The Champions League is planning to modify the rules, and the embarrassment between Arsenal and Barcelona can be avoided

This season's Champions League has undergone major changes in rules, expanding from 32 teams to 36 teams, introducing a group round-robin match system, and the game seems to have become more exciting. However, British media revealed that the Champions League is planning to modify the rules, and the embarrassment between Arsenal and Barcelona may be avoided.

After the Champions League adopts a group round-robin system, almost all teams have to fight to the last round. It is difficult for traditional giants to advance to the knockout round early. For example, last season, Bayern Munich only took 4 rounds to lock in the first place in the group, and could "leave" Copenhagen in the last two rounds, allowing the opponent to obtain the right to qualify. Such a story is basically difficult to happen again.

Before the last two rounds of the group stage this season, defending champion Real Madrid, champion Manchester City the previous season, and Paris Saint-Germain, who finally reached the final, are all facing the crisis of being eliminated. Before the last round of the group, there were only two teams, Liverpool and Barcelona, ​​who locked in the top 16 ahead of schedule, and the rest of the teams could not relax. From this perspective, the changes in the rules did bring more suspense, and the game became more compact and intense.

Ironically, Liverpool, who won seven consecutive victories in the group, met the powerful Paris Saint-Germain after qualifying and finally stopped in the round of 16. This situation may be just a special case. It can only be said that Paris Saint-Germain performed poorly in the group stage and struggled to obtain the right to qualify, but "just happened to" meet Liverpool.

Barcelona, ​​Arsenal and Inter Milan, which ranked second to fourth in the group stage, have the opponents in the top 16, Benfica, Eindhoven and Feyenoord, and the teams with outstanding performance in the group. Overall, the opponents in the first round of the knockout stage will be slightly "weak", and Liverpool is really "lucky".

British media disclosed that the Champions League may be amended to modify a rule so that teams with top-ranking groups can have greater advantages. The Champions League this season is different from the past. At the draw ceremony of the top 16, the matchup situation until the finals were determined. There is no need to draw again for the quarterfinals. At the same time, the home and away orders of all the matches against both sides are also determined.

For example, in the quarterfinals and quarterfinals, Arsenal both host and away, facing Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain respectively, Barcelona is the same. In the two stages, they also host and away, facing Dortmund and Inter Milan respectively. The ranking advantages of the group stage are difficult to show.

The difference in home and away order is perfectly explained in Barcelona. In the semi-finals, facing Inter Milan, both sides were scored 3-3. Barcelona eventually had to play overtime at Inter Milan's home court, and was eliminated by their opponent's only goal.

Therefore, since the circular rules are used in the group stage, the higher-ranking team should be given more advantages, rather than just directly advancing, and only the advantage of being the top 16 first and then home. If Arsenal and Barcelona, ​​which are ranked higher, can return to home games in the second leg of the knockout stage, if there is an overtime and penalty kick, they can have home advantage, which seems more reasonable.

In addition, some fans also called for the matchup situation in the top 16 stages to be determined in the next few stages, which greatly reduces the interest of various suspense. We should restore the past method and draw lots in the quarterfinals again to increase more uncertainty.

Moreover, whether it is a playoff in the top 16 or a top 16, the so-called draw is actually "choose one of two". For example, Manchester City's opponents in the playoffs can only be Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, and Liverpool's opponents in the round of 16 can only be Paris Saint-Germain or Benfica. From the perspective of fans, it seems not "exciting" enough. The change in the UEFA Champions League system was quite satisfactory in the first year. The group stage was added to two rounds, and the intensity was greatly improved. Teams with slightly more points need to strive to advance directly to the top eight, while teams with behind in points need to compete for the top 24 to obtain the right to qualify. No one can relax, and everyone still has to strive for victory. The intense viewing level has been recognized by the majority. How do fans be satisfied if the rules change?