, value of these games is a bit lower when you have to play 8 games. And in previous format probably every season we had at least one group of death with 3 big teams and one farmers team like Sabah or Slavia.

Dunno, I think everyone will want to avoid playing two extra games and not only because they already have a hectic schedule, but also because playoffs can be tricky, even if you are playing vs lower seeded team.

Last season, PSG played Monaco in the playoffs, and they didn't have it easy. They won the first game 3-2 after going 0-2 down, and then drew 2-2 in Paris, so it wasn't exactly a walk in the park. The same goes for Real, who also didn't have it easy against Benfica.

Offcourse, playing 2 more extra games when you already have such hectic schedule is something what you prefer to avoid. But it's not the end of the world. IIRC, so far we didn't had favorites getting eliminated in this stage.

[Zaguru12]

Chelsea has won the UCL while finishing 6th and 4th in their league. Spurs have reached the final of the champions league before while finishing 4th in the league behind the leaders with about 20 points. Knockout format can help teams sometimes who find ways to manage games individually while the league requires consistency from start to finish.

One thing I have notice is that a club performance in their respective league doesn’t contribute much to their performance in the champions league. Take a look at the highest holders Real Madrid they have always been poor in the league in seasons they won the champions league, in fact since the last two decade I think they have won more champions league than the premier league. Another example is borussia Dortmund they have been to two finals than ever compete in the league.

There is also PSG who not in the league but had a poor start to their champions league campaign for every of the last two seasons they have won it. Personally I feel like the performance at knockout stages are usually the one that determines who is the champion.

[cryptofrka]

Dunno, I think everyone will want to avoid playing two extra games and not only because they already have a hectic schedule, but also because playoffs can be tricky, even if you are playing vs lower seeded team.

Yep, I agree with this. But it's not just that, you always want the 2nd game at home in later rounds in the knockouts and better results in the group stage guarantee you that.
I'd say it surely isn't mandatory to be in the top 8 to have a good CL result but it does make it easier.

And also - a very good thing that comes out of it is that some teams do calculate - which creates some really great matchups even in the qualifying stages.
In the first season we had City - Real immediately after the group stage and last year we had PSG, Juve, Real, Borussia, Atletico and Inter all playing in the early qualifiers - 3 of them failing to qualify.

I like the dynamics of the new format and can live with the fact that a few teams will be able to take a few games for granted and rest players. It was the case before as well.

[slaman29]

Seeing Tottenham win easily in Group Phase for example proves quality of teams and players but not Champion quality. I don't know how to express this.

It may just be an isolated situation like villareal last season. They were brilliant in the laliga but had a woeful performance in the UCL.

Chelsea has won the UCL while finishing 6th and 4th in their league. Spurs have reached the final of the champions league before while finishing 4th in the league behind the leaders with about 20 points. Knockout format can help teams sometimes who find ways to manage games individually while the league requires consistency from start to finish.

This is what I mean by Champions quality. You can find a team that plays well in CL because they have squad depth and experience, but if you ask me, for example, if I want to meet Bayern all the time, or if I want to only meet the champions of Germany, I will choose champions all the time because that team showed the most consistency in one entire season. I want to meet that team!

Or funnily enough if a crazy team finished 2nd in a league but somehow never qualified I want to meet them, not the big team who finished 7th!

[Daniel91]

I remember a time when only the national champion could play in this competition, so often big clubs like Real, Barcelona, ​​PSG, etc. had to play in a lower tier of European club competition, which is no longer the case.

Quality of individual matches probably improves if you keep seeing good teams playing each other.

But quality of the class, or how do I say it... Champions League is not Champions League if you are seeing people who finish 6th in their league compete here with champions of other smaller leagues.

Seeing Tottenham win easily in Group Phase for example proves quality of teams and players but not Champion quality. I don't know how to express this.

