64 Teams in the CL?

Michel Platini is considering expanding the CL from 32 to 64 teams and cancelling the EL.

alm:

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...efa-consider-doubling-size-of-champions-league-from-32-to-64-teams-8363942.html

 

12-13? Or 13/14?

 

I think this thread explores an hypothetical scenario what would happen if Platini's plan of 64 club group stage comes into fruition.

 

Well, it's pretty obvious that Uefa understands that it generates money. Likewise, teams are more interested in the broader appeal cause thats what brings them the big $$.

Sooner or later, there will be a european (super) league and thats where they want to take CL.

 

Cancelling the EL is a great idea. Expanding the CL is an awful idea instead.

 

I spotted something wrong with the seeds for those groups. Yup.

 

And he said that the idea in discussion, if accepted, will only come into play in 2015.

I hope they just bring back the UEFA cup knockout tournament, and make the CL with less teams then it currently is.

 

I hope they just bring back the UEFA cup knockout tournament, and make the CL with less teams then it currently is.

Yes, I agree with you but the key lies on the prize money. If UEFA doesn't increase what is distributed to clubs participating in the EL then it's obvious that they are just interested in finishing off with that competition.

So much for the more "humane" side of football proclaimed by Platini BEFORE he took UEFA's presidency.

 

Damn, City got a difficult group again. Shit's gotta be rigged.

 

and it's funny how even in this hypothetical draw ManU ends up in the softest group as usual...

 

if they dont intend to make some major changes to the EL, then yes it should be canceled

add more revenue, give the EL winner a CL spot do something

 

give the EL winner a CL spot do something

It's ridiculous how that was not a rule since the beginning of the competition - let alone how it still isn't a part of the awards.

Either the winner, or both finalists should earn a spot - the winner to the group stages, the finalist starting in the lowest round possible, in the "non-champions" route.

Easy, simple solution that would make sure everyone bust their asses to advance in the competition from the big leagues, and will add alot of interest to the competition.

 

I think it's a good idea. You have lots of teams in the group stage which makes lots of money for all concerned. Then you get a 32 team knockout phase,which is basically how the European Cup was and what a lot of nostalgic folk have been pining for ever since.

 

Here are the Groups A to P:

Watch out UEFA. Unglamorous phrases like this would have an adverse effect on sponsorship income...

Group P
CFR Cluj
Galatasaray
Hannover 96
Levante

Though I'd be very happy if Gala had this group :thumbsup:

This has to be the most ridiculous idea...first Platini and his half-assed idea about hosting Euro 2020 in several cities across Europe instead of having a single host country, now this.

Firstly, expanding the Champions League from 16 'champions' to 32 teams was controversial enough as it is, and is still looked upon with regret today by many fans including me. But we've had time to get used to it, and in terms of having the highest quality of football (players, fans, stadia, etc) it seems to work perfectly. In fact the CL is in my opinion one of the finest organisations in the world, to have your club assosiated with it is more valuable than countless domestic trophies. Having it expanded to the likes of 7th-placed EPL teams would devalue it greatly.

Secondly, the idea of integrating the Europa League into the Champions League (which is supposed to be the premise of this) is daft as well. Smaller teams look at the EL as an attainable prize (albeit most winners of the trophy are actually CL-calibur teams, but still) but if they are thrown into a 64-team CL then they'll have no chance of winning any European silverware ever, let's face it. All European trophy winners will remain as Barca, Utd, Real Madrid etc etc forever...

UEFA could, as I've read elsewhere, use the EL as a platform to gain access into the following season's Champions League, which would add glamour, prestige and potentially valuable sponsorship funds to the cause. For instance, Atletico Madrid would be competing at the highest level in Europe this season, had this been the case, and they would have added a lot to the tournament.

That's as much of a change as I can accept in terms of European competition quite frankly. The Champions League is a wonderful, special competition, and it's perfect.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

The teams who play in EL already played in CL, for example, 2010-11 Braga who made final of EL finished 3rd in CL group and therefore advanced to EL like that.

Valencia last year EL semi final, after finishing 3rd in CL group.



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I think the problem is that during the mid 2000s and late 90s, EL/UEFA Cup was a different competition, very much a eastern european playground in some ways, like when Shaktar and CSKA won it and Zenit too i guess, but especially mid 00s. Those teams, and many others didnt have chance to play in CL or go far in CL, so they had "their" competition.

But now the likes of Shaktar have build on and Russia i guess is also getting more spots for CL, and now in the last couple of years we have more "mediterranean" with couple of spanish finalists and portuguese too.

 

I think the problem is that during the mid 2000s and late 90s, EL/UEFA Cup was a different competition, very much a eastern european playground in some ways, like when Shaktar and CSKA won it and Zenit too i guess, but especially mid 00s. Those teams, and many others didnt have chance to play in CL or go far in CL, so they had "their" competition.

