UEFA Planning Key Format Tweaks for 2025–26 Champions League Season
ES 
EN As this season’s UEFA Champions League heads into its penultimate and most crucial phase, potential changes are already being discussed to ensure the 2025–26 campaign creates more intrigue and delivers maximum excitement for football fans across the globe.
The start of this season marked the introduction of UEFA’s new Champions League format, designed in response to proposals from the breakaway European Super League proponents.
Initially met with skepticism and uncertainty, fans quickly embraced the expansion from 32 to 36 teams. Scrapping the traditional group stage in favor of a league-style format brought excitement and unpredictability from start to finish.
Now, according to German outlet Bild, UEFA plans to make next season’s Champions League less strenuous on players and create more balance in the schedule.
UEFA Committee to Discuss Format Changes on May 30
The Club Competitions Committee will meet on May 30, and it’s believed that one of the first proposals could be to scrap extra time in the knockout phase, aimed at reducing player burnout.
Real Madrid, alongside Liverpool, were involved in penalty shootouts this campaign. Madrid have already played 55 matches this season, with a month of football still left and the Club World Cup on the horizon. This proposed rule could help ease the burden on clubs.
Another potential change would prevent teams from the same federation from facing each other until the quarterfinal stage. This season, PSG and Brest met in the playoffs, limiting France’s chance of having more representation in the latter stages. Similarly, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen faced a similar fate, something UEFA reportedly wants to avoid moving forward.
Lea también: Jamie Vardy: The Premier League’s Ultimate Underdog Says Goodbye to Leicester City
Lastly, UEFA plans to restore the second-leg home advantage to teams that finish higher in the top 8 of the league phase, replacing the random home-away draw used this season.
Bild reports that Arsenal complained about the lack of second-leg home advantage on their route to the final. Despite finishing 3rd in the preliminary league phase, above both Real Madrid and PSG, they played the second legs of both ties away from home.
Another club likely pleased with the proposed change is Barcelona. Despite finishing 2nd, they had to play the first leg of their quarterfinal tie against Dortmund at home.
The Champions League resumes with the semifinal matches next week, with all four remaining teams battling for a spot at the Allianz Arena in Munich and a shot at Champions League glory.
2 comentarios