The conclusion of this season's Champions League is still far off, but clubs are already speculating about next season's competition. This is due to a complete overhaul of the Champions League format.
Amid the controversy, there is a silver lining in the new format: the addition of more participants. This change creates opportunities for more teams to compete. But how can they secure these new spots?
Reminder of the new UEFA Champions League format from 2024/25:
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) March 3, 2022
Thoughts? 😳
📸 - @btsportfootball pic.twitter.com/gKoBZXzw65
New Format Condemned
Before diving into the details of how to secure a spot, it’s important to understand the ins and outs of the new Champions League format introduced by UEFA. Despite claims of consideration for welfare and equality, the new format has sparked significant criticism.
"UEFA, you are evil towards footballers," said Pep Guardiola. Increasing the number of participating teams and altering the system will automatically lead to more matches, which many see as the beginning of a new era of player exploitation, especially given the already packed domestic league schedules.
Pep isn't alone in his criticism. Many other footballers and coaches have also voiced their concerns about the new format. However, UEFA remains adamant about implementing these changes next season.
📰 The new UEFA Champions League format starting from the 2024/25 season! pic.twitter.com/LZntbUTEzm
— Barça Spaces (@BarcaSpaces) June 11, 2023
Format and Additional Quota
With the new Champions League format set in stone, it's time to move past the controversy and focus on the changes. Next season, the Champions League will expand from 32 to 36 teams, adding four extra spots.
Instead of the traditional group stage with four clubs per group, the 36 teams will compete in a league-like system. Each team will play 8 matches—4 home and 4 away—against opponents drawn from the pool of 36.
This change significantly increases the number of matches from 125 to 189, posing a greater physical demand on players.
Unlike traditional leagues, there will be no promotion or relegation. The top 8 teams will automatically advance to the Round of 16. Teams ranked 9 to 24 will enter playoffs, competing in home-and-away matches to secure the remaining eight spots in the Round of 16.
Next season, number of the Champions League clubs will be increased from 32 to 36.
— Football Rankings (@FootRankings) August 11, 2023
Four additional clubs will be:
- 3rd placed team from 5th ranked nation
- One additional club via the Champions Path qualifiers
- Two additional clubs for one-season Top 2 nations
📸 UEFA pic.twitter.com/GnTyr6tJbv
This format marks a dramatic shift from the previous structure, potentially altering the essence of the Champions League. Ilkay Gundogan has even likened it to the European Super League, which UEFA strongly opposed.
How to Secure Additional Spots
According to UEFA, the new format benefits clubs that previously lacked opportunities to participate in the Champions League. The addition of four extra spots will indeed be highly sought after.
The first additional spot is reserved for the third-placed team from the league ranked fifth in UEFA’s coefficient standings. Currently, this position is held by Ligue 1 (13,250 points), which is above the Eredivisie (9,800 points). As a result, the third-placed team in Ligue 1 will be entitled to this extra berth.
This means that Ligue 1 could potentially send three teams to the Champions League next season. Clubs like Brest, Monaco, Nice, Lille, and Lens will compete fiercely for this additional spot.
The second additional spot goes to the winner of the "Champions Path" in the qualifying phase. This path is designated for domestic league champions from countries ranked 10th and below in the UEFA coefficient. For instance, champions from leagues in Switzerland, Ukraine, Croatia, and Denmark will vie for this spot.
The remaining two spots will be awarded to the two fifth-placed teams from leagues with the best collective European performance in the previous season. The leagues that perform exceptionally well in the Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League this season will earn these extra berths.
As a neutral I’ve got to say, the Champions League is starting to lose its magic pic.twitter.com/yHH8W6yd0s
— Out of Context Football Manager (@nocontextfm1) February 21, 2024
Who Has a Chance?
Top European leagues are now striving to excel in this season's European competitions to secure the additional Champions League spots. For instance, if the new rules had been applied this season, the English Premier League and the Italian Serie A would have received the extra quotas.
This is because, based on last season's collective European performance, these two leagues topped the rankings. Manchester City won the Champions League, and West Ham clinched the Conference League. Italian clubs like Inter, Roma, and Fiorentina also reached the finals in their respective European competitions.
Under these circumstances, the fifth-placed teams in the Premier League and Serie A last season—Liverpool and Atalanta—would have secured the extra berths. However, the situation is different this season.
As of February 2024, UEFA data shows the Italian Serie A (15,571 points) and the German Bundesliga (14,500 points) leading the performance coefficients. The Premier League has dropped to third place (13,875 points). If these standings hold, the fifth-placed teams in Serie A and the Bundesliga will receive the additional Champions League spots.
Subject to Change
These standings are still subject to change. The final distribution of additional quotas will depend on the leagues' performance by the end of the season. The fewer teams remaining in European competitions, the fewer opportunities to earn coefficient points and secure these coveted spots.
It's shaping up to be a fierce competition among the Italian, German, and English leagues, whose coefficient values are closely contested. Serie A currently boasts seven representatives across three European competitions, all the way to the round of 16. Similarly, the Bundesliga has five out of seven representatives still in contention at this stage. Despite sending eight representatives, the English Premier League still has six teams alive in the round of 16.
🚨|| As it stands, fifth place in the Premier League won't get Champions League qualification in the new UCL format.
— Footy Hub (@Footyhub01) February 20, 2024
✍️||Italy and Germany are set to get the spots based on their teams' European performance.
[RobHarris] pic.twitter.com/IulqVkuxgt
The dynamics of the European performance coefficient could shift if representatives from Serie A and the Bundesliga start to falter in the round of 16, potentially opening up opportunities for English teams.
But do Serie A, Bundesliga, and the English Premier League exclusively hold the chance to vie for the two additional spots? What about La Liga? Currently, La Liga sits fifth in the European performance coefficient rankings (13,187 points). Although it entered the competition with eight representatives, only five teams from the Spanish league remain in the round of 16.
This decline in position for La Liga is a contributing factor to its performance in the European competitions. However, if the remaining five representatives manage to advance further, they could significantly impact the standings of other leagues.
Despite criticisms surrounding the new Champions League format for the upcoming season, it presents its own excitement for clubs vying for participation. Serie A, Bundesliga, Premier League, and La Liga are all fiercely competing for the additional quota. But who will ultimately secure these two additional places, according to football enthusiasts?
source: espn, uefa, goal, uefa, transfermarkt, skysports, sportingnews
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