16-03-2024, 07:18 PM
(16-03-2024, 06:40 PM)Brekkie Wrote: Ah, that's me not knowing the Athletico Madrid crest. Thought it was an Italian one for some reason. Yes, no way around that. The last season of the Champions League proper then - can't really see the new format lasting more than one cycle.
That was on me for not finding a graphic with words
On about next cycle, this situation would be complicated with Amazon having first pick on Tuesdays in the UK. That means, this fixture schedule would mean only one of the two English sides being able to be shown on Amazon UK. Not sure if Amazon would just have to grin and bare it, or would they potentially be allowed to show the other on the Wednesday of the other leg.
Also for next season, the knockout stages will be less randomized. The Round of 16 onwards will be set as a 'tennis-style seeded draw', where the #1 ranked team from the league stage cannot play the #2 ranked team until the final. I don't think that is a terrible move, there's far worse innovations for 24-25.
Hopefully the Super League threats blow over, everyone sees this format as a poorer version of the competition, and we return to something closer to the last twenty years afterwards. Though, more matches mean more money, so the forces of change will need to work hard. Presumably the two group stages format of two decade plus ago had more matches, how did that end up being cancelled?
www.reuters.com