I agree with you and that is why this competition is no longer called the ''European Champions Cup'' but the Champions League.
In the cup system, the goal was previously that only the winners of all European club competitions could participate.
In the new format, we have a league and not a cup competition and UEFA's intention is to have as many quality teams participate as possible, so the focus is on the highest quality European leagues, English, Spanish, French, Italian and German, the so-called ''League Five''.
We can now discuss how fair and just that is, but everything today revolves around money and profit, as we know, and it is obvious that sponsors are more interested in seeing the best English and Spanish clubs in the competition than representatives of Croatia, Hungary, Albania, Montenegro, etc.
This is a sad football reality and a compromise by UEFA, considering that the best European clubs, led by Real, Barcelona and Juventus, had already planned to leave UEFA and launch their own version of the Champions League a few years ago. if you remember.

[cryptofrka]

When we discuss the Champions Cup, we have to take into equation how much football has changed in the last 20 years or so.
Previously it wasn't that global and there was a lot more equality in team quality. If we had the Champions Cup now, we'd end up with 8 games in total worth watching.

It is a shame because it took a bit of uncertainty but if we want the games we want to watch week after week, this was the needed step.
Nowadays a team relegating from the PL will beat 70% of European champions without breaking a sweat - so it would look quite silly if Bayern/PSG/Real would have to face champions of Romania, Sweden and Hungary on their way to the trophy.

It is what it is - the changes are simply a reflection of what football has become. Superleague failed, so they created a CL version of it.

[notblox1]

When we discuss the Champions Cup, we have to take into equation how much football has changed in the last 20 years or so.
Previously it wasn't that global and there was a lot more equality in team quality. If we had the Champions Cup now, we'd end up with 8 games in total worth watching.

Are you alive Mafia, and did you finally came back full power?  
I dont think that football changed in good direction in last few decades, there is more money involved, players earn more, but in my opinion football was much better in time of Maradona and Pele.
It is true that players run more now and tactics changed completely, but we have less beauty and dribblings during matches.

[cryptofrka]

Are you alive Mafia, and did you finally came back full power?  
I dont think that football changed in good direction in last few decades, there is more money involved, players earn more, but in my opinion football was much better in time of Maradona and Pele.
It is true that players run more now and tactics changed completely, but we have less beauty and dribblings during matches.

Getting there, yeah

When I say that football has changed, I don't mean the game itself. That part changed as well, but in this context I meant more the power dynamics.
Nowadays you expect a team from South America to struggle against a team from Europe, a team from Portugal to barely have a chance against a team from England etc.

The 'centers of power' - if we can call them that - are much smaller than before.
20 years ago you could imagine a team from Czech Republic, Portugal, even fucking Scotland to go far in the Champions Cup. It's impossible today - and that's the point I was trying to make.

The game itself, well, just grew. Growth means more professionalism, more professionalism often means less beauty and more constraints. It's the same basically in any sport.
The only exception is NBA that is doing everything possible to go the other way - and in my opinion is destroying a beautiful sport in the process.

[slaman29]

This is a sad football reality and a compromise by UEFA, considering that the best European clubs, led by Real, Barcelona and Juventus, had already planned to leave UEFA and launch their own version of the Champions League a few years ago. if you remember.

It is not just a sad compromise, but in fact a PROMISE to make things worse and worse. Look at Juventus now, look at Spurs now, who wanted to make Super League, do they deserve even to be in the Group Phase? No way.

It is a shame because it took a bit of uncertainty but if we want the games we want to watch week after week, this was the needed step.

Not really. If we want games to improve over the years, and excitement over the teams of who will make it, if we want games we want to watch in 10 years, this is the total wrong step.

I dont think that football changed in good direction in last few decades, there is more money involved, players earn more, but in my opinion football was much better in time of Maradona and Pele.
It is true that players run more now and tactics changed completely, but we have less beauty and dribblings during matches.

You are SO right!!

We can all argue about which football we prefer but the fact is, the more concentrated the money and exposure is to the few super clubs, in the long run, the lower the quality of football overall. We talk about 'games worth watching' and not wanting to watch Barca play against lets say Levski Sofia and this is true today but if we keep doing Super League style, this will become more true next year, and more true in 5 years.