But now the likes of Shaktar have build on and Russia i guess is also getting more spots for CL, and now in the last couple of years we have more "mediterranean" with couple of spanish finalists and portuguese too.

Sorry but...where is the problem then?

 

If this happens, the UEFA Champions League is no longer a 'champions league'.

 

That idea ended a long time ago.

 

2012-13 UEFA European Cup

32-Team Knockout Tournament

Based on the 2012 UEFA club coefficients:

Manchester City
Real Madrid
Borussia Dortmund
Juventus
Montpellier
Porto
Zenit St. Petersburg
Chelsea (holder)
Shakhtar Donetsk
Ajax
Galatasaray
Olympiacos
Nordsjælland
Anderlecht
CFR Cluj
Celtic
Basel
Ironi Kiryat Shmona
Slovan Liberec
Red Bull Salzburg
AEL Limassol
Ludogorets Razgrad
Dinamo Zagreb
BATE Borisov
Śląsk Wrocław
Žilina
Molde
Partizan
Helsingborg
Željezničar
HJK
Shamrock Rovers


Prize money
Playoffs: €1,000,000
Reaching Final 32: €2,000,000
For each match you play: €550,000
Victory: €800,000
Draw: €400,000
Round of 16: €3,000,000
Quarter-finals: €4,000,000
Semi-finals: €5,000,000
Losing finalist: €6,000,000
Winning the Final: €10,000,000



2012-13 UEFA Europa League

64-Team Group / Knockout Tournament

Based on the 2012 UEFA club coefficients:

Group A - Manchester United, Lyon, Copenhagen, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
Group B - Arsenal, Académica, Club Brugge, Hannover 96
Group C - Barcelona, Rubin Kazan, Vaslui, Internazionale
Group D - Valencia, PSV Eindhoven, Motherwell, Marítimo
Group E - Bayern Munich, Napoli, Lokeren, Dynamo Moscow
Group F - Schalke 04, Dinamo București, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal Kyiv
Group G - AC Milan, Heart of Midlothian, Bayer Leverkusen, Heerenveen
Group H - Paris Saint-Germain, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maribor, Bursaspor
Group I - Benfica, Liverpool, Levante, PAOK
Group J - Málaga, Marseille, Newcastle United, Horsens
Group K - Borussia Mönchengladbach, Athletic Bilbao, Stuttgart, Genk
Group L - Udinese, Omonia, Bordeaux, Steaua București
Group M - Lille, Dynamo Kyiv, Lazio, Dundee United
Group N - Braga, Feyenoord, CSKA Moscow, Sparta Prague
Group O - Spartak Moscow, Fenerbahçe, Sporting CP, Rapid Wien
Group P - Atlético Madrid (holder), Panathinaikos, Metalist Kharkiv, Anzhi Makhachkala

Prize money
Playoffs: €150,000
Group stage: €500,000
For each match in group stage: €250,000
Group match victory: €500,000
Group match draw: €200,000
Round of 32: €750,000
Round of 16: €1,000,000
Quarter-finals: €2,000,000
Semi-finals: £3,000,000
Losing finalist: €3,500,000
Winning the Final: €6,000,000


:thumbsup: or :thmbdown: ?

 

What is more alluring for your team or you as a fan for which European competition to play in:

The level of competition in the tournament?
The amount of revenue and prize money it generates?
The prestige of the Cup?
The away games, visiting the likes of the Nou Camp, San Siro and Anfield?
How much coverage it gets on Television?

 

footballFOCUS, that's a great post that puts things into perspective :thumbsup:

In my opinion the current Champions League format is fine as it is, and dare I say 'fair' too, as nations have the opportunity to climb up the co-efficient rankings and enter more teams.

Having a "Champions" League with the likes of Shamrock Rovers et al (no disrespect) would certainly reduce the prestige of the tournament, especially if the sister competition had the likes of Man Utd, Barcelona, Milan....

 

In my opinion the current Champions League format is fine as it is, and dare I say 'fair' too, as nations have the opportunity to climb up the co-efficient rankings and enter more teams.

Having a "Champions" League with the likes of Shamrock Rovers et al (no disrespect) would certainly reduce the prestige of the tournament, especially if the sister competition had the likes of Man Utd, Barcelona, Milan....

:thumbsup:

Yes, some people are saying they would love an exclusive European Cup with only the Champions of the European nations - but as you commented, this would be a detriment to the cup's prestige.

One area to address is that the "sister competition" definately needs increased prize monies to attract both the clubs, fans and domestic television corporations.

 

I don't know why it's so hard to just find some more sponsors for the EL. They should start by expanding the number of 'official' tournament sponsors...