2005 - CSKA Moscow - CL drop out
2006 - Sevilla - proper
2007 - Sevilla - proper
2008 - Zenit - proper
2009 - Shakhtar - CL drop out
2010 - Atletico Madrid - CL drop out
2011 - FC Porto - proper
2012 - Atletico Madrid - proper
37% in other words
Galatasaray? But that was well after the introduction of the CL. I'm taking in the days before that. Back then, winning a European trophy was winning a European trophy. The rank formerly went 1) EC 2) Uefa 3) CWC but you could throw a blanket over them. They were all big deals to win. Neither of the latter competitions was the same after they introduced the Champions League.
That makes it less a European league, and more a 'How well can you do against your national rivals' league.
Plus what happens to the Nations that only get one spot?
If it ever happens, it'll be overly complicated..
That makes it less a European league, and more a 'How well can you do against your national rivals' league.
Plus what happens to the Nations that only get one spot?
If it ever happens, it'll be overly complicated..
The CL has been in exitence since 1955 - a new tune and graphics were introduced in the early 90s and massive TV rights but this is not a new competition and was always regarded as the cream of the crop
Simply wrong. They changed the qualification rules along with the name, which made a massive difference. Not just to the other European competitions but to domestic trophies too. And the latter was especially true in this country. There was little between the EC and the Uefa. The EC was harder to get into because you had to win the league but the Uefa Cup was harder to win, once in in it, because of more competition. They were both considered a big deal. This is a world away from the differences between the 'European Cup' and 'Uefa Cup' today.
Simply wrong. They changed the qualification rules along with the name, which made a massive difference. Not just to the other European competitions but to domestic trophies too. And the latter was especially true in this country.
The EC was harder to get into because you had to win the league but the Uefa Cup was harder to win, once in in it, because of more competition. They were both considered a big deal. This is a world away from the differences between the 'European Cup' and 'Uefa Cup' today.
champions league should be just that - literally.
as for another competition format, i fancy the FA cup everyone-in-it-to-win-it knock-out-style type tourney. I imagine that even Barca would struggle playing some League One team in England on a Wednesday night!
Have you seen some of the clubs in this year's CL?
How is it a world away - don't let TV imagery and supremacist advertising be telling factor here.
Actually you need to win more games to win the EL today and the UEFA Cup 10 years ago.
there's an argument that the uefa cup was harder to win the the european cup back in the day as it had multiple top sides from the "better" leagues where as the european cup only had one (in addition to last years winner)
looking back at 82 for example the only Italian side in the EC was Juve, the only (West) German side Munich and the only Spanish side was Sociedad, the UC by contrast had Inter, Napoli, Kaiserslautern, BMg, Hamburg, Stuttgart, both Madrids and Valencia
If they want a group stage they should wait to a later round. 64 teams, that's 16 groups, far too many.
Why is that far too many?
Current europa league is 12, that doesn't seem too much.
Nothing to do with advertising. It is the facts of the way you qualify for each competition. The Uefa Cup before the expanded EC had teams circa 2nd-4th in the top leagues. So who cares how many more games you need to play now - it was obviously a stronger competition back then.
It's just too many games at the same time I feel. Would be more interesting if they had a couple of knockout rounds first and had a stronger group stage. Or just skipped the groups. Would be less resting of players and putting out reserves.