I don’t follow the European leagues enough to really understand how this is all done, but if Ajax playing in the earlier rounds results in more minutes for Dest, then I’m all for it.
UEFA Champions League 19/20
- Thread starter Shwafta
- Start date
It's somewhat crazy that it isn't just the champions and runners up of most/all European Leagues, but I think it made more sense before the massive player transfers of modern day footy. Back in the day most players on a team were from or close by the city that they played for, which made sense to have the champions from all over Europe come together to have a tournament of champions. However, if we did that now it would be a terrible tournament for the group stage and probably the first knockout round or two. It wouldn't be exciting to see Bayern, Man City, or Barca crush the champions of Estonia, Luxembourg, or Finland. With the way the bigger leagues have so much more money and can create these mega teams, it isn't fair any longer for smaller countries or those with nowhere near as much money to be competitive. It made sense back in the 60's, 70's, and 80's as teams across Europe were at a similar level, being champions of their respective country's league. Just look at the champions from the 60s-80s;
61-62- Benfica
63- Milan
64-65- Inter
66- Real Madrid
67- Celtic
68- Man United
69- Milan
70- Feyenoord
71-73- Ajax
74-76- Bayern
77-78- Liverpool
79-80- Nottingham Forest
81- Liverpool
82- Aston Villa
83- Hamburg
84- Liverpool
85- Juventus
86- Steaua Bucuresti
87- Porto
88- PSV Eindhoven
89-90- Milan
91- Red Star Belgrade
Now a lot of those teams are still big today, but when will Benfica, Porto, Red Star Belgrade, Celtic, or Steaua Bucuresti challenge for the title again? Not anytime soon. The best players of their country barely even play for clubs within their country anymore. It would be cool to see it again, but I'd rather watch the top 32 clubs in Europe in a tournament than the top 1/2 of each European nation.
Actually I should probably be 100% accurate - there are club coefficients and country coefficients. The country coefficient determines how many teams you enter and where they enter, the club coefficient determines the individual seeding.
That said, your comment seemed to focus more on the club coefficient point so my previous post still stands. Just wanted to clear up any potential confusion.
True, though that's a decision going back absolutely decades now. I can be a bit of a purist but I can tolerate this, if for no other reason than that the old one-team-per-country version produced statistics such as this one: in the first 25 versions of the Champions Cup, seven teams won the competition in consecutive seasons (Real winning as many as five in a row), with those seven winning streaks being responsible for 19 of the first 25 competition wins.
You're right that this used to be a thing, but it died out long before the Champions League came about. Bear in mind, for instance, that Inter Milan split off from AC in 1908 over an argument over whether to sign foreign players (hence the name "Internazionale").
It's sudden death penalties between FC Copehnagen and Red Star Belgrade. There have been a lot of misses as they're hitting these on basically a spot of mud.
For right footed players, the left standing foot is about 1 inch lower due to the ground being eaten up.
For right footed players, the left standing foot is about 1 inch lower due to the ground being eaten up.
but I do worry about Scotland's coefficient or what not when my Gers are back in the Champions league hopefully next season.
Kangaroo Jack
Registered
Kind of interesting/ironic that Inters slogan of "Brothers of the World" this year has changed to "Not for Everybody".
I get where they were trying to go with it, and that its not as dumb as it sounds, but its still a swing and miss for me.
Davo15
Registered
Yeah I mean I think their going for we're hip and unique and your special and cool if you like us but the wording is awkward (perhaps poor translation?) and it sounds like "Hey we're not inclusive !"
Kangaroo Jack
Registered
Here we gooooo
Interesting draw. No real groups of death, but definitely some big matchups in PSG v. Real, Bayern v. Tots, Juve v. Atletico, Liverpool v. Napoli, and Barca v. BVB. Group G is my favorite due to the fact I have no idea how it will pan out. Two of the weaker 1/2 seeds teamed up with stronger 3/4 seeds makes it interesting.Here we gooooo
My presumed results;
Group A:
PSG
Real
Galatasaray
Brugge
Group B:
Bayern
Tottenham
Red Star
Olympiacos
Group C:
Man City
Shakhtar
Zagreb
Atalanta
Group D:
Juve
Atletico
Lokomotiv
Neverkusen
Group E:
Liverpool
Napoli
Salzburg
Genk
Group F:
Dortmund
Barca
Inter
Prague
Group G:
Benfica
Leipzig
Lyon
Zenit
Group H:
Ajax
Valencia
Chelsea
Lille
Yep, stupid of Inter's marketing team. Possibly an artifact of marketing in a second language?
Kangaroo Jack
Registered
While i think groups E and F are fairly even i think Inter will have the hardest time going through
Mmm, Group F is where it's at.Here we gooooo
Yeah Napoli and Juve should be fine. Inter has a harder task than Atalanta, but I have Barca beating Dortmund twice and Inter with a lose and tie against Barca. Inter got screwed last year too if I remember right.
Will be interesting to see how Jesse Marsch and RB Salzburg do in Group E. Salzburg are 5-0 to start the season in Austria, with a +19 goal differential.