But if we do not reward money splashing to a few clubs, and reward Levski Sofia or whoever else for making it to Champions League guess what, Barca vs Levski will be better to watch next year, even better in 5 years.

Whether its dribbling or tiki take or Italian mafia defence, the core should be clubs who run their academies and transfer policies on similar ground.

Instead of rewarding academies that groom youth from local neighborhoods, or rewarding creative and forward thinking scouting, or sustainable stadium management the system rewards only pure spending, to the point clubs selling their stadiums, ditching their academies, and looking for rich owners only.

[Daniel91]

This is a sad football reality and a compromise by UEFA, considering that the best European clubs, led by Real, Barcelona and Juventus, had already planned to leave UEFA and launch their own version of the Champions League a few years ago. if you remember.

It is not just a sad compromise, but in fact a PROMISE to make things worse and worse. Look at Juventus now, look at Spurs now, who wanted to make Super League, do they deserve even to be in the Group Phase? No way.

It is a shame because it took a bit of uncertainty but if we want the games we want to watch week after week, this was the needed step.

Not really. If we want games to improve over the years, and excitement over the teams of who will make it, if we want games we want to watch in 10 years, this is the total wrong step.

I dont think that football changed in good direction in last few decades, there is more money involved, players earn more, but in my opinion football was much better in time of Maradona and Pele.
It is true that players run more now and tactics changed completely, but we have less beauty and dribblings during matches.

You are SO right!!

We can all argue about which football we prefer but the fact is, the more concentrated the money and exposure is to the few super clubs, in the long run, the lower the quality of football overall. We talk about 'games worth watching' and not wanting to watch Barca play against lets say Levski Sofia and this is true today but if we keep doing Super League style, this will become more true next year, and more true in 5 years.

But if we do not reward money splashing to a few clubs, and reward Levski Sofia or whoever else for making it to Champions League guess what, Barca vs Levski will be better to watch next year, even better in 5 years.

Whether its dribbling or tiki take or Italian mafia defence, the core should be clubs who run their academies and transfer policies on similar ground.

Instead of rewarding academies that groom youth from local neighborhoods, or rewarding creative and forward thinking scouting, or sustainable stadium management the system rewards only pure spending, to the point clubs selling their stadiums, ditching their academies, and looking for rich owners only.

I agree with you.
I'm probably older than you, so I remember what this competition looked like between 1980-1990, when there was still a limit of a maximum of 3 foreign players per team, so the difference in quality between clubs from the so-called "League Five" and other European leagues was not as great as it is today.
Clubs from those small European leagues were equal to big clubs like Bayern or Real, and I also remember that even clubs from Romania - Steaua, and the then Yugoslavia - Red Star were even European champions during that period.
Today, something like that would be impossible because the difference in finances between clubs like PSG, Manchester City, Real, Barcelona, ​​Bayern and a few others and the rest of Europe is so great that it has long since ceased to be an equal competition.
Unfortunately, the Champions League is slowly becoming a boring and predictable competition because for the last 15-20 years, the same 5-6 clubs have always won this trophy, while other clubs are just filling in the blanks and have no chance of winning the trophy.
In the long run, this is the path of slow destruction of European club football because fans want to see surprises, equal and uncertain struggle and excitement, not boring reruns of each new season with the same actors.

[cryptofrka]

Well, sure, I agree with both of you guys from the perspective of sport, competitiveness and regular Joes enjoying the games.
The fact is though that it became business a long time ago. In business there's only one rule - eat or be eaten.

Not even the governing bodies can control it. I'm sure UEFA wants a strong PL, but not at the expense of a weak Serie A or Bundesliga - and that's what's happening.
5 clubs can realistically dream of winning the CL every season and sure - it's not interesting. But in order to have these games more often, UEFA made the right call with the new format.

I think it will also help the lesser teams to grow and increase quality, but it's not there they are losing the advantage. They are losing it in commercial/marketing sectors, in which Slavia Prague earns 20x less money than Coventry, a team that will lose 80% of their games in the PL this season.