Champions league or European Cup ?

[Toast]

Watching the footy last night, got me thinking.
Some decent games were on, but I wasn't arsed about them, I mean PSG v Real should have been a must watch game right ?

The games lack an edge, if I asked lids to pick out four teams, the CL is so predictable, I'd bet we could all name at least two semi finalists.

A straight, no seeded knockout cup would create so much more interest in my opinion, over two legs, so no excuses .

Yeah, but it's all about to money nowdays lad.. Etc Etc..

Well, if the interest goes, no one will be watching soon anyway.

Same for the Europa, awful competition that no ones really arsed about, get it back to the cup winners cup I say.

 

[admirschleck]

Europa League is way more interesting nowdays because all these new and "unknown" clubs and because pretty much anything can happen, IMHO. I usually start to watch CL after group phase. Before that it's all pretty much known and as you said, it's a bit dull, but I don't think much will and can change.

 

[barneygumble]

Europa League is way more interesting nowdays because all these new and "unknown" clubs and because pretty much anything can happen, IMHO. I usually start to watch CL after group phase. Before that it's all pretty much known and as you said, it's a bit dull, but I don't think much will and can change.

Put it this way... Why would you bother going to something like Chelsea Vs. Maccabi Tel Aviv at home, knowing the atmosphere will be dire, that you're probably nailed on to win 4-0, and if you miss it, it's okay, because next year, you can see them play another non-entity like Maribor in the Group.

Its boring. PSG Real lacks anything because PSG and Real needn't win, a draw will do them as Malmo did the hard work of beating the slightly less crap Shakhtar, and they'll both be content going through, not getting injuries. All about the money now, which is a shame. European Cup/The Old Uefa cup knockout sounded like/was great entertainment.

Celtic Liverpool in 2003, was a wonderful experience if i remember correctly... now? It happens in a group. YAWN.

 

[Rook]

The only reason that the UEFA cup has group stages is because some of the early matchups might take a sliver of attn away from their precious C-league.

 

[Garrick]

South America's secondary continental championship is a straight knockout and it's boss. High stakes every match and it's less fixtures overall, so less of a strain on the smaller squads.

 

[Minimeister]

South America's secondary continental championship is a straight knockout and it's boss. High stakes every match and it's less fixtures overall, so less of a strain on the smaller squads.

It would make it much more interesting if English teams could play each other in the group stage. Well when I say much, I might watch it which I don't at the moment.

 

[dannyboy]

The Champions League group stages are awful, nothing more than huge money spinners.

In an ideal world I'd have the actual champions from around Europe in a straight knockout to the final. Sadly, that wouldn't work because of the disparity in finances these days.

It'd be great to see the likes of Benfica, Ajax and the former Yugoslav countries rise again, never going to happen though so the bore that we're stuck with now will continue.

 

[chicoazul]

Would prefer straight knockout like the European Cup used to be.

The current system favours the richest prevailing. Getting drawn to some nasty Soviet team over two legs back in the day was a great leveller.

Bring back the European Cup and bring back the Cold War.

 

[deipnosophist]

Never watch it except (sometimes) the final

 

[Groucho]

All cup competitions should be knockout.

I don't even like home and away legs - FA Cup is the ideal format.

 

[Ashtonian]

I prefer knockout, more for the fact that it adds risk onto games. Increase the number of teams, have one leg knockouts and see how many of the rich clubs are comfortable travelling to east europe in the last 32 knowing they could be knocked out based on a plastic pitch and being kicked accross the field

 

[degsy]

Watching the footy last night, got me thinking.
Some decent games were on, but I wasn't arsed about them, I mean PSG v Real should have been a must watch game right ?

The games lack an edge, if I asked lids to pick out four teams, the CL is so predictable, I'd bet we could all name at least two semi finalists.

A straight, no seeded knockout cup would create so much more interest in my opinion, over two legs, so no excuses .

Yeah, but it's all about to money nowdays lad.. Etc Etc..

Well, if the interest goes, no one will be watching soon anyway.

Same for the Europa, awful competition that no ones really arsed about, get it back to the cup winners cup I say.

Which will then make them go for the breakaway Euro League thing- if they can get sky to fund it.

what we have here is a Zeno's paradox type thing, diminishing returns as it all gets a bit same-same and people lose interest...It could all go belly up, mightn't, but could.

 

[Blue Cheese]

European Cup KO and UEFA Cup KO.

I'm not a fan of the Champions League with teams that finish 3rd and 4th entering(that's not to say I don't want us in it whilst it's around). Champions Cup should be exactly that and UEFA cup for the rest.

It would make the UEFA(sorry Europa) Cup much more exciting and the Champions Cup would still be exciting because all the big boys would be playing each other.

 

[Shibbywiggles]

Knock outs are boss, every game matters. Chelsea getting a bore draw with Kiev is not exciting and should not be considered a good result in a world of exciting football, it's the same as why the format in the league was changed to three points for a win.

 

[riddick]

When they seeded the teams it guaranteed that the bigger teams would go through. That's the only reason for the group stages.

Unseed the teams and go to one leg knockouts